The 10 fastest accelerating electric cars

By Sam Phillips

22 Nov 2022

Electric cars might have some innocent names like Leaf and Air, but their ability to give an instant whack of power and torque means that they can also be serious speed machines.

With the power all ready to go in a battery, an electric car can accelerate as fast as the motors are designed to allow. That means that several offer astonishing 0-60mph times that trounce even the most potent internal combustion cars.

Granted, being able to accelerate quickly isn't everything – not least because doing so will quickly drain your battery life. But it's still worth celebrating. So here we break down the top 10 fastest-accelerating electric cars from 0-60mph.

We've limited this list to road-legal cars – although we have included some that haven't gone on sale yet. All figures quoted are those claimed by the manufacturer.

10 Lotus Evija - sub-3.0 seconds

Lotus’s new flagship model and first electric car is one of the most highly-anticipated cars of the year. Although the firm hasn’t confirmed an official 0-60mph time, the Hethel-based car maker says that its 1972bhp hyper EV is likely to achieve the sprint in under three seconds with a top speed of more than 200mph - although that's likely to be restricted in the UK. A total of 130 Evija will be produced and will cost a cool £2.04m each.

9 Porsche Taycan Turbo S - 2.6sec

The Porsche Taycan Turbo S (don't be fooled, it hasn't actually got a turbocharger...) is the German car maker's first electric car and delivers in more ways than one. Not only is the range-topping Taycan Turbo S brisk, it is also excellent to drive, with superb handling and dynamics that prove it to be as appealing as the 911. Powering the Turbo S along is a 93kWh battery, with an overall output of 751bhp. This allows the Taycan to go from 0-60mph in 2.6 seconds, outrageous performance for a luxury, family saloon.

8 Tesla Model X Plaid - 2.5sec

Telsa’s family SUV may look innocent - even with gull-wing doors - but it has astonishing straight line performance. The new Plaid variant of the Model X has a whopping 1006bhp tri-motor layout which it shares with its Model S Plaid sibling, meaning the seven-seat SUV can achieve a 0-60mph time of just 2.5 seconds. Not bad for a car that weighs 2.5 tonnes.

7 Lucid Air - 2.5sec

California-based firm Lucid is hoping to turn heads with its Air EV, which entered production at the end of 2021. Its flagship Dream Edition saloon features twin motors producing 1065bhp, which helps the Air to achieve a staggering 235mph top speed and has a claimed range of 520 miles. The luxury saloon weighs more than two tonnes, which means its 0-60mph time of 2.5 seconds is seriously impressive. The Air also has commendable charging capabilities, and can manage rapid charging speeds of up to 300kW, meaning in just 20 minutes you can add 300 miles of range.

6 Faraday Future FF91 - 2.2sec

You might not be that familiar with Chinese car maker Faraday, but its FF91 saloon certainly has plenty to offer. Although not set for the UK market the Faraday is a seriously quick car, and with around 1035bhp it can go from standstill to 60mph in a mere 2.2 seconds. That’s quicker than the Ariel Atom V8 and it’s a family saloon.

5 Tesla Model S Plaid - 1.99sec

Another Tesla? Yes, the California-based firm's all-conquering saloon has blistering performance to go alongside its unbeatable range. The recently updated Model S Plaid has a startling 1006bhp, allowing for a 0-60mph time of 1.99 seconds, which for a family saloon is pretty astonishing. Sure, the Model S Plaid might not be the most phenomenal drivers car, but its performance is unequivocal.

4 Tesla Roadster - 1.9 seconds

Troubled by delays, the highly anticipated second generation Tesla Roadster is set to be a speed demon, much like its Model S sibling. Although Tesla hasn’t confirmed the numbers the supercar has a claimed output of 1000bhp from its 200kWh battery which is linked to three electric motors. Tesla says its future supercar can sprint from 0-60mph in just 1.9 seconds, although the 620 miles mile range figure is also an admirable statistic. The American EV manufacturer recently announced that it would not be launching any new models in 2022, so it is still unknown when we will see the £189,000 Roadster on the, ahem, road.

3 Rimac Nevera - 1.85sec

The Croatian firm’s second electric car certainly packs a serious punch. With a whopping 1914bhp the C_Two can achieve a 0-60mph time of just 1.85 seconds, and will go on to 186mph in a mere 11.8 seconds. Such remarkable performance comes from the Rimac’s 120kWh battery, and the added bonus of a motor on each wheel. If you’ve got a spare £2m lying around the C_Two is all yours.

2 Pininfarina Battista - 2.0sec

This wild and wonderful carbon fibre bodied creation uses the same powertrain as the Rimac C_Two. Such engineering and design doesn’t come cheap however, with the 150 examples made all selling for £2m each. Thrusting the Battista are four electric motors with a combined output of 1400kW and a whipping 1726lb ft of torque.

The firm previously claimed that its hyper EV could sprint from 0-60mph in 2.0 seconds, but after recent homologation tests, Pininfarina revealed that the Battista can hit 60mph in just 1.79 seconds. That makes it the fastest accelerating electric car on sale today. Even though most of the parts are from Croatian frim Rimac the Battista only shares around half of its components with the C_Two. It’s a looker too, with its aggressively styled front end and active aero parts.

1 Aspark Owl - 1.72sec

In many ways the Aspark Owl has such beguiling performance it could take flight. With four electric motors onboard the Owl has an output of 1985bhp and a claimed top speed of 249mph. The huge power figure helps the Owl sprint from 0-60 in 1.72 seconds, making it the fastest-accelerating car in the world. Alongside its performance the Owl’s 64kWh battery can achieve 280 miles of range, with Aspark aiming to build 50 examples of the car, with a price tag of around £2.5m.