17 upcoming electric station wagon (estate) models [Update]

Update: ‘BMW i5 Touring,’ ‘VW ID.7 Tourer,’ and ‘Nio ET5 Touring’ updated.

The station wagon segment may be nonexistent in the United States, let alone an electric station wagon or electric estate car segment. This can be attributed to the emergence of minivans and SUVs in the 1980s, which promised more interior space and better-performing engines. However, in markets like Europe and the UK, the wagon is still considered an important body style. Here are the carmakers that are keen to have an electric station wagon in their future lineup in the global market.

BMW i5 Touring

At the 2023 BMW Group Annual Conference, the company made it official that the all-electric 5 Series station wagon is arriving in Spring 2024. The BMW i5 Touring will use the same CLAR (rear-wheel driven cluster architecture) platform as the BMW i4. It will reportedly be available in xDrive40 and M60 xDrive variants, which may have 335 hp/295 lb.-ft. and 590 hp/586 lb.-ft. dual-motor powertrains, respectively.

An 81.2 kWh (net) battery pack would be standard in the i5 Touring, and it is expected to deliver a WLTP range of around 350 miles in the xDrive40 variant and a little over 300 miles in the M60 xDrive variant. A Max Range function would allow the driver to increase the car’s range by up to 25% by throttling its power and speed and deactivating comfort functions.

New BMW iDrive system with BMW Operating System 8.5, fully vegan interior, Highway Assistant including Active Lane Change with world-first eye activation, Plug & Charge, etc. will likely be some of the key features of the BMW i5 Touring.

Release Date – Arriving in Spring 2024 in Europe; not expected to release in the U.S.

Price – Expected to start from $70,000-75,000

BMW i3 Touring

According to Bimmerpost, a BMW i3 Touring will be a part of the global 3 Series Electric family. Codenamed ‘BMW NA1,’ the i3 Touring will roll out of the BMW Group Plant San Luis Potosi (Mexico) starting in 2027, claims the forum post. We see it as another excuse for it to be tested with car buyers in the United States!

Thanks to the electric-only Neue Klasse platform, the i3 Touring can be sleeker and more spacious than the 3 Series Touring, which measures 4.7 meters (185.0 in.) in length, has a 2.9 meter (114.2 in.) wheelbase, and offers 500-1,510 liters (17.6-52.9 cu.ft.) of luggage space. Thanks to flat floor, even if it is lower than the ICE model (1.4 meters or 55.1 inches), it should still offer plenty of room. The ‘Frunk’ could make a return in electric BMWs beginning with the Neue Klasse i3 family.

BMW Group could use the sixth-gen e-drive units it plans to make in Steyr, Austria, from 2025, in the i3 Touring. The company may offer it in single-motor RWD and dual-motor AWD variants. The 800V electrical architecture would pave the way for ultra-fast charging, allowing customers to charge the electric wagon at up to 350 kW and complete the 10-80% charging in around 20 minutes.

Release Date – Expected in 2027; confirmation awaited

Price – Expected to start from USD 55,000-65,000

VW ID.7 Tourer

Station wagon enthusiasts can rejoice as the VW Aero B electric station wagon has been given the go-ahead. As EV adoption accelerates in different markets, the VW Passat Alltrack and Passat sedan will be gradually replaced by the ID.7 Tourer and VW ID.7, respectively. A single motor RWD variant, dual-motor AWD variant, and a performance-oriented GTX are planned. For the U.S., it is the electric sedan that the local operations is bringing down in 2024, having discontinued production of the gasoline-powered Passat in December 2021.

VW has confirmed some of the specifications of the electric station wagon. It has a 545-liter boot, and when the seats are folded down, it can be taken up to 1,714 liters. As with the sedan, we’re expecting a 77 kWh lithium-ion battery pack in this variant, with a WLTP range of up to 620 km (385 miles).

Volkswagen will introduce the ID.7 Estate in Europe next year. The company is currently road-testing the electric station wagon on public roads.

