The auto industry is ever-evolving, with new electric vehicle options rolling off the production lines each year. With the vehicles becoming more innovative, so are the nameplates. Arguably, EVs are getting the weirdest names bestowed upon them. Here’s a look at some word electric car names and the growing EV industry. 

Electric car names are bad 

While car names have never been great, per se, the electric car segment is bringing some of the weirdest car names to life as of late. However, this really shouldn’t come as any surprise given that Elon Musk, the man who has made himself the face of the electric car segment, is giving his own offspring names that look like they were created by a cat walking across a keyboard. 

According to People, Musk’s got about a dozen kids, and two of his most recent were given the names X AE A-XII and Exa Dark Sideræl. Their nicknames are X and Y, respectively. So yeah, it’s really no surprise there are so many weird electric car names floating around right now.

However, surprisingly, the Tesla nameplates aren’t as weird as some might expect with names like Model S, Model Y, and Model X. What’s more surprising is that established manufacturers like Toyota and Volkswagen have elected to give their EV lineup questionable nameplates. 

What’s the deal with these weird electric car names? 

While hardly anyone would bat an eye if Tesla released a string of weird electric car names, it’s certainly more surprising when more established manufacturers choose something that’s out there. Take Toyota, for example, they’ve got a ton of cars, trucks, and SUVs in their lineup. The nameplates are pretty straightforward, with the likes of the Corolla, Camry, Highlander, Tacoma, and Tundra.

However, Toyota decided to go a different route with its EV offering, giving its new electric SUV the nameplate of bZ4X. Sounds like it came straight off of Elon Musk’s baby names list. 

Another head-scratcher is the Volkswagen ID.4. The German automotive manufacturer has produced tons of cars, vans, and SUVs over the years. Volkswagen’s gasoline-powered lineup all sport pretty straightforward nameplates with the likes of Jetta, Arteon, Atlas, Tiguan, and Taos.

However, taking a page out of Toyota’s playbook, Volkswagen decided to go in a different creative direction when naming its new EV lineup. Volkswagen’s introduced the electric ID.4 car into its lineup in 2021. According to Volkswagen, its next big EV releases will come in 2024 with the ID. Buzz and the ID.7. 

Keep the weird electric car names coming 

While the likes of Volkswagen and Toyota have chosen an alternative path for their EV nameplates, not all manufacturers have been quite so brave. Take Chevy, for example, a manufacturer that isn’t so into the whole random letters and numbers combo.

Rather, Chevy likes to stay consistent with their nameplates and simply tack EVs to the end to signify the vehicle’s electric powertrain. The Equinox EV, Blazer EV, Bolt EV, and Silverado EV all serve as examples of this theme. 

At the end of the day, EVs are weird. They’re here to disrupt the status quo and transform the entire automotive industry. With a mission like that, you’ve got to be bold and be ready to stand out.

Thus, it’s only fitting that electric cars draw even more attention to themselves with the weirdest nameplates possible. This is just the beginning of the EV segment, so the weird electric car names are just getting started. Things will surely get even more interesting and creative in the upcoming years.