Photo: Audi
The market segment where once you couldn't find vehicles from any other make than Tesla is about to get really crowded, and while the newcomers can't actually challenge the leader's performance and maximum range, that doesn't mean they have nothing to offer.
For one thing, they've got prestige. Brands such as Audi, Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz or Porsche all have a long history behind them. They all managed to build a certain image for themselves throughout these years, and people know what to expect from a vehicle when they see each of the four companies' logo on it.
Tesla, on the other hand, had to start from scratch during the mid-2000s. Not only that, but right from the start it set out to disrupt the industry completely, which is something even an established name on the market would have struggled to do, let alone the new kid on the block.
Somehow, though, with the extensive help of Volkswagen who decided to show everyone just how bad diesel was, Elon Musk's enterprise managed to take EVs from the outskirts of the automotive industry and bring them, slowly but surely, toward the center.
Jaguar has already launched the I-PACE crossover, and now the three German brands mentioned - together with Volkswagen, which we left out on the basis that it's not a premium brand - are less than one year away from releasing their first truly competitive electric vehicles.
Porsche has the Mission E sedan in the pipeline while Mercedes-Benz promises to open the ball with the EQC SUV. Meanwhile, Audi has all but revealed its first entry to the segment, the e-tron electric SUV, but also teased an upcoming model described simply as "GT."
The e-tron has been around for nearly two years in its concept form, but now a production-ready version has been shown at the Geneva Motor Show, albeit still under camouflage. The SUV is said to have a 95 kWh battery pack which grants it a 500 km range (310 miles, but under the New European Driving Cycle), and two electric motors for a combined output of 320 kW (435 hp). The specs, however, as limited as they are, are also subject to change, so take them as rough guidelines.
As far as price is concerned, electrive reveals the e-tron, which should make its commercial debut by the end of the year, will cost slightly less than the base Tesla Model X version, the 75D. We're looking at a starting price of €80,000, which at today's rates translates into $98,535. The American electric SUV starts off at $110,200, but if you include Tesla's fuel savings calculated for five years, you end up with precisely $98,500. Since you don't fall for that kind of crap, you probably won't, though.
By comparison, though, the admittedly smaller Jaguar I-PACE starts at $69.500 in the U.S., which is almost $30,000 lower than the e-tron. Apart from the extra room, the Audi will have to deliver something impressive to justify that gap, especially since the Brit also comes with 90 kWh of battery and 400 hp dual-motor setup.
Tesla, on the other hand, had to start from scratch during the mid-2000s. Not only that, but right from the start it set out to disrupt the industry completely, which is something even an established name on the market would have struggled to do, let alone the new kid on the block.
Somehow, though, with the extensive help of Volkswagen who decided to show everyone just how bad diesel was, Elon Musk's enterprise managed to take EVs from the outskirts of the automotive industry and bring them, slowly but surely, toward the center.
Jaguar has already launched the I-PACE crossover, and now the three German brands mentioned - together with Volkswagen, which we left out on the basis that it's not a premium brand - are less than one year away from releasing their first truly competitive electric vehicles.
Porsche has the Mission E sedan in the pipeline while Mercedes-Benz promises to open the ball with the EQC SUV. Meanwhile, Audi has all but revealed its first entry to the segment, the e-tron electric SUV, but also teased an upcoming model described simply as "GT."
The e-tron has been around for nearly two years in its concept form, but now a production-ready version has been shown at the Geneva Motor Show, albeit still under camouflage. The SUV is said to have a 95 kWh battery pack which grants it a 500 km range (310 miles, but under the New European Driving Cycle), and two electric motors for a combined output of 320 kW (435 hp). The specs, however, as limited as they are, are also subject to change, so take them as rough guidelines.
As far as price is concerned, electrive reveals the e-tron, which should make its commercial debut by the end of the year, will cost slightly less than the base Tesla Model X version, the 75D. We're looking at a starting price of €80,000, which at today's rates translates into $98,535. The American electric SUV starts off at $110,200, but if you include Tesla's fuel savings calculated for five years, you end up with precisely $98,500. Since you don't fall for that kind of crap, you probably won't, though.
By comparison, though, the admittedly smaller Jaguar I-PACE starts at $69.500 in the U.S., which is almost $30,000 lower than the e-tron. Apart from the extra room, the Audi will have to deliver something impressive to justify that gap, especially since the Brit also comes with 90 kWh of battery and 400 hp dual-motor setup.
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