► The best luxury electric cars on sale in the UK in 2023
► All-electric cars that offer the best in comfort and refinement
► CAR picks out its favourite premium luxury electric cars
There’s a lot of choice in the electric car market these days, as a glance at our list of best electric cars ably demonstrates; electric hatches, saloons, superminis, and more, are all on offer – and, nowadays, there are lots of luxury electric cars available as well.
Using electric power for a luxury car makes good sense, after all, thanks to the inherently quiet and refined nature of all-electric powertrains. But there’s more to a luxury car than just outright mechanical refinement, including facets such as fine build quality, excellent ride comfort, and high-end technology and features.
If you’re shopping for a premium electric car, you might be wondering what’s out there, and what might suit you best. To help give you some idea of what’s around, and to help you quickly narrow down your options, we’ve gathered up some of our favourite luxury electric cars.
EDITOR’S PICK: There are many great electric cars here, including options such as the BMW iX and i7. But, if we had to buy one with our own money, it would probably be the Taycan. In standard form alone, it offers so much – including being fantastic to drive – and the Cross Turismo just builds on those superb foundations.
Best luxury electric cars available in the UK in 2023
An upmarket electric car should be comfortable, refined, beautifully built, gratifying to drive, capable, and desirable. You’re going to be paying a substantial chunk of money for it, so it needs to be good. CAR magazine’s testers have driven all of the luxury electric cars on sale today and, to help you pick out the best EV for you, we’ve detailed our favourites below – many of which are also notable for being among the longest-range electric cars and fastest electric cars on sale today.
BMW iX
Pros: Excellent comfort and refinement, great performance, advanced tech
Cons: Divisive styling, high cost, some competitors are more practical
BMW has put a lot of effort into its all-electric iX SUV, which is its first electric car to use a bespoke platform since the i3 was launched in 2013. And, while its looks might give you pause for thought, there’s no arguing with the capabilities of the iX: it drives in a fashion reminiscent of a sports car, it serves up staggering performance, and it’s quiet and comfortable.
There’s some serious long-distance capability on offer, too; the mid-spec iX xDrive50 M Sport is reputed to cover up to 382 miles on a single charge.
Read our BMW iX review.
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Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo
Pros: Very comfortable, great build quality, impressive performance
Cons: A lot of features are optional
If you’re looking for a premium do-everything electric car, you’ll want to consider the Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo. It builds on the already-impressive capabilities of the Taycan, a high-performance electric GT car, with features such as additional ground clearance, body protection, and a more practical body style. All in, it’s beautifully made, comfortable, practical, and sublime to drive.
The performance won’t leave you wanting, either, and nor should the range; even the base Taycan 4 Cross Turismo can dash from 0-62mph in 5.1 seconds, and it has a claimed range of up to 304 miles.
Read our Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo review.
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Polestar 2
Pros: Upmarket interior, high-quality feel, refinement
Cons: Rear room is a bit limited, firm ride in Performance models
Polestar is the luxury spin-off brand from Volvo and, despite strong competition from established players, it’s already made a name for itself. Its Polestar 2, the company’s first mainstream model, is a popular choice for those seeking a luxury EV because it feels like a mature, high-end product, with a real depth of quality, which gives it an edge over alternatives such as the Tesla Model S.
The Polestar 2 is capable of some impressive driving distances, too; preliminary data from the more realistic WLTP test cycle indicates that the new long-range, single-motor variant will be able to cover up to 406 miles on a single charge.
Read our Polestar 2 review.
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Genesis Electrified G80
Pros: First-class luxury, ultra-rapid charging, ownership package
Cons: Expensive compared to established rivals, small boot
There’s a plenty of choices in the luxury electric car market, with long-established brands such as Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, BMW and Audi serving up myriad options. But if you fancy something more distinctive, and something that still delivers on the outright luxury front, take a look at the Genesis Electrified G80. The premium saloon is a delight to drive, packed with features, and it looks and feels every inch the high-end model.
It’s capable of travelling up to 323 miles per charge, too – and, on an appropriate charger, you can top up its battery from 10-80 per cent in just 21 minutes.
Read our Genesis Electrified G80 review.
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Audi e-tron GT quattro
Pros: Dramatic styling, very comfortable, excellent performance
Cons: Some practicality gripes, less rewarding to drive than a Taycan
The e-tron GT quattro employs the same platform as the Porsche Taycan, but it has a more touring-focused edge to its character; it’s more relaxed, more comfortable, and more oriented towards covering long distances in quick and effortless bounds. It’s also a little more outlandish than the standard Taycan, with its design feeling and looking more concept car-esque, whereas the Porsche is more traditional.
Beneficially, it has the same charging capabilities as the Porsche, with its 800-volt architecture offering support for up to 270kW charging, and a battery range of up to 303 miles. Audi claims a 144-mile charge can be achieved in as little as 10 minutes using an appropriate charger, allowing you to keep on moving when you need to. Want an SUV instead? Then take a look at the Q8 e-tron.
Read our Audi e-tron GT review.
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BMW i7
Pros: Spacious interior, good to drive, very comfortable
Cons: Controversial looks, some tech just seems unnecessary
If you’ve looked at the picture above, and not recoiled in dismay, then maybe you’d like to find out more about the i7. And, if you find yourself in such as position, you’ll discover lots of interest and note – because the i7 is a very accomplished luxury electric car, and one with some serious credentials. It has a range of up to 378 miles, for starters, and a battery of advanced interior technology.
