The automotive industry is made up of many segments, from hatchbacks to SUVs.
But refine your search to electric vehicles, and your options can be pretty limited.
Business owners and dreamers alike: listen up as we explore some of the most luxurious
EVs available today.
Mercedes EQS
Think of luxury limousines and you’re probably picturing the Mercedes S-Class.
Its range of large engines are smooth and powerful, but are not the cleanest when it
comes to emissions.
The German car maker addressed this in 2021 following the success of the EQC, with the
brand new EQS.
At over 5.2 metres long, its dimensions are almost identical to the S-Class it wishes
to one day replace.
Entry-level EQS 450+ leaves the driver wishing little, with over 330hp and almost 570Nm of
torque helping the rear-wheel drive car, and its heavy batteries, sprint to 62mph in 6.2
seconds.
An all-wheel drive model, the EQS 580 4MATIC, has over 520hp and 850Nm of torque, which
makes it good for 0-62mph in 4.3 seconds.
But if that’s not fast enough, we’re told a 760hp model is in the works, likely to be
tuned by the AMG performance division.
A slick drag coefficient of 0.202 means the EQS is extremely aerodynamic, and the fact
that up to 60% of the car’s braking abilities can be covered by the motor’s regeneration
(and not by the brake pads), helps the EQS achieve a real-world range of over 470 miles.
When it comes to charging, the 107.8kWh battery can receive up to 200kW of power from rapid
chargers - this means 186 miles in as little as 15 minutes.
Fast charging runs at a rate of 11kW, although a 22kW bidirectional charger makes for an
interesting upgrade.
Over-the-air software updates promise refined, and new, features, and even upgrades to the
battery management software over time.
A charcoal-coated HEPA filter reduces harmful sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide particles
while reducing odours, while rear-wheel steering helps achieve a tighter turning circle.
Other high-tech features include an automatically opening driver’s door, and headlights that
can project warning signs on the road ahead.
Inside, an optional Hyperscreen fits three displays behind a single piece of glass on
the dashboard - a 12-inch instrument panel, an 18-inch media system and an extra 12-inch
control panel for the front passenger.
Pricing for the EQS will reflect high-end models of the S-Class, which helps affirm
the company’s commitment to getting its drivers into electric vehicles.
That’s about $80,000, although this is to be confirmed.
Porsche Taycan
Similarly priced at $80,000 is the Taycan, by rival premium German company Porsche.
A pair of models are currently available: the 680hp Turbo and the 760hp Turbo S. Both
are good for 0-62mph in 3.2 and 2.8s respectively, although range is significantly poorer at
280 miles.
Regardless, this is the car that made Bill Gates call Tesla ‘underwhelming.’
Although a similarly sized 93.4kWh battery is employed, the car is set up more for sporting
than comfort.
A drag coefficient value of 0.22 is nothing to be frowned at, but 2.2 miles/kWh is far
from ideal.
Jump in the Taycan and you can understand why.
Instant torque is sent to all four wheels through a pair of gearboxes: a single-speed
transmission on the front axle and a 2-speed transmission on the rear axle to provide the
perfect balance between acceleration and high-speed efficiency.
Adaptive air suspension helps iron out any bumps in the road, too.
Inside, the cabin makes for Porsche’s first leather-free offering, made of recycled and
sustainable materials.
The 366-litre boot offering is not much larger than a family hatchback, but an additional
81 litres in the frunk are great for weekend bags, or even the charging equipment.
An 11kW on-board charger is nothing special, but DC charging reaches an astonishing 270kW.
Audi A6 e-tron concept
While it remains a concept, it’s likely that the car that follows will be largely
similar to this electric A6, which isn’t dissimilar from sister company Porsche’s
Taycan.
The A6 has been available with almost every engine combination possible: petrol, diesel,
mild hybrid, full hybrid, and plug-in hybrid, so it makes sense that electric comes next.
Headline figures are 0.22 drag coefficient, a 100kWh battery, and 270kW rapid charging
which can add 186 miles in 10 minutes.
Over 470hp and 800Nm are enough for most drivers, while a 435-mile range is a promising start.
‘See and be seen’ is Audi’s focus for the electric A6 concept, which has a mix of
LED and OLED headlights and tail lights for maximum features to be displayed on minimum
space.
LED projectors hidden in each corner, for example, project turn signals onto the road.
There’s no indication of pricing yet, but it’s expected that it could launch as early
as 2022 alongside a similar Porsche model.
BMW i4
This 4-door 5-seater saloon takes on an efficient coupe design, similar to the 4 Series Gran
Coupe on which it is loosely based.
Pricing of less than $50,000 will put it up against the likes of the Tesla Model 3, while
its engine offerings are likely to be both strong and efficient, too.
A 530hp M Performance version compares to the company’s current range of V8 engines,
promising 0-62mph in around 4 seconds in the first ever electric gran coupe.
A 360-mile range is made possible thanks to a battery capacity of around 80kW, although
the company hasn’t ruled out a cheaper model with around half the range for everyday owners.
Charging of 150kW should be possible, which is already offered by many current electric
models.
