Cometh the (amp) hour
Silence is the new luxury. Ask any new parent. Or ask any traditional luxury car maker forced to watch with frustration as Palo Alto upstart Tesla have made inroads into their market share (big ones, in the case of the Model S and European luxury saloon sales) and huge inroads into their cultural space.
Since the Model S was introduced seven years ago, Tesla have been the go-to luxury EV brand. But seven years ago, Range Rover-driving reader Pritpal “Prit” Matharu wasn’t ready to make the switch to electric power. Now he is and the market has opened up. Manufacturers, including Jaguar and Audi, finally have Tesla rivals in their showrooms and others, including Porsche and BMW, aren’t far behind.
We’ve three e-SUVs along for Prit to consider: Audi’s new e-tron quattro, Jaguar’s excellent i-Pace, and naturally there’s a Tesla in the mix, too; in this case, the enormous, crazy-doored Model X. Will any have sufficient spark to get Prit reaching for his wallet?
Close your eyes and roll the word round your mouth: “e-tron”. If you immediately picture the sleek red electric R8 from 2009 or the silver Spider from the year thereafter, then the crushingly conventional crossover in front of you when you open your eyes will