What’s perhaps more remarkable, though, is how the i7 ticks all the prerequisite luxury car boxes, and then some; there’s lots of room inside, it’s remarkably comfortable, and it’s also superb to drive. Yes, this behemoth of an EV still manages to drive as you’d hope a BMW would.
Read our BMW i7 review.
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Hyundai Ioniq 5
Pros: Striking looks, great practicality, good to drive
Cons: Bigger than you might expect, shorter range than some rivals
The Hyundai Ioniq 5 is a delightfully retro-futuristic electric car, and its attention-grabbing design is packed full of neat details. Unlike similarly quirky EVs such as the GWM Ora Funky Cat, though, there’s much more to the Ioniq than its looks: beneath its sharply styled exterior is a tremendously capable EV that’s satisfying to drive, quick, packed with tech, and comfortable.
Like the Taycan and e-tron GT, the Hyundai also employs an 800-volt electrical architecture, allowing for ultra-fast charging – making it even more usable. Range? Up to 315 miles, with a 10-80 per cent charge being possible in 18 minutes on a 350kW charger. If you want something with a slightly more sporting edge instead, though, take a look at the Kia EV6
Read our Hyundai Ioniq 5 review.
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Tesla Model 3
Pros: Impressive range, great performance, Supercharger network
Cons: Some quality and tech foibles, not as sharp to drive as an i4
Tesla’s just cancelled orders and sales of right-hand-drive Model S and Model X variants in the UK but, fortunately, you can still get the Model 3 – which, although smaller and cheaper, still offers up excellent refinement and ride comfort, at least if you stick to the smaller wheel options.
Then there are facets such as its airy cabin, potential 374-mile range, and Tesla’s Supercharger network, all of which add to its appeal and ease of use. It’s often less expensive than competitors, too, and it’s no slouch; even if you go for the mid-range Model 3 Long Range, the Tesla will dispatch the 0-62mph benchmark sprint in just 4.2 seconds.
Read our Tesla Model 3 review.
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Jaguar I-Pace
Pros: Practical, spacious, great performance, easy to live with
Cons: Expensive, getting a bit long in the tooth, real-world range
Jaguar’s I-Pace feels like an oft-overlooked choice in the EV world but it’s one, if you haven’t already, that’s worth considering. It’s great to drive, for starters, so if you value dynamic performance then bump it up your shortlist. It’s also quick, spacious, neatly finished and thought out, and relaxing and refined when you’re not pressing on.
One snag with the I-Pace, however, is that only versions with up to a range of 286 miles are available, which falls short of some competitors. It also seems, in our experience, that it often falls far short of its quoted figures. So, if you’re routine longer-distance use in mind, it’s probably best to look elsewhere.
Read our Jaguar I-Pace review.
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Mercedes-Benz EQE
Pros: : Plenty of tech, spacious, easy to drive, refined
Cons: Dull styling, unremarkable performance
Mercedes-Benz has been rolling out lots of electric models, such as its EQS, but many have fallen short of the performance, quality and comfort you’d expect from the brand with the vaunted three-pointed star. This, the EQE, still has its foibles but, overall, it’s more compelling and better resolved than some of the alternatives – and, in particular, it feels like a premium product and it’s both good to drive and comfortable.
What’s also particularly useful, if you’re looking to make the leap to electric motoring, is that it’s capable of travelling up to 377 miles between charges, and rapid charging takes approximately 32 minutes.
Read our Mercedes-Benz EQE review.
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Why choose a luxury electric car?
One of the main benefits of electric power in a luxury car is refinement. With no engine, and a greatly simplified drivetrain, there is less noise, vibration and harshness to deal with, resulting in a more comfortable and relaxing experience.
Then, although presumably of less concern to many luxury EV buyers, there are running cost advantages in the form of reduced servicing requirements, as well as potentially significant savings on the fuel costs front – but do remember to factor the price of high-speed charging in if you’re going to routinely be using the car for long trips, as the costs can stack up quickly.
And, of course, there are the environmental benefits, locally speaking at least, such as reduced noise and zero-emissions operation; if you’re regularly driving through urban areas, or sitting in traffic, your car’s clean and quiet nature will be appreciated by those around you.
Who are luxury electric cars suited to?
Most of these all-electric options combine impressive ranges with ultra-fast charging capabilities, allowing them to cover long distances in one bound and then be ready to do it again very quickly. Consequently, many drivers – particularly once they’ve familiarised themselves with EV ownership, route planning and charging networks – shouldn’t find them problematic to live with.
If you routinely drive extended distances at long speeds and don’t want to stop, or you regularly have to take detours or alter your destination, you might still want to consider a conventional petrol or diesel car. Alternatively, a plug-in hybrid could serve as a good halfway house, providing you all-electric motoring for your shorter trips, and the flexibility to continue on, whatever the conditions and wherever the destination, once you’ve expended the battery.
What is the future of luxury electric cars?
You’ll be seeing more of them, that’s for sure; Land Rover, for example, already has an all-electric Range Rover in the works – and then there are upcoming options such as the Lucid Air and Rolls-Royce Spectre.
More brands are making the shift to electric power, too, especially as legislation and market demands continue to change. And, as battery technology improves, ranges grow, and charging times fall, electric luxury cars will become even easier to use and live with.