What is the Best Luxury EV?

by Gabrielle DeSantis

EVs have slowly become mainstream vehicles in almost every segment of the car market. While many automakers are focusing on making affordable EVs that middle-class families can afford, there are still great luxury EVs on the market. Here’s a look at the best luxury EV available. 

The past, present, and future of luxury EVs

Over a decade ago, Elon Musk posted a manifesto called the Secret Tesla Motors Master Plan. The plan was simple, and it’s clearly working out in Tesla’s favor. Tesla was building itself from the ground up, and it needed a lot of money. Tesla built and sold a high-end luxury EV with some eye-catching specs, the Tesla Roadster. The company then used the money it made to build cheaper cars until EVs eventually became affordable. 

Tesla’s secret master plan has worked out spectacularly. Many automakers seem to be following in Tesla’s footsteps. While there are a few affordable EVs on the market, such as the Tesla Model 3 or the Nissan Leaf, there are many luxury EVs. This is a sign that many automakers are focusing on luxury EVs first, just like Tesla did. 

Eventually, more affordable EVs will enter into automaker’s lineups. Until then, automakers will probably create luxury EVs because they continue to be popular with customers. As such, the future of luxury EVs is bright, as many luxury automakers are only starting their transition into EVs. For example, Ferrari will soon build a Ferrari EV.

The Porsche Taycan is the best luxury EV

According to CNET, the best luxury EV right now is the Porsche Taycan. The Taycan is a Porsche, and it will be expensive. It starts at just a tad over $100,000, and its popular trim, the Turbo, costs over $150,000. But, the Taycan will provide a lot of value to anyone who can afford it.

While that’s a high price tag, many folks may write off the Taycan due to its seemingly poor range. On paper, it gets an estimated 192 miles of range. At best, with all the right trims and options, the Taycan gets a max estimated range of 227 miles. However, like CNET wrote, in the real world, the Taycan’s range is fine. There’s room for improvement, but most folks should have no problem with it.

Why the Porsche Taycan is so good

Asides from its range, the Taycan has a lot going for it. CNET’s editors unanimously picked the Taycan as the best car in the segment. One of the main reasons was its fundamentals. Like CNET wrote, “Its build quality and driving dynamics are basically unassailable.” The Taycan’s great driving dynamics, combined with its powerful electric motors, allows the Porsche to lead the pack easily.

The standard Taycan has 400 hp, while the Turbo has over 750 hp. Even with the regular Taycan, CNET was impressed by its performance and wrote, “The base Taycan offers a driving experience that’s leaps and bounds beyond any other EV on sale right now.”

Plus, if folks want to spend the extra money on the Turbo, they can get a lot out of it. The Taycan Turbo’s 750 hp allows it to go from 0 to 60 mph in 2.6 seconds. As such, the Taycan is a fast, fun, and ultimately, great luxury EV.

RELATED: The New Porsche Taycan Turbo Beats the Tesla Model S in This Important EV Category

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Buying a 261,000 mile 2002 Ford Mustang GT

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Sometimes enthusiasts get an itch for a project car. For me, that project car took the form of a Ford Mustang. I love Mustangs. They’re rowdy, imperfect, and tameable. They’re also cheap and pack decent power. I’d been scouring various online marketplaces for a Mustang within my modest budget ($5,000), and finally, after two days of arduous diligence, I found one on Facebook. It was a dark blue, 2002 Mustang GT, with a manual transmission and a kept interior. No rips or tears, cracks or stains. This was like a unicorn, considering the year. There was, however, one glaring problem with the car. I sat on it for a day, then called the dealership and arranged for an appointment to see and test drive the car.

The fairy tale begins at the dealership

2002 Ford Mustang GT | Brian Grabianowski

The next afternoon, I hop in my Mercedes-Benz E55 AMG and drive to the dealership. It’s close, only about 15 minutes. My heart hardly has any time to amp up. When I arrive, the cordial salesman greets me. We go to check out the car, and for once, the pictures didn’t lie. I’ve only bought used cars, most from the 1990s, and rarely do pictures look worse than the actual car. True to the Facebook listing, the seats have no tears, the dashboard has no cracks, the carpet has no stains. One massive selling point for this particular Mustang is it was almost completely stock. It only had a K&N filter and a Bluetooth touchscreen head unit from Kenwood. It was like a fairy tale.

