Electric cars have taken the world by storm as electrification is hailed as the future of motoring. While this claim is still being discussed as the advent of hydrogen ICE engines and synthetic fuels become more and more promising, automakers have created some truly awe-inspiring supercars.
The leader of the pack was Tesla when they introduced the Model S P100D way back in 2016, dominating 0–60 mph times for a production car. Since then, most electric cars tried equaling or bettering the P100D’s time and power, with mixed results. Today, Tesla has some serious competition in the form of Rivian, Lucid, Porsche, Audi, and even Lotus. Lucid has set out to make the best electric luxury sedan on the planet – a feat which they have accomplished. Rivian has a better pickup truck from the get-go than Ford could make with their decades of experience. The current king of acceleration and speed is, of course, the Rimac Nevera, which goes faster than anything else in the motor industry – outside the McMurtry Speirling, that is.
Whether electric cars are the future, they have made a massive impact on performance cars and completely shattered what it means to go fast. Here are 10 of the world’s fastest production electric cars ever made.
10 2019 Tesla Model 3 Performance – 162 MPH – 0-60 MPH In 3.1 Sec
The Tesla Model 3 is the current entry-level vehicle within the electric brand’s range. The top-spec Performance model features dual electric motors – one on each axle – producing 450 hp and a range of between 300 and 320 miles.
The Model 3 Performance blasts off the line to 60 mph in just 3.1 seconds, attaining a limited top speed of 162 mph – higher than many European sports sedans in its class. The Model 3 is a great daily driver, boasting excellent performance and efficiency.
9 2022 Rivian R1T – 125 MPH – 0-60 MPH In 3 Sec
The Rivian R1T is the Californian company’s first outing into the world of pickup trucks. Surprisingly, it is a big success, as the R1T is a capable and powerful pickup truck which can give even the Jeep Wrangler a run for its money on off-road trails.
The current R1T model range includes the base quad-motor, which produces 835 hp and 908 lb-ft of torque. It rockets to 60 mph in just 3.0 seconds, but tops out at just 125 mph to conserve the life of the battery. The Rivian R1T also boasts a range of around 320 miles.
8 2023 Lotus Evija – 200+ MPH – 0-60 MPH In 3 sec
The Lotus Evija is the most powerful production car on the planet, sporting quad electric motors and an incredible 1,970 hp. The 0-60 mph time may only be around 3.0 seconds, but it’s the 0-186 mph time which is unbelievable, standing at just 9 seconds.
What sets the Evija apart from most electric cars is the fact that it has a top speed of over 200 mph – putting it in the same class as the Rimac Nevera. The Evija is also a gorgeous car with flowing lines and futuristic styling, complimenting the electrified drivetrain.
7 2022 Audi RS E-Tron GT – 156 MPH – 0-60 MPH In 2.9 Sec
The Audi RS e-tron GT is the best electric car that the German company makes. From the styling and interior to the drivetrain and performance, the RS e-tron GT is spectacular – except for its unfortunate name in French.
The RS e-tron GT features dual electric motors which produce a combined 640 hp and sends the electric RS model to 60 mph in 2.9 seconds. Like most German sports sedans, it has a top speed of around 155 mph.
6 2022 Porsche Taycan Turbo S – 162 MPH – 0-60 MPH In 2.8 Sec
The Porsche Taycan Turbo S is basically the Audi RS e-tron GT underneath, but with elegant Porsche styling and a completely new interior. The Taycan Turbo S produces more power than its Audi sibling, sitting at 750 hp and 774 lb-ft of torque.
With all the extra power, the Taycan Turbo S only accelerates 0.1 of a second faster than the RS e-tron GT, but tops out at 162 mph, rather than 156 mph. The Taycan also costs quite a bit more, but has better build quality and comes in the awesome Sport Turismo and Cross Turismo wagons.
5 2017 Nio EP9 – 196 MPH – 0-60 MPH In 2.7 Sec
Nio is a Chinese electric car company which makes various electric vehicles and runs a Formula E team. The EP9 is the brand’s first hypercar, boasting quad electric motors and 1 megawatt of power – around 1,340 hp.
The EP9 is designed as a track car, using technologies from the company’s Formula E car. It completes the 0-60 mph sprint in 2.7 seconds and tops out at 196 mph. The EP9 also features removable batteries, adding range to the car.
4 2022 Tesla Model X Plaid – 163 MPH – 0-60 MPH In 2.5 Sec
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The Tesla Model X was the American company’s first SUV, which was delayed for a time due to the unusual falcon wing doors. The issues were eventually resolved and the Model X arrived in 2015. For the 2021 model year, Tesla introduced the Plaid, which had the same 1,020 hp as the Model S sedan.
The Model X Plaid completes the 0-60 mph sprint in 2.5 seconds, although some journalists achieved 2.1 seconds in some cases. The Plaid is one of the quickest SUVs on sale, but unfortunately tops out at just 163 mph.
3 2023 Lucid Air Sapphire – 200+ MPH – 0-60 MPH In Under 2 Sec
The Lucid Air Sapphire is the newest evolution in the luxury electric sedan world. Built as a better-in-every-way alternative to the Tesla Model S, the Lucid Air is the epitome of luxury as it is comfortable, quiet and has performance and handling to rival the BMW M5 CS.
For 2023, Lucid unveiled the Air Sapphire, a special version of the sedan which has more than 1,200 hp. Officially, the Sapphire completes the 0-60 mph in a time of under 2.0 seconds and tops out at over 200 mph, but the pre-production version seems to suggest it’s even better than claimed.
2 2022 Tesla Model S Plaid – 199 MPH – 0-60 MPH In 1.99 Sec
Until the official run of the Lucid Air Sapphire, the Tesla Model S Plaid is still the king of the sports sedan segment, completing the 0-60 mph sprint in a time of 1.99 seconds and topping out at 199 mph. Granted, this was done on a prepped surface.
The Models S Plaid actually does the same sprint consistently in a time of 2.1 seconds. It is a great performance car, ruined a bit by the build quality and overall price of the vehicle. Still, it looks great and can embarrass most hypercars in a straight line.
1 2022 Rimac Nevera – 258 MPH – 0-60 MPH In 1.85 Sec
The Rimac Nevera is the production version of the Concept_Two, which itself was an evolution of the Concept_One – made famous by its relentless performance and the fact that Richard Hammond crashed it.
The Nevera features four electric motors which produce a combined 1,914 hp and 1,741 lb-ft of torque. It hits 60 mph in just 1.85 seconds and tops out at above 250 mph – making it the fastest production battery-electric vehicle ever made. The Nevera is truly a marvel of engineering and will probably only get better.