Outside is very much a story of love or hate - the tall kidney grill and narrow headlights
have already been seen on other electric and internal combustion models - but the inside
is likely to be spacious and logically laid out.
After all, this will be a car aimed at families who like to live a life of luxury.
Lucid Air
The American automaker has already proclaimed that it can take on supergiant Tesla, and
the Air is its first offering.
It’s a luxury limousine that offers everything a car of this calibre should, and could.
19.2kW bidirectional charging is great for regular charging, and a better offering than
most electric cars on the market, but it’s the DC charging speeds that knock out all
competition - 300kW promises charging speeds of up to 1,200mph.20mph
Entry-level Pure models are equipped with 480hp, but 620hp might be more appealing to
drivers who are willing to pay more for the Touring model.
Grand Touring offers 800hp, but it’s the Dream Edition that is out-of-this-world.
Its 1,080hp powertrain makes strong competition for the Model S Plaid.
The most efficient model promises almost 520 miles of range, while the fastest reaches
62mph in 2.5 seconds, so there’s a model for every need.
The all-wheel drive saloon has seating for 5, a cavernous 456-litre boot and a small-car-rivalling
202-litre frunk.
Over-the-air software updates comes as standard, while the premium audio system is made up
of 21 speakers and Alexa integration.
The driver’s view of the road is underlined by a pair of 5K displays measuring 34 inches.
One of these can be yours from $70,000, but high-spec models reach higher than $160,000.
Polestar 2
While Polestar may be a new company in its own right, it existed for many years before
as the performance division for Volvo, tuning the likes of the S60, V60 and even the T8
plug-in hybrid setup used in later cars.
The limited-run Polestar 1 tested the waters in 2017 in plug-in hybrid form, while three
years later the all-electric 2 was launched for around $40,000, about the same price as
a Tesla Model 3.
Standard and Long Range models are front-wheel-drive, both have around 230hp and 330Nm of torque,
and reach 62mph in 7.4 seconds - almost hot hatch territory.
A Long Range dual motor variant is also available with almost 410hp and double the torque, which
means it can do the 0-62mph sprint in a respectable 4.7s.
All models achieve around 270 and 330 miles of range, with a pair of 64 and 78kWh batteries
providing the energy.
Key to any EV’s success, especially in marking it as one for luxury owners, is future proofing.
Cars can look old in a matter of months, so maintaining a fresh design and updated tech
is key.
While owners can’t change how the car looks after a few years, over-the-air software updates
promise tonnes of new features.
In fact, since launching, Polestar has announced plans to release a video app for the in-car
screen, and a digital key that’s stored on the phone.
As Polestar pushes its tech forward, many affordable brands such as Volkswagen, with
its ID range, are struggling to keep up.
Jaguar I-Pace
While it may technically be an SUV, we couldn’t make a video on luxury EVs without mentioning
the Jaguar I-Pace.
Despite its body shape, it’s actually more of a high-riding saloon, with many of the
car’s components tucked away underneath.
The 400hp setup is good for 0-62mph in 4.8s, while the dual motors and all-wheel drive
make good use of the 700Nm of torque.
Power is drawn from a 90kWh battery, which can be charged by up to 11kW of power on AC,
or 100kW on DC.
Nothing ridiculously fast, but remember, this is just a normal family car that aims to please
the more wealthy.
Air suspension irons out the road ahead, and even lowers by 10mm at speeds of over 65mph
to help reduce drag.
The air ionisation equally provides the best comfort, against dust and pollen.
Owners can pack their laptop in the 27-litre frunk, and after that all-important meeting
the 656-litre boot has more than enough space for all the wild swimming gear.
Worried about taking your key in the water, or leaving it in a locker out of sight?
Meet Jaguar’s Activity Key - a water and shockproof wristband that means the conventional
key can be locked away in the car.
Tesla Model S
How could we make this video without mentioning possibly the first mainstream luxury EV, the
Tesla Model S.
It launched around a decade ago, and still looks fresh today.
Fortunately, it has undergone a tech overhaul recently to help keep competition away, which
involves a new 17-inch landscape display, and an automatic gearbox that knows the correct
direction of travel based on a variety of sensors and the on-board sat nav.
The car’s computer has 10 teraflops of processing power, with a heavy focus on gaming.
Multi-device Bluetooth, and wired and wireless charging for every passenger’s phone, means
that nobody is left forgotten about.
Numbers?
There’s plenty of them.
22 speakers with sound cancellation, 12 ultrasonic sensors, a front radar with 160m of vision
and 360 degree cameras to help with advanced Autopilot.
Oh, you meant numbers about the car?
670hp, 420-mile range and 0-62mph in 3.1s.
Impressed?
That’s the entry-level dual-motor all-wheel drive Long Range model.
Tri-motor Plaid models use over 1,000hp to reach 62mph in under 2 seconds, while Plaid+
adds more range.
250kW charging is standard, as is the $80,000-$170,000 price tag.
If you were in need of a luxurious car to transport yourself, the family, and all the
gear, that doesn’t cost the earth to run and helps reduce emissions in the meantime,
which of these would be your first choice?