Since the first truly modern fully electric cars were produced in 2009 and 2010 with the likes of the Mitsubishi i-MiEV, the Citroën C-Zero, the Peugeot iOn, and the Nissan Leaf, things have really come a long way. Back then, electric cars were little more than curiosities and seen as impractical by most people. Many would just discount them as being not ready for the market and unable to compete with normal gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles.

Now, that has all changed, and they are rapidly becoming mainstream and are proceeding to displace fossil-fueled cars - in Norway for example the sale of new gasoline and diesel cars will be banned in less than 4 years. General Motors has announced that it is intending to only sell electric vehicles after 2035, while many other car companies are echoing this too. EVs are now almost unrecognizable from what they were just 10 or so years ago. Here are eight ways the EVs have dramatically improved over the last decade.

8 Increased Range

The range of EVs has been growing dramatically. When the Nissan Leaf debuted in 2010 it came with an EPA range of only 73 miles, now in its second generation, it boasts 151 miles — a doubling in range in just ten years.

But its 151-mile range is dwarfed by some other ranges out there on the market with Tesla's Model S reaching ranges of more than 400 miles and the upcoming Tesla Cybertruck Tri Motor and the Lucid Air expected to achieve EPA ranges of up to 500 miles.

7 Increased Speed

Tesla's Roadster, expected to hit production within months, can reach dizzying speeds of up to 250 miles per hour while the Lucid Air is projected to be able to zip along at 168 miles per hour.

Tesla Model S
Via Unplugged Performance

The electric vehicles of ten years ago were humble, sluggish affairs that could find themselves stuck in the slow lane of the Interstate Highway. But not anymore!

Related: These Are The Fastest All-Electric Cars In The World

6 Charging Infrastructure

Back in 2010, one would be justifiably concerned about the distinct lack of charging infrastructure installed. But today that has changed dramatically - especially in states like California. The growth of charging infrastructure installed is explosive. Additionally, the ranges of the cars have also dramatically improved meaning that the constant need for charging is also less acute.

You can easily explore all corners of California with a Tesla now and while it's possible some regions may still be very difficult to transverse with shorter ranged EVs - especially in the more mountainous regions that require more power, this is set to change in the near future.

5 Rapid Charging

The long time it takes to charge the vehicles has also been a significant stumbling block to adoption. But that too is now changing. Back in 2010, the charging times were so long that you basically had to let your vehicle charge in the garage overnight.

Today, superfast chargers like Tesla's Model S can add 200 miles worth of charge in a mere 15 minutes, while the Lucid Air can add 300 miles worth of charge in 20 minutes. This is rapidly getting to the point of being a little less inconvenient than filling up with gas.

4 Price

Not only has the performance of the EVs gotten better and better, but the price of electric cars has also fallen precipitously. As economies of scale continue to kick in, that trend is set to continue.

Much of the cost of an EV can be measured in the cost of the rare earth materials in its battery. There are new batteries in the pipeline that seek to reduce these materials and therefore hopefully further reduce the cost of the vehicle.

Related: 5 Expensive Cars We Don't Want To Buy (5 EVs Worth Every Penny)

3 Range of Models

The range of models on the market is exploding as more and more car companies are adapting their models into an EV version or increasingly designing purpose-built EV models. Back in 2010, there was only a handful of electric cars on the market with Tesla's old Roadster model being the only higher-end option.

This year the Lucid Air, Tesla Cybertruck, Rivian R1T, and many more fully electric vehicles are expected to go into full production. Now, every shopper has a full range of choices from the cheap low-end options like the Nissan Leaf through to luxury options like the Lucid Air.

Related: 10 Reasons Why EVs Are Going To Take Over The World

2 Likability

The image of the EV has been transformed. Back in 2010, electric vehicles were more associated with small, fuel-saving cars and humble cars like the Nissan Leaf and even the hybrid Toyota Prius.

Today, electric vehicles have become much more likable, with vehicles like Tesla's Model S, the Lucid Air, the Porsche Taycan, and the Rivian R1T on or hitting the market this year. These are not humble cars, but beasts that can best many of the best performing gasoline cars out there.

1 Utility

Back in 2010, electric vehicles were just little runabouts, fit for little more than driving to the supermarket or dropping the kids off at school. This year both the Rivian R1T and Tesla's Cybertruck are set to go into production.

The Rivian R1T will have a towing capacity of up to 11 000 lbs while the Cybertruck's Tri Motor version reaches 14,000 lbs. That is more than enough to compete toe to toe with the likes of the Ford F-150.

In conclusion, the pace of development in EVs over the last decade has been phenomenal, and there's little reason to doubt that won't continue until 2030!

Next: These 10 Upcoming EVs Make The Future Look Bright