Luxury Electric SUVs: More Choice Than Ever
While the market for electric vehicles experienced some well-publicized ups and downs in 2023 – slowing demand for some cars, big price cuts for Teslas, and varying eligibility for incentives – one thing is certain. Americans have far more EV choices now than they ever have. And that choice is about to multiply in 2024, with over 60 new electric vehicles scheduled for launch.
One of the fastest growing segments is luxury SUVs, and we’ve rounded up some of the most interesting and exciting models coming to market this year.
Acura ZDX
The 2024 Acura ZDX is the first step on the brand’s path towards a 100-percent electrified lineup, and it’s an impressive foray, offering up to 500 horsepower and an EPA-estimated range of 325 miles.
It will be available in two distinct models: luxurious ZDX and high-performance ZDX Type-S. The entry-level ZDX has a single rear-mounted motor producing 340 hp and rear-wheel drive, while the Type-S will be Acura’s most powerful and best-performing SUV ever. Two electric motors are standard, giving all-wheel drive. Horsepower jumps to 500, and there’s also a height-adjustable air suspension, adaptive dampers, and large Brembo front brakes.
Starting MSRP for the ZDX is expected to be around $60,000 for a rear-wheel drive model; an all-wheel drive upgrade is available, while it’s standard on the Type-S, which is expected to have a starting MSRP of around $70,000.
Audi Q6 E-Tron
Audi launched its first electric SUV, the e-tron, in 2019, making it a luxury EV pioneer. Now, it’s about to launch its most mainstream luxury EV SUV, the new Q6 e-tron. Based on a joint platform co-developed with Porsche, it’s been engineered exclusively for electric drive, meaning a spacious interior and better packaging. Prototypes show a conservative profile with Audi’s signature blistered fenders, giving the Q6 e-tron a sporty look.
The new Q6 e-tron will feature an 800-volt electrical architecture, which reduces charging times but also reduces weight to the benefit of performance and range. Electronic all-wheel drive will be standard, as will advanced driver assistance tech, including semi-autonomous highway cruising capability.
Inside, recent Audi interiors would suggest the Q6 e-tron will be packed with glossy touch screens. Expect plenty of space, a customizable instrument cluster, the option of a heads-up display, as well as twin screens for climate control and infotainment. We also expect standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with the ability to charge your phone wirelessly.
Cadillac Optiq and Vistiq
Cadillac is serious about electrification, and it says that from 2025 onward, it will have a lineup of four all-new EV models. In addition to the Lyriq, which is currently on sale, and the Escalade IQ, which will begin deliveries early this year, there are two all-new models, the Optiq and Vistiq.
The Cadillac Optiq will be the brand’s entry-level model in North America, but it will also be sold around the world, where its compact size will appeal to drivers in congested European and Asian cities. Cadillac promises a compact package that will appeal to Europeans as well as Americans, and spirited driving dynamics. Cadillac isn’t saying much about the tech specs of the Optiq yet, but we’re liking its distinctive face, glossy black cladding on the sides, distinctive rear light signature, and flush-mounted door handles.
The Vistiq will above the Lyriq, but below the gigantic Escalade IQ. It will be available with three rows of seats, and photos released by Cadillac show bold LED front lights, huge wheels, a long wheelbase, and a long rear overhang for a spacious cargo area. In terms of size and space, the Vistiq will likely provide a similar package to the current three-row, gasoline-powered XT6. We expect the Vistiq to have a similar battery to 102-kWh unit in long-range Lyriq models, and an EPA-estimated range of over 300 miles.
Range Rover Electric
One of the icons of the SUV world, the Range Rover has been a symbol of aristocratic on- and off-road travel for decades. Traditionally powered by gasoline or diesel engines, the Range Rover will soon be available in a new electric version – one that has all of the capability of previous models, but with zero emissions.
Land Rover says that the new Range Rover Electric contains more patents than any vehicle it has previously produced, and that its engineers have created the quietest and most refined Range Rover ever. Silent electric drive, active noise cancellation, and other technologies provide a serene ambiance, even when traversing rough terrain or wading through water almost three feet deep. The Range Rover Electric will deliver similar performance to V8 gasoline Range Rover, as well as equivalent off-road capability. An 800-volt electrical architecture will also make it easy to charge quickly on public networks.
Made in the UK, the new Range Rover Electric promises to offer its owners a seamless ownership experience thanks to comprehensive charging partnerships, over-the-air software updates, and intelligent technology that should help maximize range.
Lotus Eletre
Lotus says its all-electric Eletre is a “hyper-SUV” – hyper fast, hyper expensive, and the first of a line of electric vehicles from Lotus that will stretch it beyond its traditional two-seat sports cars to reach a new generation of tech-savvy and wealthy customers. It’s the first five-door car from Lotus, its first SUV, and the company claims it’s the most “connected” Lotus ever. Still, it has gorgeous styling, incredible performance, and is packed with engineering innovation.
A battery capacity of over 100 kWh powers all four wheels, with power options starting at 600 hp and reaching almost 1,000 hp. More importantly, an 800-volt architecture and 350-kW fast charging capability means this is one of the fastest-charging electric vehicles available. On a compatible charger, you’ll get almost 250 miles of range in just 20 minutes, and Lotus claims that the European range estimate is over 370 miles – though the EPA number is likely to be lower.
The Eletre is one of a very small handful of vehicles to use LIDAR sensors to support its driver assistance features. Its deployable sensors hide away when not required and have the ability to enable autonomous driving, when regulations allow, in addition to a huge range of active and passive assistance systems.