It feels like a Mustang GT with supercar brakes

2002 ford mustang gt front brakes
2002 Ford Mustang GT front brakes | Brian Grabianowski

The salesman gives me the keys, so I start it up, and everything works. I mean, everything. No warnings, no check engine lights, the A/C blows cold, all the gauges work, as does the touch screen. The fairy tale continues. I ask if I can have it inspected, and the salesman being his kind self, says “No problem!” and I take it to the first shop I find on Yelp. I’ve owned two previous Mustangs, both GTs from 1995, and this one felt exactly the same. The clutch was forgiving and the shifting was standard Mustang fare, complete with the classic stubborn second gear. However, the biggest standout by far was the brakes. The salesman pointed out the car’s cross-drilled and slotted rotors in the front and the back. The pressure builds instantaneously and the car stops on a dime. 

The Mustang’s 4.6-liter Modular V8’s condition

2002 ford mustang gt engine bay
2002 Ford Mustang GT engine bay | Brian Grabianowski

The ride is a bit bumpy, and considering the car’s height it feels like driving a monster truck, but it doesn’t matter. The first thing I was ever going to modify was suspension. I get it to the shop, and the mechanic can work on it right away. He gives me a choice, to either get a full inspection or a compression test. Being the frugal person I am, I had to pick just one so I sided with the latter, and here’s why: 261,000 miles. At this point, I don’t know if the engine is stock or if it’s been replaced, but I had to know its condition. I can check for leaks and bad bushings around the car, but at this moment I wasn’t equipped to perform a compression test. So I opted for that.

Hours later I wake up on the shop couch. It’s a big leather relic, perched inside of the garage where the front desk is. The car is finally done, and the mechanic tells me the results. An old adage says consistency with each cylinder is more important than the actual numbers, and with this car, I don’t have to worry about either. Each cylinder tested at 180 PSI, which is well within factory spec. Another miracle down, and the fairy tale continues. I just need to keep an eye on that maintenance schedule.

A pleasant experience at the dealership

2002 ford mustang gt in parking garage
2002 Ford Mustang GT in parking garage | Brian Grabianowski

I drive it back to the dealership, and the salesman is waiting patiently. We exchange a few words about the price, and he’s agreeable. I hand him a stack of hundreds, and he hands me a set of keys. The car is mine, and the best part, the dealership takes care of all the paperwork, so I never have to set foot in the DMV. Phase 1 is complete. Now, all it needs is a proper evaluation, and I’m happy to oblige.

RELATED: Give Your New Edge Mustang Coilover Suspension

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The Mercedes-Benz Concept EQG: The G Wagon Goes Electric

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Big trucks and luxury SUVs aren’t going away—they’re just going electric. And that even goes for that boxy icon of off-road excess, the Mercedes-Benz G Wagon. Even before AMG announced its hybrid and EV plans, Mercedes confirmed that an electric G-Class was in the works. Now, the first tangible sign of the G Wagon EV to come is here: the Mercedes-Benz Concept EQG.

The G Wagon is going electric—and you can thank Arnold Schwarzenegger for it

Mercedes-Benz Concept EQG | Mercedes-Benz

Although Arnold Schwarzenegger has a penchant for Unimogs, he’s also a G Wagon fan. Why are we bringing this up? Because when the current-gen G-Class debuted in 2018, he persuaded Daimler-Benz’s chairman at the time to incorporate the SUV into Mercedes’ EV plans, Roadshow explains. And now, three years later, the Concept EQG is that promise put into metal.

Technically, the Mercedes-Benz Concept EQG is a “near-production study” of the final product. So, some details may change, such as the light-up protective strips on the side panels. But overall, this is essentially what the upcoming electric G Wagon will look like. And that look is a blend of the SUV’s iconic boxy shape and the design elements from current Mercedes EQ products. For example, the EQG’s grille is a black panel with LED elements, just like the EQS’s grille.

The Mercedes-Benz Concept EQG also retains the G-Class’s rear-mounted spare tire carrier—kind of. It’s square rather than circular to mimic the shape of wall-mounted home chargers. And in a way, that’s sort of why it’s there. Rather than a spare tire, the lockable box holds the SUV’s charging cords. There’s no word if the production version will retain the illuminated strip, though.

