Over the last decade, electric vehicles have gone from environment-friendly novelties to massive powerhouse machines. From sedans to pickups and sports cars, the latter has hugely benefited from the rapid technological advancements, giving way to the majority of vehicles that aren’t just impressive by electric supercar standards but by supercar standards in general.
While the majority are committed to building excellent everyday EVs, there have been a host of manufacturers, both startups and established, tossing their hats into the supercar EV ring and vying for lap time and spec-sheet supremacy. So, with new models popping up every month and several available options constantly ballooning, here are some of the world’s best road-going performance EVs of 2022.
9 Rimac Nevera
While most may be familiar with the likes of Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, there’s also a certain cult of personality that has grown around Mate, partly because the internet likes that sort of thing. Mate Rimac is a Croatian entrepreneur that has become popular due to his electrically charged storm, the Rimac Nevera hypercar, which has been known to batter coastlines at speeds of up to 155 mph.
But the road-going Nevera can top these figures, thanks to its 120kWh battery, four electric motors that combine to produce 1914 horsepower, and 1740 lb-ft of torque. With this powertrain, the Nevera can hurl itself from 0-60 mph in 1.85 seconds and demolish the quarter-mile in 8.6 seconds. The Nevera is more of a hurricane than a storm – a hypercar that proves electric power is the future of mobility.
8 Pininfarina Battista
The Pininfarina Battista is an iconic masterpiece for what it aims to achieve. It’s gorgeous and extremely fast that it has earned the name the future of high-speed cars. Under its hood, the Pininfarina Battista shares the same powertrain technology as its sister, the Rimac Nevera, since the Croatian company supplies for both companies.
In addition, the Battista offers similar mind-blowing performance, with the zero to 60mph run taking place in sub 2 seconds and achieving top speeds of up to 217 mph, making it one of the fastest EVs in the market today. Only a limited run of 150 units will be produced, each coming with a price tag of around $2 million – cheap for a zero-emission performance EV.
7 Porsche Taycan Turbo S
Porsche all-electric cars come in different flavors, from the entry-level, single RWD-only Taycan, to the top-spec, twin motor AWD Taycan. Well, the Taycan Turbo S comes powered by a 751-horsepower powertrain, suitable for 0-60 mph in 2.8 seconds and a top speed of 162 mph.
But before the internet turns their heads and looks down on the Turbo S because it’s slower in a straight line than most models in this list, the Turbo S not only looks like a proper Porsche, but also feels like one. Thus, the Turbo S is a worthy road-going performance EV on this list.
6 Tesla Model S Plaid
When a conversation pops up about fast electric cars, one can’t go long without bringing up a Tesla. Elon Musk has strived to bring this company from dirt into one of the world’s most valuable car manufacturers.
Tesla claims the Model S Plaid is the quickest road-going performance EV, making the zero to 60 mph run in 1.99 seconds – when equipped with the right tires. Additionally, at its heart, the Model S Plaid comes powered with three electric motors, which, when combined, generate 1020 horsepower and 1050 lb-ft of torque, enough to cover the quarter-mile in 9.3 seconds and achieve a top speed of 200 mph. Well, the super saloon is speedy but perhaps not the quickest production EV as the automaker claims.
5 Aspark Owl
The Aspark Owl is an all-electric Japanese hypercar that has long been awaited. Last year, monster hypercar entered its production, equipped with four electric motors that deliver a combined engine output of 2,012 horsepower and 1,475 lb-ft.
Moreover, the automaker claims the Owl can accelerate 0-60 mph in 1.69 seconds and achieve a top speed of 249 mph. Only a limited run of 50 units will be produced, each with a price tag of $3 million, making the Aspark Owl one of the rarest and most expensive road-going performances EVs.
4 Lotus Evija
Lotus’s latest grand revival, the Evija, is touted to be the first all-electric British hypercar. It's set to cost over $2 million, and it promises four motors, a four-wheel-drive system, and a combined engine output of 1972 horsepower. The car clears the Zero to 60 mph run in less than three seconds and has a top speed of over 200 mph.
Only a limited number of 130 units are set to be built and are believed to offer world-class performance at an exceedingly reasonable 250-mile drive range.
3 Audi RS e-Tron GT
With companies such as Tesla and Porsche pushing the envelope with their EV technology, automakers like Audi have begun to feel the pressure to keep up, hence the Audi RS e-Tron GT. And although the Touring-focused fully-electric e-Tron GT might not pack much - just 637 horsepower and 612 lb-ft, the incredible machine can sprint from 0-60 mph in 3.3 seconds and achieve a top speed of 155 mph.
Moreover, its plush cockpit boasts the latest tech, and its exterior retains the sleek and futuristic design that identifies with the iconic Audi family.
2 Ford Mustang Mach-E GT
While most die-hard Mustang fanatics may argue the Mach-E doesn’t belong to this list, the GT performance trim is a good fit as it’s the performance-focused iteration of the Ford’s electric Mustang. The most powerful regular Mach-E offers 346 horsepower while the go-faster GT churns out 480 horsepower, enough to hurl it from zero to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds – 1.1 seconds quicker than the 5.0-liter V8 in the hood of a Mustang Mach 1 coupe.
Along with its speed and head-turning appearance, the Mach-E GT also has an estimated drive range of up to 300 miles per charge, making it an exceptional road-going performance EV.
1 Lucid Air Dream Edition P
The Lucid Air Dream Edition P is a new electric car with all-conquering intentions into the EV market. On paper, its results are just jaw-dropping. However, the all-electric sedan that churns out, 1111 horsepower delivers 471 miles of EPA range in Performance spec and 520 miles in the 933-horsepower Range spec.
Moreover, the Dream Edition P comes equipped with an all-wheel-drive electric drivetrain that will aid to push the 0-60 mph in 2.5 seconds and achieve a top speed of 168 mph. The first-time automaker looks like it does not want to take on Tesla only, as it has the Audi A8, the BMW 7 Series, and the Mercedes S-Class on its sight too.