Best Luxury EVs in 2021
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 is smooth and powerful but is not the cleanest when it comes to emissions.
The German carmaker addressed this in 2021 following the success of the EQC, with the brand new EQS.
At over 5.2 meters 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 4MATIC, has over 520hp and 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 107.8 kWh battery can receive up to 200 kW of power from rapid chargers- this means 186 miles in as little as 15 minutes.
Fast charging runs at a rate of 11 kW, 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 sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide particles while reducing odors, 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 0-62 mph in 3.2 and 2.8s respectively, although the range is significantly poorer at 280 miles.
Regardless, this is the car that made Bill Gates call Tesla 'underwhelming.'
Although a similarly sized 93.4 kWh 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 Idea.
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-liter boot offering is not much larger than a family hatchback, but an additional 81 liters in the trunk are great for weekend bags, or even the charging equipment.
An 11 kW onboard charge is nothing special, but DC charging reaches an astonishing 270 kW.
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 100 kWh battery, and 270 kW rapid charging which can add 186 miles in 10 minutes.
Over 470 hp and 800 Nm 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 are 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 530 hp M Performance version compares to the company's current range of V8 engines, promising 0-62 mph in around 4 seconds in the first-ever electric gran coupe.
A 360-mile range is made possible thanks to a better capacity of around 80 kW, although the company hasn't ruled out a cheaper model with around half the range for everyday owners.
Charging of 150 kW 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 grille 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 caliber should, and could.
19.2 kW 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 - 300 kW promises to charge speeds of up to 1,200 mph 20 mph.
Entry-level Pure models are equipped with 480 hp, but 620 hp might be more appealing to drivers who are willing to pay more for the Touring model.
Grand Touring offers 800 hp, but it's the Dream Edition that is out-of-this-world.
Its 1,080 hp powertrain makes strong competition for the Model S Plaid.
The most efficient model promises almost 520 miles of range, while the fastest reaches 62 mph in 2.5 seconds, so there's a model for every need.
The all-wheel-drive saloon has seating for 5, a cavernous 456-liter boot, and a small-car-rivaling 202-liter frunk.
Over-the-air software updates come 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 230 hp and 330 Nm of torque and reach 62 mph in 7.4 seconds - almost hot hatch territory.
A Long-Range dual-motor variant is also available with almost 410 hp and doubles the torque, which means it can do the 0-62 mph sprint in a respectable 4.7 seconds.
All models achieve around 270 and 330 miles of range, with a pair of 64 and 78 kWh batteries providing the energy.
The key to any EV's success, especially in marking it as one of the 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, Polester 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 400 hp setup is good for 0-62 mph in 4.8s, while the dual motors and all-wheel drive make good use of the 700 Nm of torque.
Power is drawn from a 90 kWh battery, which can be charged by up to 11 kW of power on AC, or 100 kW 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 lower by 10 mm at speeds of over 65 mph to help reduce drag.
The air ionization equally provides the best comfort, against dust and pollen.
Owners can pack their laptop in the 27-liter frunk, and after that all-important meeting, the 656-liter 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 - water and a 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 onboard 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 160 m of vision, and 360-degree cameras to help with advanced Autopilot.
Oh, you meant numbers about the car?
670 hp, 420-mile range, and 0-62 mph in 3.1s.
Impressed.
That's the entry-level dual-motor all-wheel-drive Long Range model.
Tri-motor Plaid models use over 1,000 hp to reach 62 mph in under 2 seconds, while Plaid+ adds more range.
250 kW charging is standard, as is the $ 80, 000 to $ 170, 000 price tag.
