One of the reasons for choosing the more expensive cars is comfort and I have also found that as you go up the price tree, the battery driving range options also improve.

Higher-priced battery electric cars (BEVs) will also have larger-capacity batteries, and these provide the basis for that extra range. The two cars that I’m comparing this week are the BMW iX3, a classic SUV-style electric car, and the new Volvo ES90, which combines a hatchback look with some SUV features.

I’ve driven both cars in recent weeks and first impression is that they look and feel expensive. Compared to some more mainline BEVs, the price difference is not significant, as cars such as the hybrid Toyota RAV4 GR and Volkswagen ID.5 creep into the €60,000 price bracket – before you add too many extras. With the BMW iX3 and Volvo ES90 you get good range on a fully charged battery.

BMW

The BMW iX3 offers a modern-style SUV with what BMW calls Neue Klasse design and technology features. The car is distinctive to look at and clearly the BMW style heritage is strong, so you won’t mistake it for any other brand.

This BEV is fitted with a large-capacity 108.7kW battery that delivers all-wheel-drive power and acceleration pace through two electric motors. This is a fast car if you want it to be and with some tweaking, it can also be a very economical one. What’s more, you won’t experience range anxiety – the fully powered-up battery pack can deliver up to 800km driving range – so you can be reasonably confident.

The car delivered that kind of performance for me and I was impressed with its fast-charging abilities at public high-speed charging points. That range feature alone allows you to be more relaxed to enjoy the other features of the car, including the solid road holding and pace when you need it. The dash layout is clear and simple with a large landscape central screen and a head-up display rather than a second small display behind the steering wheel. Transmission control is provided by a steering wheel-mounted stalk and there is a central control module for most of the infotainment screen settings.

The BMWiX3 is spacious with a large capacity boot. It’s all-wheel-drive system also ensures a fairly decent towing ability at 2 tonnes. This is higher than that of the Volvo ES90; the BMW is a lighter-built car. This car is built at new BMW factory in Hungary, which claims to operate entirely without any fossil fuels.

Volvo

The Volvo ES90 design style also comes with a lot of Volvo heritage. The hatchback styling is a little different for Volvo, while the larger wheels give the car an SUV-type appearance. The ES90 uses a slightly smaller-capacity battery than the iX3, with lower power and torque, so predictably, the maximum quoted range from a fully charged battery is less at 647km. This power output and the additional 50kg weight of the car have impacted on its towing ability which at 1,600kg is 25% lower than that of the BMW. It also impacted on its acceleration performance.

On the inside, the Volvo ES90 is minimal with a large portrait-style central infotainment screen. Volvo fits another smaller screen behind the steering wheel, along with a head-up display system for additional driving information. The car is very spacious on the inside, with great rear legroom, which appears to have compromised boot volume space a little compared with the BMW iX3. You’ll need to use the touchscreen on this new Volvo ES90 for many of the car’s settings including heating, which can be distracting.

I found that the credit card-style key for door opening and powering up the car, wasn’t always reliable. I would prefer more driving simplicity and less need to resort to the touchscreen, especially for ongoing setting changes to the air conditioning system that recent weather demanded.

There is also a large monitoring unit sitting in an obvious roof line bulge over the windscreen, which takes away from the overall look of the car, almost like a London taxi look. This Volvo ES90 is built at a Volvo factory in China.

The BMW offering has a very recent Euro NCAP 5-star safety award and that always impresses me. Volvo has yet to be assessed, while I would expect it to be successful because of the high level of safety equipment included as standard.

Both cars offer the same level of warranty for the car and battery pack, except that the BMW warranty is for unlimited distance. Entry prices start €66,985 or £58,755 Northern Ireland for the BMW iX3 and €79,995 or £67,495 in Northern Ireland for the Volvo, so there is a significant price difference.

What surprised me was that you could get this level of range from a premium brand in the BMW iX3 for not a lot more money than a similar performance less-premium brand with higher battery power.

That price point and the range performance are probably why the BMW iX3 appealed to me over the Volvo ES90 – along with the easier technology in the BMW.