Release Date – Expected to first launch in Europe in Spring 2024

Price – Estimated to start from EUR 45,000

Skoda Octavia Combi EV equivalent

Skoda has confirmed plans to launch an electric estate in 2026. Measuring approximately 4.6 meters in length, the first-ever Skoda electric estate will be a compact model comparable to the Octavia Combi. However, it will have the space and quality of a mid-size estate. The Czech automaker has released a teaser of the exterior (pictured above), which embodies the brand’s new design language, Modern Solid.

Skoda’s electric station wagon should be based on Volkswagen Group’s MEB+ platform, an improved version of the MEB. While MEB EVs are available with 110-220 kW powertrains, MEB+ EVs will be available with 110-290 kW powertrains. Moreover, while the former take about 35 minutes for a 10-80% DC fast-charging session, the latter will take approximately 20 minutes for the same.

Release Date – 2026 (Europe)

Price – Estimated from $37,000

Audi A6 Avant e-tron

Audi showcased the A6 e-tron concept at the 2021 Shanghai Auto Show, and in March 2022, the Avant (station wagon) edition was revealed in the concept form. Audi is flexing its prowess in lighting technologies; its front is reminiscent of the Sportback and features the closed single-frame grille with sleek Digital Matrix LED headlamps and an illuminated Audi logo. The taillights contain digital OLED elements that offer infinite customizable variations.

The design of the new electric Audi A6 Avant e-tron, according to Sascha Heyde, Senior Exterior Designer of Audi, marks the next evolutionary step in Audi’s design philosophy. Audi designer Wolf Seebers has said that the production A6 Avant e-tron will be around 90% similar to the concept version, as per a report CAR magazine published in April 2022.

The Audi A6 Avant e-tron rides on the PPE platform, which sees significant changes from the MEB platform to make it more suitable for premium offerings. The PPE platform supports 800-volt architecture, and charging times for the A6 Avant e-tron’s 100 kWh battery are impressive; it can add 186 miles of range in just 10 minutes. In 25 minutes, the battery can charge up from 5-80%. The estimated range is 435 miles. 0-62 mph acceleration will take less than 7 seconds.

With the increasing preference shift toward SUVs, station wagons are losing appeal. In spite of this, Audi will continue to offer Avant models. “I think Audi stands for Avant and Avant for Audi,” Oliver Hoffmann, BoM member responsible for Technical Development, Audi, told Top Gear, the British publication reported on September 30, 2022.

Release Date – 2024

Price – Expected $75,000 and upwards

Lexus IS EV

In mid-December 2021, when Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) teased over 15 electric vehicles, and Lexus also revealed a glimpse of its future models, including two electric estates. These look like swanky shooting brakes, though, not your ordinary station wagons.

During its FY2023 financial results press briefing on May 10, 2023, TMC announced an ambitious plan to launch 10 electric vehicles (EVs) by 2026, alongside a teaser. The lineup includes two luxury models, one of which seems to be a sedan, while the other exhibits design cues of an estate. These 2026 models will be built on a new vehicle platform, incorporating a new electronic platform and software platform.

According to a report Best Car Web published on July 17, 2023, the next-gen Lexus IS will be an EV-only model. The report says the IS EV will be available as a station wagon as well. However, considering that the popularity of regular station wagons is declining, Lexus will take a slightly different approach. Instead of a flat-roofed, boxy design, it will release a fluidic shooting brake that’s scores on style and delivers a higher range.

Given how TMC wants Lexus EVs to account for 100 percent of the brand’s sales in North America, Europe, and China by 2030 and go 100 percent electric by 2035, there could be a chance at least one of the two teased electric station wagon models, most likely the IS EV, will make it to the United States.

We will develop next-generation BEVs for Lexus brand by 2026, with everything from the battery and platform to how a car is built optimized for BEVs

Koji Sato, President, Lexus (Toyota Motor Corporation management changes announcement on February 13, 2023)

Release Date – 2026 (Europe)

Price – Expected at $70,000 and up

Volvo V60/V90 electric successor

Robin Page, Volvo Cars’ former design boss, had told EV Central that customers need a car lower than an SUV but with a lot of cargo space. Will it launch a Volvo V Series electric successor in a few years and continue selling station wagons in the electric era? Probably. It makes sense for the company to be looking at an electric station wagon, CEO Jim Rowan told Auto Express.