The Mercedes-Benz Concept EQG is ready to off-road in electric silence

The rear 3/4 view of the black-and-silver Mercedes-Benz Concept EQG on a plinth in a field
Mercedes-Benz Concept EQG rear 3/4 | Mercedes-Benz

RELATED: A Used Mercedes G-Wagon Is a Better Toyota 4Runner

As of this writing, Mercedes-Benz hasn’t revealed how much horsepower, torque, or range the Concept EQG offers. That’s understandable, given that it’s a study, rather than a full production preview. However, the automaker claims the EQG is just as capable off-road as the current G-Class, including its ability to scale 100% grades. And that’s thanks to what the electric G Wagon will and won’t share with its ICE counterpart.

As Magna’s eBeam shows, it’s perfectly possible to turn vehicles with ladder frames and solid rear axles into EVs. And those are two of the things the Concept EQG shares with the current G-Class, along with independent front suspension and 4WD. The ladder frame is particularly helpful because it’s a handy place to store the batteries, The Drive notes.

One thing, or rather three things that aren’t on the Mercedes-Benz Concept EQG are the G Wagon’s trademark three locking differentials. But that’s because the EQG has four electric motors, one per wheel. With each motor providing instant torque and torque-vectoring capability, locking differentials are unnecessary, Roadshow explains. However, the SUV still has a transfer case—sort of—in the form of a shiftable two-speed gearbox. It’s unclear, though, if there’s one gearbox or one per wheel, though MotorTrend presumes the latter.

When can you buy an electric G-Class?

RELATED: The Mercedes-Benz G-Class Better Be a Top Luxury SUV at Over $130,000

As of this writing, the electric G Wagon doesn’t have an official release date. Car and Driver, though, speculates that a production-ready version could debut “within a year.” And presumably, Mercedes-Benz will release photos of the Concept EQG’s interior before then.

So, for now, the Concept EQG is the next best thing to an electric G-Class. But even if it’s just a small taste, it’s proof that Rivian and the Hummer EV will have some electric off-road competition.

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RELATED: 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQB Is Coming to America

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BMW Plans on Producing Cars Made From Fully Recycled Materials

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Across the automotive industry, many companies are creating cars that address the environmental concerns facing our planet, including BMW. The German automaker has big plans for its electrified model lineup. In addition to creating more electric cars, BMW plans to produce cars made from fully recycled materials.

Eco-friendly BMW i Vision Circular Concept has 100% recycled parts

BMW i Vision Circular Concept | BMW

The shortage of materials and supplies is creating significant problems with slowing down the production of cars. This is especially exasperated by the Covid-19 pandemic wreaking havoc on supply lines. Also, the production of electric vehicles is increasing the demand for materials that are needed for batteries. This includes aluminum, nickel, and cobalt. 

The use of recycled materials in cars is one solution to address the increased demand. BMW cars, on average, currently consist of 30% reusable and recycled materials. However, for its “Secondary First” initiative, BMW plans on increasing this to 50%. For example, a new door trim in a BMW vehicle can be made for a recycled instrument panel. To demonstrate what’s possible for recycled materials and parts, BMW created the i Vision Circular concept car.

Is a production version of the BMW i Vision Circular coming soon?

The i Vision Circular, which debuts this month at the Munich Motor Show, is made from 100% recycled and reused parts. For now, BMW has no plans to make a production version of the i Vision Circle. It is a showcase of what a recycled BMW car could look like in 2040.

With the i Vision Circular, BMW is re-thinking the design and production cycle. Instead of focussing on car components in terms of only traditional things like performance, comfort, and aesthetics, BMW is addressing their ability to be reused and recycled. 

A man driving the BMW i Vision Circular Concept
BMW i Vision Circular Concept | BMW

An example of this is the solid-state battery in the BMW i Vision Circular. It consists almost entirely of materials that were sourced from the recycling loop. Also, the battery is 100% recyclable. In comparison, the battery in the BMW iX electric SUV has only 30% recycled aluminum and 50% recycled nickel. With the i Vision Circular concept, BMW is showing that this percentage can be greatly improved. 

In addition to addressing the material and supply shortage problem for vehicle productions, increased use of recycled materials in cars helps reduce carbon emissions. This is because less energy is needed for production and transport if recycled materials are used.

BMW Group aims to produce more all-electric vehicles

BMW Group has very ambitious goals with regard to its electric vehicle lineup. In the next decade, BMW hopes to produce around 10 million electric vehicles. Half of its model lineup will consist of electric vehicles by 2030. Also, the Mini brand will only sell electric vehicles in 2030. Additionally, BMW is working to reduce cut its emissions by 50% for each mile driven. For the production of vehicles, the German automaker is targeting a 40% cut in emissions. 

RELATED: BMW i4 EV Details Revealed In New Video

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