Electric cars are a matter of fact in the automotive industry and so they also feature prominently in Forza Horizon games. But their previous introduction has felt haphazard and effortless, so new-age tech needs better representation when Forza Horizon 6 hits shelves.
Sadly, there is no escaping the reality that electric vehicles are becoming omnipresent in the automotive industry. Several governments may be rolling back their initially harsh targets and manufacturers are beginning to calm their pace towards exclusive electrification. But nevertheless, zero-emission driving is becoming a larger part of our roads.
That change is reflected in sim racing games such as Forza Horizon. The previous fifth instalment saw a whole host of electric cars make up its car list, whilst, at the time of writing, the Forza Horizon 6 car list features seven battery electric cars and an additional hydrogen fuel cell-powered concept.
But if the Horizon festival's visit to Mexico is anything to go by, we expect EVs in FH6 to lack the same in-depth passion of many of the game's combustion models. Sure, that makes sense to the many of us entrenched in the petrolhead passion, but many Forza players come from a more modern background with a passion for motors beyond the ICE kind. So to ensure the game captivates its entire audience, Forza Horizon 6 must do better with its EVs.
Electric Cars in FH6
As we say, there is a community out there that is just as passionate about the thrilling acceleration and new-age style of electric vehicles as they are the bellowing thrum of an internal combustion engine. These are the people who will be hoping that Forza Horizon 6 is the game where electric cars move away from being sideshows dumped into the game as a last-minute thought and become an integral part of the game.
With variety but a significant lack of numbers, we do not know how those fans will react to the below list of every electric car in Forza Horizon 6 at the time of writing.
- Audi RS eTron GT
- BMW iX xDrive 50
- Ford F-150 Lightning
- Honda e
- Hyundai IONIQ 5 N
- Lotus Evija
- Wuling Hongguang Mini EV Macaron
Adding to this short but sweet list is another Hyundai, this time a conceptual prototype designed to go even further into the future. Good thing it looks like a Delorean then. It is called the N Vision 74 and gets a hydrogen fuel cell powertrain, essentially getting electric motors powered by hydrogen electrolysis rather than a chunky battery.
Modifying EVs
It seems then that from the currently incomplete car list for FH6, electric machinery will once again have a secondary role behind petrol-powered brutes. But that is not to say we should not enjoy the time we do have in EVs. For those that get excited about the silent whir of a brushless motor, Playground Games must show that it can apply the same passion it does to its combustion cars to the EVs of Japan. And one main way Forza Horizon 5 dropped the ball in this regard is modification.
Modifying cars is a huge part of the gameplay loop in any racing game. Whether you are diving into the intricate details like a Forza Horizon title or upgrading surface-level items without the nuisance of engineering talk like The Crew, taking a car and making it better is a huge part of the bond players build with these virtual renditions.
In Forza Horizon 5, modifying electric cars boiled down to randomly upgrading the electric motors without a care for the deeper elements of the tech, despite Forza's long-standing car upgrade system sitting among the best for its in-depth ability to tune individual parts of an engine. The difference in depth and detail here showed just how little the developers cared about the electric car. Whilst many are thinking it, we do not think the game should make EVs out to be soulless tin cans.
Instead, a deeper level of modification should be open to players. Be it improving a battery's voltage for greater power transfer, optimising the magnets or coils for more aggressive torque curves, depending on the given car's motor design. This would help provide more elements to tune and configure when going through the upgrades menu and also allow the developers to add a Swap section even for EVs.
When we say Swap and EV in the same sentence, you are probably thinking of replacing the BEV layout for one of the many engine swaps Forza Horizon titles have become known for and sure, that would be fun. However, we could also imagine an ability to swap out the rear-mounted motor for a Porsche Taycan unit, upping power immediately. Better yet, if you could take the Wuling Hongguang Mini EV Macaron city car and swap in the higher-voltage 800V battery of the Ford F-150 Lightning, you would have motors getting more juice, and that means more power.
If Playground wanted to go even further down the rabbit hole, they could force players to upgrade a battery before the motors, ensuring higher power motors get the juice they need. But then again, even combustion cars can reach stratospheric power figures on stock injectors.
What would you like to see happen to electric cars in Forza Horizon 6? Let us know in the comments or join the discussion in our Forza Horizon forum!