The proportions of the Volvo V60 electric or Volvo V90 electric successor will be quite different from the present ICE models. Designed as EVs from the outset, these cars won’t need an engine space or a prominent open grille like an ICE model. The interior of the born-electric Volvos would be spacious and practical, with multiple storage areas and a flat floor. Volvo Cars may use a break in the battery pack, as Porsche has done in the Taycan, to free up leg room for the rear passengers. The company will avoid animal leather and use sustainable materials instead.

On July 13, 2022, Volvo Trademark Holding AB filed trademark applications for 14 new names at EUIPO. Three of them can be useful for Volvo Cars’ electric station wagons: Volvo EV40, Volvo EV60, and Volvo EV90. EV60 and EV90 could be reserved for the electric equivalents of the V60 and V90, respectively, whenever they are ready.

Release Date – By 2028

Price – Expected at $45,000 and up

Alfa Romeo Giulia Electric

When the Alfa Romeo Giulia moves to its next-generation, it could adopt a radical new body style. Alfa Romeo CEO Jean-Philippe Imparato has told Autocar that he doesn’t want to give up on the sedan body style, but at the same time, many have suggested a station wagon should exist, the British publication reported in May 2022. Maybe the solution lies between the two shapes, and the next-gen Giulia “can have the best of both worlds,” Imparato added.

In February 2023, Autocar reported that the Giulia EV line-up may include variants with close to 345 hp, approximately 790 hp, and around 986 hp. The highest output, expected to be achieved with a triple-motor AWD setup, was a confirmation from Imparato. One configuration will deliver a range of up to 435 miles, as per WLTP. Charging the battery pack from 10 to 80% SoC could take less than 18 minutes.

The offbeat all-new Giulia would be available as a pure-electric rival to the Genesis G70 Shooting Brake. Imparato has told whichcar.com.au that the launch won’t take place in 2024, meaning that the wait will continue.

Release Date – Mid-decade

Price – Expected $50,000 and up

Hyundai Ioniq 6 Shooting Brake

SangYup Lee, Executive Vice President and Head of Hyundai Design Center, has talked about a new body style for the company’s newest electric car. Asked if Hyundai designers considered a liftback for Ioniq 6, Lee told Auto Express that he “can make a great hatchback out of that; a shooting brake.” Hyundai appears interested in offering the Ioniq 6 in an alternative body style that’s more practical but also more stylish than a traditional station wagon or estate.

Other Hyundai Motor Group brands have flirted with shooting brakes in the recent past, featuring combustion engines. In 2018, Kia introduced the ProCeed with a five-door shooting brake body. In 2021, Genesis launched the G70 Shooting Brake in the same format, targeting the European market. It could be argued that Hyundai’s turn to release a shooting brake is long overdue. The Ioniq 6 shooting brake, with its sleek lines, could have a big appeal in European markets, where sedans are not as popular as in the United States or China.

Release Date – Mid-decade

Price – Expected at EUR 60,000 (Germany)

Mercedes EQE Shooting Brake

Instead of a conventional Mercedes EQE Wagon (Mercedes EQE T-Modell for our German readers), Stuttgart could be planning a Mercedes EQE Shooting Brake (via Auto Bild), which could be relatively more fashionable and aerodynamic, serving both form and function. Compared to the sedan, it would feature a longer and higher roofline, and the trunk volume would be between the EQE (430 liters or 15.2 cubic feet) and the upcoming EQE SUV. Note that Mercedes-Benz has not confirmed additional EQE derivatives.

The EQE doesn’t have a large trunk due to the extremely short rear overhang that measures 930 mm. The E-Class sedan, with its 1,150 mm rear overhang, offers 540 liters of trunk space. Extending the EQE’s rear would have brought its length precariously close to the EQS. Perhaps the company wasn’t worried about losing EQE customers for its low luggage space as the EQE Shooting Brake would address this concern?

