Luxury EVs: Packed with Power and Range
Luxury car buyers looking to go electric are in a privileged position when shopping for a new vehicle. Because the automotive industry is still in the transition to being all-electric, development costs for new technology are still high, and it is models at the top of every manufacturer’s range that get new features first. So, while EVs are now starting to emerge in the market at all price points and in a variety of shapes from a variety of manufacturers, it’s in the luxury segment where the most interesting innovations are being introduced.
If you’re shopping for a luxury EV, you are truly spoiled for choice, with a wide variety of vehicles available. They all have a few things in common: stupendous acceleration that will slay most supercars in a straight line; high-tech features that are the envy of the industry; and range that makes them useful not just in the city, but also gives them the versatility to take long trips.
What Are Today's Top-Rated Luxury Electric Vehicles?
Whether you’re shopping for a sedan, an SUV, or something sportier, there’s a luxury EV for you. Here are six of our favorites.
BMW iX M60
The third, and most powerful version of the company’s EV SUV, the iX M60, is the first BMW M vehicle not powered by a powerful gasoline engine. Thanks to 610 horsepower and a barely believable 811 lb-ft of torque from twin electric motors, it will accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in less than 3.8 seconds. The promised 280-mile range isn’t great compared to some of the longest-range SUVs out there, but it’s exceptional for something so powerful.
An aluminum space frame and the carbon cage with carbon fiber reinforcements reduces weight, benefitting performance and efficiency. This, combined with dual-axle air suspension, ensures the BMW M driving experience remains. On-board, a new generation of sensors provide the expected suite of driver assistance features and the potential for even more automated driving and parking functions.
We also love the iX’s pared-down, lounge-like interior, with a curved display that can be operated by a central control knob, or by touch. While the iX’s styling is like no BMW of the past, it certainly has the performance credentials in line with the M legacy and is a bold look forward to the future.
MSRP: $108,000 before incentives
Power output: 610 hp
EPA estimated range: 280 miles
Jaguar i-Pace
We have to credit Jaguar for entering the electric vehicle market with something as bold and forward-looking as the i-Pace. While other legacy luxury brands’ first EVs were adapted from existing gasoline-powered vehicles, the i-Pace was developed from the ground up as an EV – and has actually been on sale for almost four years – an eternity in EV years.
You can tell right away that the i-Pace was designed to be pure electric: its long, sleek body, short hood, and tiny overhangs would never work with a conventional gasoline engine. But thanks to compact motors, a big floor-mounted battery, and some clever styling, the iPace packs a huge interior onto a remarkably compact footprint and its feline good looks seem to have leapt into the present from 10 years in the future.
Jaguar’s i-Pace line is simple – there is just one well-equipped model, which has a 90-kWh battery that delivers up to 270 miles of range. Its twin motors deliver 394 horsepower and push it to 60 mph in a very swift 4.5 seconds. Jaguar’s EliteCare service package also includes five years or 60,000 miles of complimentary maintenance and roadside assistance.
MSRP: $71,300 before incentives
Power output: 394 hp
EPA estimated range: 270 miles
Lucid Air
Lucid, a new startup luxury brand based in California, and manufacturing in Arizona, has made waves with its new Air sedan, which is one of the most powerful, and longest-range, electric vehicles available on the market today.
The Air starts at a $87,400 with a 406-mile range which easily eclipses any other luxury EV. But the Grand Touring edition goes even further, with range that tops 500 miles. This is remarkable given that its 112-kWh battery isn’t that much bigger than competitors. With 800 horsepower and all-wheel drive, it also is set to deliver searing straight-line performance.
The Air Grand Touring comes with DreamDrive Pro, an advanced driver-assistance package which has 32 sensors and 14 cameras. This provides active cruise control and many safety functions including surround view monitor, blind spot display, cross traffic protection, automatic emergency braking, and even autonomous parking assist.
