2020 is fast approaching and the future seems to ride on Tesla’s promising shoulders —but with all the hype about the electric showcase, Elon Musk is pumping into the market, who’s watching the other guys? The answer is nobody. Musk is making waves in more than just the automotive industry and all eyes seem to be on the visionary man with a promising future. Amidst all the show and shine from Tesla, forces are drawing a bead on the popular EV line from the shadows that nobody is paying attention to.

According to Motor Trend, the obscure idea of a Tesla challenger came from a brief encounter between a writer and a driver for an auto magazine as they exchanged thoughts on the new Model 3 Tesla in high-performance mode. The professional driver wasn’t exactly thrilled about the Model 3’s performance — even in performance mode. The less-than-stellar review of the Tesla got the author thinking who the first true Tesla challenger would be.

The truth is, the list of rivals that could possibly challenge the EV giant are long and strung out, but is it likely that a large corporation like GM, Ford, Toyota, or Honda will be the contender to square off with? The alternate train of thought focuses on smaller, less-established companies and startups with a commitment to clean up the planet rather than trying to transition from a long history of fuel-burning models. Rivian, Lucid Motors, Faraday Future, and NIO are some of the front runners positioned to create waves of their own and many more production models are already in development from yet more competitors hoping to catch a slice of the next big consumer movement — the transition of fuels. Whatever that may turn out to be is still up for grabs, but electric vehicles are making strong power plays and people are generally accepting of the shift.

Wondering why you haven’t heard many other names besides Tesla yet? Lucid Motors is alleged to have locked down a billion-dollar deal with a Saudi wealth fund and has stated a Lucid Air production model will be on the market by 2019; in 2020 Rivian’s truck and SUV should be unveiled. They are out there and greater foundations are being laid.

The future is indeed very ambiguous regarding the EV playing field, but the prudent consumer will not be comfortable in the current market knowing that such changes are right around the corner. This is only the humble beginning of an economic shift as big as steam vs. the horse-drawn carriage. Electric power is already proven to be formidable in many applications ranging from commuting to racing. It’s just a matter of time before it begins to fill the cracks.