For those looking for a high-end car that doesn’t rely on gas, there are plenty of intoxicating electric vehicles available for the luxury and high-performance customer. Some have both—a cosseting interior and ride, plus stunning acceleration and top speed.
2020 PORSCHE TAYCAN
Starting at the top, the Taycan (formerly known as the Mission E) is, like the Rapide E, the company’s first fully electric car. And though Porsche executives deny it, Tesla is squarely in the company’s sights. In this case, the threat is credible.
The four-door sedan, quite curvy in the manner of Tesla’s Model S, is offered in three models, beginning with the entry-level Taycan 4S (starting at $103,800), and proceeding to the Turbo ($150,900) and the Turbo S ($184,000).
It can reach 60 miles per hour in just 2.6 seconds, and tops off at 162 miles per hour. Range could be better—it’s 192 miles, compared with 326 miles for a Tesla Model S Performance edition with 21-inch wheels.
This would matter less if Porsche had anything comparable to Tesla’s global fast-charging network, but it doesn’t. Still, commuters with even a 60-mile trip one way could use their Taycan comfortably without recourse to public charging.
The Porsche Taycan, can reach 60 miles per hour in 2.6 seconds.
2020 JAGUAR I-PACE
The I-Pace was the first challenger EV in this space—the electric crossover was on the road by the latter half of 2018.
There are three models of I-Pace— the S (starting at $69,106), the SE ($73,371), and the HSE ($82,949). The three models have the same propulsion layout, using a 90-kilowatt-hour battery and two electric motors. A drawback of the big battery is long plug-in times, but a fast-charge port is standard.
Choosing the SE over the S adds such features as leather seats, upmarket LED headlights, bigger wheels, and more standard safety assistance.
2020 AUDI E-TRON
For 2020, Audi adds a Sportback configuration to the e-tron line. Opt for this one if you value aesthetics over practicality (or travel light). Zero to 60 miles per hour comes up in 5.5 seconds.
Range is an issue in the fairly heavy e-tron, with just 204 miles in the regular model (and 218 in the Sportback). The Premium Plus model starts at $74,800, and the Prestige at $79,100. (The Sportback starts at $77,400; a special-edition model goes for $88,495.) The Prestige adds a driver assistance package, heads-up display, upgraded seats with a massage function, power door closers, and air-quality enhancement.
2021 MUSTANG MACH-E
This electric crossover doesn’t look like any Mustang we’ve seen before, but it is a pretty neat package. The pony is really galloping in ways that will help you forget Steve McQueen’s Bullitt car, with up to 459 horsepower and 612 pound-feet of torque in the GT model. That’s enough for zero to 60 miles per hour in under four seconds.
Buyers have the choice of five trim levels (Select, Premium, California Route 1, GT, and GT Performance Edition), and front- or (with two motors) all-wheel drive. There are two battery sizes, 75.7 or 98.8 kilowatt-hours. Premium might be a good choice—it adds improved fast-charging, bigger wheels, a top-of-the-line Bang & Olufsen sound system, a big sunroof, and a power liftgate.
The Mach-E will go on sale in late 2020 and is priced between $44,995 and more than $60,000.
The Mustang Mach-E, looks unlike any other Mustang.
TESLA MODELY
The new Tesla is a crossover based on the Model 3 and is smaller than the Model X. There are currently two versions, Long Range AWD ($52,990) and Performance ($60,990). As the name implies, both versions go the distance—316 miles for the Performance, 315 for the Long Range. The Y is a practical SUV—the second row of seats folds flat, and a third row is optional. Maximum cargo capacity is 68 cubic feet.
The Performance version has a blistering zero-to-60 time of 3.5 seconds, and a top speed of 145 miles per hour. Those specs drop down to a 4.8-second zero-to-60 time in the Long Range model, and a top speed of 135 mph. Want more? An upgrade for the Performance iteration will get the car to 155 mph (but also reduce range to 280 miles).
The Mustang Mach-E, looks unlike any other Mustang.
(Reside, Fall 2020)