I've driven over 30 electric cars. See inside the 4 most luxurious rides from Rolls-Royce, BMW, Mercedes, and Lucid.
Here's the BMW iX. It's got some polarizing looks, but an upscale interior that's sure to please. The one I drove cost $96,000.
Thelife1 min readThe 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS 580 has tons of screens and a relaxing cabin.Tim Levin/Insider
- I've test-driven well over 30 electric cars.
- These 4 vehicles from BMW, Mercedes, Lucid, and Rolls-Royce stand out for being the most luxurious.
From rush-hour traffic to long road trips, we often spend more time in our cars than we'd like. And some are much, much more pleasant to pass the time in than others.
Out of the dozens of electric cars I've tested and reviewed, four stand out as being the most comfortable and luxurious. Spoiler alert: The Rolls-Royce was the best.
Check them all out and learn about their swanky interiors below:
Here's the BMW iX. It's got some polarizing looks, but an upscale interior that's sure to please. The one I drove cost $96,000.
The 2022 BMW iX xDrive50. Tim Levin/Insider
The seats are plush and supportive, and everything in the iX's cabin feels luxurious and high quality.
The 2022 BMW iX xDrive60. Tim Levin/Insider
Practically everything is covered in beautiful leather, from the door panels ...
The 2022 BMW iX xDrive50. Tim Levin/Insider
... to the center storage cubby.
The 2022 BMW iX xDrive50. Tim Levin/Insider
My iX had gold accents sprinkled throughout its cabin. It's just enough to feel classy, but not gaudy.
The 2022 BMW iX xDrive50. Tim Levin/Insider
On the center console you'll find the iX's gear selector along with other key buttons and functions. A glass dial controls the screen.
The 2022 BMW iX xDrive50. Tim Levin/Insider
A curved panel elegantly floating above the dashboard houses two screens: one that replaces regular gauges and one for the infotainment functions.
The 2022 BMW iX xDrive50. Tim Levin/Insider
A glass roof makes the iX feel even more spacious.
The 2022 BMW iX. BMW
It frosts over at the press of a button to reduce glare on sunny days.
The 2022 BMW iX. BMW
The Mercedes-Benz EQS is an electric equivalent to the brand's top-of-the-line S-Class sedan. The EQS 580 I drove cost $141,000.
The 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS 580. Tim Levin/Insider
Slip inside and you're cradled by comfy leather seats that have massaging, cooling, and heating functions.
The 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS 580. Tim Levin/Insider
Everything you touch and interact with, like the seat adjusters and air vents, feels super sturdy.
The 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS 580. Tim Levin/Insider
The flat-bottomed steering wheel is thick and substantial.
The 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS 580. Tim Levin/Insider
The whole interior is filled with high-end materials. There's a wood panel that slides away to reveal cupholders and a smartphone-charging center.
The 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS 580. Tim Levin/Insider
The central storage cubby in my test car was covered in suede.
The 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS 580. Tim Levin/Insider
One nice touch: A slim piece of trim weaves its way, almost unbroken, around the entire cockpit.
The 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS 580. Tim Levin/Insider
The star of the show is the 56-inch "Hyperscreen." It brings the wow factor with three distinct displays housed under a single sheet of glass.
The 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS 580. Tim Levin/Insider
The back seats have plenty of legroom and headroom. Plus the "Executive Rear Seating Package" on my test car added a tablet (for controlling various settings) and squishy head pillows.
The 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS 580. Tim Levin/Insider
This is the Air, an extremely impressive luxury sedan from Lucid Motors, an up-and-coming car company. The Air Grand Touring Performance that the company lent me cost $180,000.
The Lucid Air Grand Touring Performance. Tim Levin/Insider
In addition to mind-blowing acceleration and Tesla-beating range, the California startup's first car offers up a striking and elegant interior full of dazzling screens.
The Lucid Air Grand Touring Performance. Tim Levin/Insider
One of the first things you notice after getting in is the giant windshield that sweeps way back over your head. It makes the cabin feel extra roomy.
The Lucid Air Grand Touring Performance. Tim Levin/Insider
You get a meaty steering wheel with some switches for the media and cruise-control settings.
The Lucid Air Grand Touring Performance. Tim Levin/Insider
The 34-inch cluster of three screens behind the steering wheel almost looks like it's floating above the dashboard.
The Lucid Air Grand Touring Performance. Tim Levin/Insider
Below that is a big screen that grants access to most of the air's settings. It stows away in the dash at the tap of a button.
The Lucid Air Grand Touring Performance. Tim Levin/Insider
Overall, the Air Grand Touring's interior feels modern, high-end, and unique.
The Lucid Air Grand Touring Performance. Tim Levin/Insider
It's filled with rich leathers, sleek wood trim, and faux-suede accents.
The Lucid Air Grand Touring Performance. Tim Levin/Insider
The front seats have massagers that even attend to your butt.
The Lucid Air Grand Touring Performance. Tim Levin/Insider
And I loved the two-tone interior that had brown-leather seats in back and darker ones up front.
The Lucid Air Grand Touring Performance. Tim Levin/Insider
All around, the seats were supportive, comfy, and roomy.
The Lucid Air Grand Touring Performance. Tim Levin/Insider
Recently I got to drive the Rolls-Royce Spectre, the ultra-luxury brand's first electric car.
The 2024 Rolls-Royce Spectre. Tim Levin/Insider
It was by far the most luxurious vehicle I've ever driven.
The 2024 Rolls-Royce Spectre. Tim Levin/Insider
When you step inside the Spectre, you're immediately enveloped by lots of high-end materials and impressive craftsmanship.
The 2024 Rolls-Royce Spectre. Tim Levin/Insider
My test car had warm wood veneer on the dashboard and elsewhere.
The 2024 Rolls-Royce Spectre. Tim Levin/Insider
It added a super classy look.
The 2024 Rolls-Royce Spectre. Tim Levin/Insider
Spectres contain acres of supple leather, and the front seats are just as cushy as the look.
The 2024 Rolls-Royce Spectre. Tim Levin/Insider
I was stunned by the amount of actual metal inside the cabin.
The 2024 Rolls-Royce Spectre. Tim Levin/Insider
You get these fancy-looking speaker grates.
The 2024 Rolls-Royce Spectre. Tim Levin/Insider
But also the door handles, air vents, window switches, and more are made from solid-feeling aluminum. All the switches are extremely satisfying to play around with.
The 2024 Rolls-Royce Spectre. Tim Levin/Insider
The Spectre oozes class all around, but here are a few more elegant touches I'll call out:
The 2024 Rolls-Royce Spectre. Tim Levin/Insider
There's an analog clock.
The 2024 Rolls-Royce Spectre. Tim Levin/Insider
The scroll wheel for controlling the main screen features a glistening Spirit of Ecstasy, the brand's iconic mascot.
The 2024 Rolls-Royce Spectre. Tim Levin/Insider
And the Spectre also offers a headliner and doors that mimic a starry night. It looks surprisingly cool in person, especially at night.
The Rolls-Royce Spectre. Rolls-Royce
Above all, what you get in a Rolls-Royce is attention to detail.
The 2024 Rolls-Royce Spectre. Tim Levin/Insider
Just consider this: The stalks poking out from the steering wheel are wrapped in leather and feature the same accent stitching as the rest of the car.
The 2024 Rolls-Royce Spectre. Tim Levin/Insider
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