With a crouched rear, extra headroom for rear-seat passengers, and a larger load compartment, the EQE Shooting Brake should be more stylish and practical than its donor. In European markets, where customers appreciate sedan-like driving dynamics and the extra space that these long-body vehicles provide, it could be a more appealing option. We hold little hope for the EQE SB in the U.S., given the company didn’t bring down the CLS Shooting Brake or the CLA Shooting Brake.

Release Date – Expected mid-decade; confirmation awaited

Price – Expected at EUR 70,000 (Germany)

Mercedes CLA Shooting Brake Electric

On September 3, 2023, Ola Källenius, CEO, Mercedes-Benz Group, confirmed the launch of an electric shooting brake on the MMA platform. “We will introduce four new models developed from scratch on our new Mercedes Modular Architecture (MMA): a four-door coupe, a shooting brake, and two stunning SUVs,” he said.

It’s safe to assume that Källenius was referring to a Mercedes CLA Shooting Brake Electric. Expect the future EV to borrow design cues from the new Concept CLA Class. Much of its features and specifications should trickle down to the road-ready CLA Electric and the CLA Shooting Brake Electric. Customers who find the i5 Touring or A6 Avant e-tron too big or expensive will see the Mercedes CLA Shooting Brake Electric as an option.

Release Date – Expected around 2025

Price – Expected at EUR 55,000 (Germany)

Nio ET5 Touring

The ET5 Touring measures 4,790 mm in length, 1,960 mm in width, and 1,499 mm in height and has a 2,888 mm wheelbase. The roof load capacity of the EV is 75 kg. The car has 450 liters of luggage space, expandable to 1,247 liters by folding down the rear seats. Moreover, it offers 42 liters of extra space under the cargo floor where customers can store their daily necessities, like an EV charging cable, for instance, and personal belongings.

The subtly integrated roof rails can be used to secure racks or roof boxes. The roof load capacity is 75 kg, which should be enough to transport common adventure sports equipment. For customers who intend to tow trailers, cars, motorcycles, and other heavy stuff, an electric towbar is available as an option. The maximum towing capacity is 1,400 kg.

With its stretched roof that slopes to a curvy spoiler, the Nio ET5 Touring has the same exterior dimensions as the sedan it originates from. The roof angles are softer than on the ET5, and the windows seem comparatively bigger. Its interior will be considerably larger than the ET5, targeting markets like Sweden and Germany where station wagons are still a popular choice.

Likewise, the ET5 Touring uses a combination of 150 kW front and 210 kW rear motors. The total power and total torque of its dual-motor powertrain are 360 kW and 700 Nm, respectively. 75 kWh and 100 kWh are the battery pack options, and the latter gives the car a WLTP range of 560 km, 30 km lesser than the ET5 sedan.

The ET5 Touring is available in Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden. In Norway, it has been priced at NOK 532,869 with the 75 kWh battery pack and NOK 620,619 with the 100 kWh battery pack. Deliveries have commenced recently in Europe.

Release Date – Customer deliveries commenced recently

Price – NOK 532,869 (Norway) onwards

Opel Astra Sports Tourer Electric

The Opel Astra Sports Tourer Electric is the first electric station wagon from the German automaker. The UK gets the same model as the Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer Electric.

The Astra Sports Tourer Electric has a single electric motor, mounted at the front. It develops 115 kW and 270 Nm of torque and gives the electric station wagon the capability to attain a top speed of 170 km/h. A 54 kWh battery pack is standard, and the WLTP range is up to 413 km. 100 kW is the peak charging power, and charging to 80% capacity using a DC charger takes about 30 minutes.

With the batteries housed in the underbody, the passenger space and cargo space aren’t compromised. The cargo volume is 516 liters, and it can be expanded to up to 1,553 liters by folding down the rear seats.

