ELECTRIC LUXURY
What is luxury?
The etymology of the English word luxury traces its roots to the Latin word ‘luxus’ which means abundance to the point of excess and refinement, well above the ordinary.
Indeed, luxury best describes cars like BMW’s flagship limousine, the fully-electric i7 and Mercedes-Benz’s dynamic EQE 350 AMG. Both are very good examples of Teutonic Tour De Force: packed with power, technology, refinement, comfort, and in today’s modern world, toys. But is there truly a good fit with EV and luxury? In the past, flagship models had a V8 or V12 powertrain which made all the right genteel noises coupled with powerful acceleration. But with an electric powertrain? It’s the sign of times.
A closer look shows the stately BMW i7 has a dual-electric motors outputting 544hp and 745 Newton-Meters of torque. All that instant surge of power is efficiently and effortlessly transferred to the pavement thanks to an abundance of grip afforded by xDrive all-wheel drive. Despite its considerable heft of 2,770kg, it powers forward effortlessly, serenely yet so rapidly, the sensation akin to an Airbus A380 powering up for take-off. At 5391mm in length, with a width of 1950mm, plus a wheelbase of 3215mm, it’s literally a boardroom (or a luxurious sitting room) on wheels.
The i7 also drives the way it looks. Stately, yet confident and awe-inspiring, moving at its own pace, whether parading down high street, or devouring highways with gusto at truly frightening speeds, delivering a true command performance. BMW claims as much as 715km range from its massive 105.7kwh battery, but in real world driving, it’s closer to around ~500km. It’s relentlessly ferocious in its acceleration, a supercar baiting 0-100kmh time of 4.7 seconds, and a high (for an EV) top speed of 240kmh. Just expect the battery life to plummet if you do this repeatedly. Of special mention is the very powerful Bowers & Wilkins surround sound system: playing O Fortuna of the Carmina Burana cantata transported me to Royal Albert Hall as the symphony played the most powerful, most moving rendition I have ever heard inside the car. And it made me wish my fate lands me an i7 someday.
The Mercedes-Benz EQE 350 AMG on the other hand, is a study in clean timeless style. The egg-shaped profile is surprisingly pleasing to the eyes and is perfectly proportioned, with short front and rear overhangs giving it a very athletic stance. The single rear-mounted electric motor outputs a healthy 292hp and 564 Newton-Meters of torque, propelling the Merc to 100kmh in 6.3 seconds despite weighing a considerable 2,465kg, all the way to 210kmh top speed. The 96kwh battery promises a range of just under 600km but dpect real-world conditions to deliver closer to the 480km range. Thanks to its 4946mm length, 1961mm width (including the side mirrors) and 3120mm wheelbase coupled with the 1510mm height, it’s also quite spacious.
Most importantly, the EQE feels athletic: the steering is light yet alert and responsive; the AMG sport suspension is firm while offering good compliance and comfort, and crucially, the Merc feels inviting to drive, putting you in the mood.
Inside, the BMW i7’s interior offers unmatched (almost unbridled) opulence, with jewel-like controls for the seats, a massive panoramic curved LCD display, stainless steel looking accents and a slab of wood across the length of the dash mates with terra cotta perforated leather sofas that have 18-way power adjustment, it’s like a hack to accessing Rolls-Royce exclusivity minus the super exclusive price-tag.
The sportier Mercedes has a cleaner, simpler yet equally stylish dash design and interior that has a modicum of buttons, but features two large LCD screens and a very handsome flat-bottom 3-spoke steering wheel. The dash is predominantly a flat surface in matte grey but the tiny stars are a reference to the Mercedes-AMG Formula One Grand Prix Team. True motorsports pedigree! But special mention goes to the Burmester surround sound system which truly delivers an equally awe-inspiring concert, playing Vivaldi and putting me into a John Wick-esque mood rushing home, avoiding (imaginary) villains in my jet-black Merc.
Of course, as with any technological wonder, both vehicles are packed with the latest safety aids. BMW’s ADAS suite for the i7 includes advanced features like lane-keeping assist, forward collision mitigation, blind spot monitoring, emergency stop assist, distance control and steering assistant while on cruise control, and so much more. It even has semi autonomous hands-free driving up to around 140kmh, part of BMW’s optional Driving Assistant Professional feature.
The Mercedes on the other hand has similar ADAS safety gear, and like the BMW comes with passive safety equipment such as dual front, side, knee and curtain airbags, ABS-EBD brakes, traction / stability control and more, making sure your luxurious vehicle keeps you safe at all times.
Powerful, ultra-luxurious and very opulently pampering, well-equipped and crucially, serene and well-insulated from the outside, today’s luxury EVs have that effortless ease and ability to do everything you ask it to, confidently in supreme comfort. These, in my opinion, are a better alternative to traditional combustion-engined luxury EVs.