Lucid Gravity
The Lucid Air sedan has gotten rave reviews for its performance, style, and impressive range. Now, the California startup is applying the same philosophy and tech to its first SUV, the Lucid Gravity. With space for up to seven passengers, high performance, and a new platform, it offers an estimated range of over 440 miles.
Gravity features the latest ultra-compact electric motors, developed in-house by Lucid; the company says they are the most power-dense on the market. An all-new 900-volt electrical architecture means lighter weight and faster charging – up to 350 kW, making it industry-leading and on par with the Lotus Eletre. The claimed 0-60 time is just 3.5 seconds, and the Gravity can also tow up to 6,000 pounds, with a payload capacity of over 1,500 pounds. Optional air suspension gives it equally impressive capability off the beaten path.
A supremely spacious and open interior provides plenty of room for passengers and cargo, and the second and third rows of seats are easy to fold down to create a huge 112-cu.ft cargo area. There’s also a gorgeous, 34-inch floating curved display that combines driver information and infotainment, with a floating panel that has physical controls on a quick-access touch bar.
Maserati Grecale Folgore
The Maserati Grecale, introduced in late 2022, is a midsize luxury SUV that competes with vehicles like the Porsche Macan. It has distinctive looks, a luxurious interior, and high performance – and starting later in 2024, Grecale customers will actually have the choice of gasoline or electric power.
The Grecale Folgore (folgore means “lightning”) delivers zero-emissions driving, a fully-electric drivetrain, and Maserati performance. A 400-volt electrical system is coupled with a large 105-kWh battery. The EPA range estimate hasn’t yet been finalized, but we’d expect 350 miles or more. 500 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque are also part of the package, giving electrifying performance and instantaneous response off the line and when passing.
Inside the Grecale Folgore, you’ll find a new sustainable seat material, called Econyl, covering the seats and other high-touch surfaces. Produced from recycled fishing nets, Econyl has a unique laser-cut design and brings sustainability into the Maserati’s cabin as well as to its drivetrain. Inside, a digital dash, large touchscreen, smartphone integration, and integrated Amazon Alexa make the Grecale high-tech but easy to use.
Mercedes-Benz EQG
The boxy, off-road oriented Mercedes-Benz G-wagen almost feels like the opposite of a responsible, sustainable, planet-friendly family hauler. Priced above $150,000, the G-Class is a darling of celebrities and multi-millionaires with money, and gasoline, to burn. But in 2024, it’s going electric, and the EQG, as it’s called, will join Mercedes’ line of EQ electric vehicles.
What’s exciting about the EQG is that while it will retain the G-wagen’s iconic, and very boxy, outline, it will have some seriously awesome technology – including a new kind of battery featuring silicon anodes, from supplier Sila. The pure silicon anodes, which are very expensive, provide very long range and high performance, making them a good fit for the high-end EQG. Mercedes-Benz says the new anodes will allow the battery in the EQG to have a power density of 800 watt-hours per liter of volume. That’s a huge increase in power density over current batteries, and will help to overcome the EQG’s brick-like aerodynamics and substantial weight.
We’ll learn more about the EQG later this year, but expect, in line with its big starting price, a prodigious power output, range above 300 miles, and serious off-road capability – along with a luxuriously-equipped interior.
Porsche Macan EV
On the heels of the very well-received Taycan electric sedan and wagon, Porsche is about to take its best-selling model electric. Starting in late 2024, the all-new Macan EV will be sold alongside the existing gasoline Macan – giving Porsche drivers a zero-emissions choice in one of the most hotly contested segments in the market.
The first of many Porsche models to be built on its “PPE” (for Premium Platform Electric), the Macan EV will be available in an entry-level version, and a high-end “turbo” trim, both with standard all-wheel drive. Digital development and testing promises all of the handling and performance you’d expect from a Porsche, along with a surprisingly spacious interior. While the company hasn’t shown the exterior design yet, its interior shares the curved instrument cluster and central touch panel interface with the Cayenne, and offers a huge choice of color and trim options.
Like the Taycan, Porsche’s first all-electric car, the Macan EV will feature an 800-volt electrical architecture, which means faster charging times and lower weight. By 2025, the German brand estimates that half of the vehicles it sells globally will have electric drivetrains.
Volvo EX90
An electric replacement for the popular seven-seater Volvo XC90, the EX90 is the start of a new era for the Swedish company, setting course for an electric future; all of the models in its lineup will be fully-electric by 2030.
While it has a completely different drivetrain, the EX90 is still distinctively Volvo in its design – a versatile and stylish SUV with a blanked-out “grille,” distinctive hammer-shaped headlights, strong shoulders, and practical proportions. Longer than the XC90, it has an incredibly spacious interior capped by a full-length glass roof. It’s upholstered in sustainable textiles, and the digital instrument cluster and infotainment system are easy to use. Google apps and services standard on the EX90 include hands-free help from Google Assistant, Google Maps navigation, and Google Play. Wireless Apple CarPlay is also standard.
A huge 111-kWh battery coupled to standard all-wheel drive and twin electric motors mean the EX90 will have plenty of performance as well as plenty of range. 496 hp and 671 lb-ft of torque will help it zip to 60 mph in less than 5 seconds, while Volvo claims an estimated 300 miles of range, and a DC fast-charging time of 30 minutes from 10 to 80 percent.
