I've driven 15 different electric cars. These are my 13 favorite features, from the F-150's frunk to Rivian's camping kitchen.

Slowly but surely, car companies are going electric. More buyers than ever are considering the switch from fossil fuels.

The Ford F-150 Lightning.
Tim Levin/Insider

What’s great for early adopters is that automakers are using cutting-edge electric models as a testing ground for new and interesting designs and capabilities.

I’ve driven more than a dozen electric cars from Ford, Tesla, Porsche, and others and experienced plenty of cool features, but a handful stand out.

California upstart Rivian is looking to become the Tesla of rugged pickup trucks and SUVs.

The Rivian R1T.
Tim Levin/Insider

Its vehicles are jam-packed with interesting features, but the coolest part of the
R1T truck has to be its Gear Tunnel.

The Rivian R1T.
Tim Levin/Insider

It’s a bonus, one-of-a-kind storage area running between R1T’s back seats and bed.

The Gear Tunnel opens from both sides. Both doors house extra goodies like a first aid kit.

The 2022 Rivian R1T.
Tim Levin/Insider

Simply point the seven-seat SUV at a deep creek, steep incline, or mass of boulders, and step on the accelerator. Its four powerful motors, adjustable air suspension, and advanced all-wheel-drive system handle the rest.

The Rivian R1S.
Tim Levin/Insider

Tesla rejects almost all conventional buttons and gauges in favor of a sleek and uncluttered look.

The Tesla Model Y.
Tim Levin/Insider

And tech geeks will get a kick out of the big, snappy touchscreen that controls basic vehicle settings and receives software updates.

The Tesla Model Y.
Tim Levin/Insider

Fun built-in features like a racing game (which uses the actual steering wheel), drawing pad, and Netflix ensure you’ll never be bored while charging up.

Kia’s spaceship-like
EV6 has a trick up its sleeve in the form of bidirectional charging capability.

The clever feature involves using an adapter that plugs into the charge port.

The 2022 Kia EV6.
Tim Levin/Insider

But the best thing about driving the Ioniq 5 is just how cool it makes you feel.

The 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5.
Tim Levin/Insider

Its retrofuturistic styling — complete with origami-like angles and lights comprised of dozens of little pixels — makes it stand out from regular blob-shaped SUVs.

The 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5.
Tim Levin/Insider

It can charge at a peak rate of 270 kilowatts, faster than most electric cars, meaning 5% to 80% can happen in just 22.5 minutes.

The 2022 Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo Turbo S.
Tim Levin/Insider

That’s a game-changer for long road trips with multiple charging stops.

The 2021 Porsche Taycan Turbo S Cross Turismo.
Tim Levin/Insider

The thought of going without regular buttons may repel some buyers. But the sporty sedan’s Google-powered infotainment system isn’t clunky like some other vehicle touchscreens.

The 2022 Polestar 2.
Tim Levin/Insider

Instead, both the main display and digital instrument panel are remarkably intuitive, simple, and pretty to look at. Hyper-realistic graphics of the vehicle are a nice touch.

The 2022 Polestar 2.
Tim Levin/Insider

The $96,000
iX I drove cocooned me in generous amounts of supple leather.

The 2022 BMW iX xDrive60.
Tim Levin/Insider

It had a massaging driver’s seat, a slim, floating screen, and plenty of gold trim.

The 2022 BMW iX xDrive50.
Tim Levin/Insider

The Ford F-150 Lightning’s biggest superpower is how normal it feels. Ford took the F-150 and injected it with electric power without sacrificing the familiarity of America’s favorite truck.

The Ford F-150 Lightning.
Tim Levin/Insider

But the Lightning brings some big advantages. It has outlets throughout that can provide serious amounts of electricity for power tools and tailgating accessories.

The F-150 Lightning Lariat.
Ford

With the right adapter, it can even charge other electric vehicles.

The Ford F-150 Lightning charging an E-Transit van.
Ford

It also offers power outlets and a big, wide opening to make loading things even easier.

The 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning.
Tim Levin/Insider

Likewise, one of the Ford Mustang Mach-E’s handiest features is its frunk.

It’s made of hard plastic and has a drain hole, making it the perfect spot to stow muddy shoes and wet gear. Lots of electric SUVs go without a frunk, giving the Mach-E a leg up.