Release Date – Available to order

Price – €43,490 (Germany) onwards

Peugeot e-308 SW

The Peugeot e-308 SW, order books for which will open later this year, is the first European electric station wagon. It uses a single motor that produces 115 kW (156 hp) and 260 Nm (192 lb.-ft.) of torque. Clearly, Peugeot didn’t build the e-308 SW for acceleration or top speed. However, the electric estate is impressive when it comes to efficiency, which will matter the most to its target customer.

A 51 kWh lithium-ion NMC battery pack is the energy source of the electric motor. It operates at 400 volts and should deliver a WLTP range of over 400 km (249 miles). Consuming just 12.7 kWh/100 km (62 miles), it is cheaper to run than a VW ID.3, which has a WLTP energy consumption rating of 12.9 kWh/100 km (62 miles). An 11 kW on-board three-phase charger is standard, and DC fast-charging from 20 to 80% SoC takes less than 25 minutes. Peugeot plans to launch the electric station wagon in Europe later in the year in Allure and GT trim levels.

Release Date – Order books to open later in 2023

Price – Expected at around EUR 45,000

Next-gen MG5 EV

MG UK commercial director Guy Pigounakis has said all MG UK models except for the MG4 EV will get a replacement by the end of 2024, as per an Autocar report from November 28, 2022. The British publication said the successors to current MG electric vehicles, including the MG5 EV, will likely sit on the new MSP (Modular Scalable Platform) that debuted in the MG4 EV.

As you can see in our exclusive rendering above, the next-gen MG5 EV will embody the design elements of the MG4. David Allison, MG UK’s Head of Product and Planning, confirmed this development to Auto Express, the British publication reported on May 22, 2023, two months after we released the illustration.

As the restyled MG5 EV was launched just back in November 2022 in the UK, the next-generation MG5 EV will take some time to reach dealers. The current electric estate could be among the brand’s last models to be replaced in 2024.

Release Date – By 2024

Price – Expected at under EUR 40,000

2024 Porsche Taycan Sport Turismo (facelift)

Courtesy of spy shots, we know that the Taycan facelift is on the way. Similarly, photos of a development prototype of the Taycan Sport Turismo facelift surfaced on the European media late last year.

The photos appear to show the Taycan Sport Turismo test mule near the popular Nürburgring race track in Germany with cleverly-placed body-colored pieces of camouflage. While much of the design appears similar to the outgoing model, the facelift will usher in a revised front bumper & lower apron, new & slightly larger LED (Matrix) headlights with a refreshed design for the DRLs. Furthermore, the headlamp units of the test mule are not recessed, having been pushed further out for a cleaner look.

Other changes expected on the exterior of the Taycan Sport Turismo refresh are likely to come in the form of new alloy wheel designs and new color options. So far, there aren’t any quality photos showing us the interior of the development prototype. That said, Porsche could introduce a few new interior trim options and update the features list of the electric wagon.

Release Date: Could reach the U.S. in late 2023.

Price: Expected to start from around USD 90,000.

Lotus Emeya Shooting Brake

A wagon version of the Lotus Emeya could arrive after 2026, adding a fourth lifestyle model to the brand, and enable it to compete with the Porsche Taycan Sport Turismo.

Lotus’s commercial director Mike Johnstone has said that the company is aware of changing customer tastes, the emergence of new market segments, and will continue maximizing opportunities wherever they appear. Ben Payne, Lotus’ VP of Design, while refusing to confirm any plans, has reportedly said that products like the shooting brake would appeal to many creative people, and that the design team is always looking at doing things a bit different, as per Autocar.

Glancing at the Emeya’s spec sheet offers an idea about what the shooting brake could have in store. The dual-motor system on the top-spec electric sedan develops up to 675 kW (905 hp), giving it a 0-62 mph time of 2.78. The 102 kWh battery is expected to give it a range upward of 350 miles (WLTP), and the shooting brake variant could perform slightly better in this aspect.

Release Date – Unconfirmed, expected after 2026

Price – Upwards of USD 100,000

Also Read: 13 upcoming electric sedans in the United States

Featured Image: TopElectricSUV’s rendering of the next-gen MG5 Estate