An Electric Surge

Four new EVs flip the switch in luxury performance.

LAST YEAR, U.S. electric-vehicle sales almost doubled, claiming 5.8 percent of the market, with Tesla’s market share dropping from 95 percent to less than 60 percent, thanks to the large number of other excellent EVs available. Here, we check out four of them.

2022 AUDI E-TRON GT

The E-tron GT is perhaps the finest driving EV currently available. It rides superbly, handles well and, with 522hp (637hp in the RS version), it has all the performance most will ever need. The Audi’s slinky good looks grant it broad appeal and it’s finished to a very high standard inside. The “EGT” shares a platform with the Porsche Taycan and drives like a more luxurious version. Both lack rear seat space and the Audi’s small trunk limits practicality. Some tech is perplexing or unintuitive, but it charges its battery lightning-fast thanks to its 800-volt electronical architecture, helping make up for its shorter range— just like the Genesis. As a flagship of the E-tron lineup, the GT has all the right ingredients—except perhaps the 300-mile range of a few competitors.

EPA RATINGS: 82MPGe | RANGE: 238 miles

0-60MPH: 3.6sec | PRICE AS TESTED: $118,740

2023 Genesis Gv60

Upstart luxe brand Genesis’ first EV is a superb effort, with a comfortable ride, excellent refinement and a capacious, beautifully executed interior. Cool tricks include camera-recognition to open doors and fingerprint ID to power up. Once started, an etched-glass sphere mounted in the center console flips over to reveal the shifter—great theater—and the twinned 12.3-inch displays behind one wide pane of glass come to life with lovely graphics and intuitive menus. The Performance model has 429hp available at all times, with a 483hp “overboost” mode that’s discernably punchier. The GV60’s bulldog stance and compact-crossover form evoke the Porsche Macan, and its handling feels similar, though it lacks the Porsche’s talkative helm. Like the Audi, it can charge uber-quick, making up for its less-than-stellar range. Capping the brilliant duo of Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6, it shows why the Koreans are second only to Tesla in sales of EVs.

EPA RATINGS: 90MPGe | RANGE: 235 miles

0-60MPH: 3.7sec | PRICE AS TESTED: $69,560

2023 MERCEDES EQS-AMG

AMG’s first full EV is a hot-rodded version of Mercedes’ flagship EQS electric sedan. Its motors have upgraded windings to handle more current and hence produce more power—up to 751 ponies in launch mode, allowing this 5,900-pound beefcake to hit 60 in 3 seconds flat; enhanced cooling keeps the juice flowing. The big battery and slick shape allow the EQS-AMG to exceed its highway EPA range and go up to 290 on a charge. The suspension is all