MSRP: $87,400 before incentives
Power output: 480 hp +
EPA estimated range: Up to 516 miles
Mercedes-Benz EQS
The Mercedes-Benz EQS is the automaker’s new electric flagship sedan, and is currently one of the longest-range EVs available, according to the EPA. The EQS 450+ has 350 miles of estimated range and uses a dedicated electric architecture, with a wide, flat floor. This houses a 108-kWh battery and extremely compact electric drive unit, making it incredibly spacious inside.
The EQS comes equipped as standard with Mercedes-Benz’s new Hyperscreen, a giant, all-digital dashboard that actually incorporates several touchscreens into one beautiful glass panel spanning the entire width of the cabin. Active safety includes an army of sensors to scan the road ahead, to provide automatic emergency braking; active cruise control, active steering assist, rear cross-traffic alert with pedestrian detection, and more. The navigation system uses augmented reality technology, while biometric authentication lets you unlock and start the car using your fingerprint.
While a more powerful EQS 580 is available, the 450+, with rear-wheel drive and the biggest battery, gives the greatest range. Keep an eye out for an SUV version of the EQS coming late in early 2023. It shares its architecture with the EQS sedan, but has a taller, more versatile hatchback body with a large cargo area and the option of seven seats.
MSRP: $105,710 before incentives
Power output: 329 hp +
EPA estimated range: Up to 350 miles
%20copy.webp)
Porsche Taycan
Perhaps the most impressive thing about the Porsche Taycan is how analog it feels, despite being a very digital, very high-tech car. Enthusiasts of the brand’s 911 sports cars, which became famous for their handling, road feel, and interactivity, will feel right at home behind the wheel of the all-electric Porsche: it has the same seating position, and the same intuitive, confidence-inspiring driving experience as any Porsche, which is a remarkable feat given the complete change in propulsion method.
Being a Porsche, the Taycan is fast, and offers a huge variety of models and performance levels, from an entry-level 375-hp rear-wheel drive model all the way up to a “Turbo S” with 750 horsepower. There is also a sedan, a sport turismo, and a jacked-up crossturismo body style to choose from in the line.
While the Taycan’s range isn’t the best – 225 miles or so according to the EPA, though it regularly beats those estimates – it does offer exceptionally fast charging thanks to its 800-volt electrical architecture. Provided you find a charger that can deliver, the Taycan can ingest electrons at up to 270 kW, one of the fastest-charging models on the market today.
If you’re looking for true driving entertainment and white-knuckle thrills, alongside performance and efficiency in an EV, the Taycan is the clear market leader.
MSRP: $82,700 before incentives
Power output: 375 hp +
EPA estimated range: Up to 225 miles
Tesla Model S
It’s hard to believe the Tesla Model S has been on sale for almost a decade, as in some ways it still feels very up-to-the-minute. Especially with the latest refresh in late 2021, which replaced the conventional steering wheel with a sci-fi “yoke,” which grabbed a lot of headlines. More notable than that, however, are significant upgrades to the interior, which finally elevate the Model S to being a luxury car, to go with its luxury price.
The materials and build quality are far nicer than before, the infotainment has been upgraded (and rotated into a landscape format), and the exterior has had a mild makeover as well. On the technical front, Tesla continues to make incremental but meaningful upgrades to performance and range. For a car as large, capable, and luxurious as it is, the Model S’ efficiency is impressive, with an EPA-certified 120 MPGe rating. The all-wheel drive Long Range edition ekes out 405 miles from its 99.3-kWh battery – far better than cars like the Audi E-Tron GT and Porsche Taycan, which have similarly-sized batteries.
Then, of course, there’s the rocket ship Plaid version, which is simply one of the fastest-accelerating cars you can buy, at any price. The Plaid is a true demonstration of what kind of performance pure electric vehicles are capable of, and it’s capable of destroying million-dollar supercars in a straight line.
MSRP: $104,990 before incentives
Power output: 671 hp +
EPA estimated range: Up to 405 miles
