The best electric sports cars – and the ones coming soon

Can an EV really outperform a piston-powered sports car? Only a few years ago an electric car defeating a petrol car on track or in a drag race would be unheard of. 

Nowadays the electric car landscape looks much brighter, with a wealth of sporty EVs arriving to push the boundaries of what a high-performance car can do; in fact, they make modern, petrol equivalents look outdated and dare we say it…slow. 

Here, we take a look at the best high-performance electric cars on sale today - and reveal the cars you should look out for.

Audi RS e-tron GT 

The e-tron GT was the first electric model to gain the RS badge, and while its sleek and stealthy look are very much Audi design, its internals are borrowed from the Porsche Taycan. It uses the same dual-motor set-up and electric architecture, but is dialled down slightly compared to the Taycan; we say slightly because it still has 475kW and can do 0-62mph in just 3.3sec. 

And things only get better on the road, with the RS e-tron handling well and offering great poise through corners. It might not be able to match the Taycan, but it’s a seriously appealing performance EV that delivers a more GT-like feel – and that makes it even more desirable. 

BMW i4 M50

Launched as a family electric saloon to rival the Tesla Model 3, the i4 was soon breathed upon by M-division’s engineers to create the 400kW i4 M50. Tipping the scales at 2290kg, it is surprisingly agile, with good body control for such a heavy car. 

Instant torque and clever software means the opportunity for some tail happy action is always available, providing enough whimsical thrills for any EV enthusiast. The 0-62mph time of 3.9sec is nothing to be ashamed of either. 

Kia EV6 GT

Can a family SUV be a high-performance machine? If the Kia EV6 GT is anything to go by, then the answer is very much yes. With 430kW and 546lb ft of torque under your right foot, the stats show that the Korean brand isn’t holding back for its range-topping performance EV.

Kia re-engineered the chassis for its hot flagship, while also adding a GT mode which strengthens the dampers for a more sportier feel on the road. There’s less body lean with the dampers firmed up, but this does have a negative impact on the ride which feels harsh. 

Lotus Evija

As the British brand transforms into an electric only performance marque, Lotus decided to give us a taste of the future in the form of the 1491kW Evija hyper EV. Lotus expects a sub two-second 0-62mph time to rival the likes of the Rimac Nevera and Pininfarina Battista, while also aiming for a top speed of 200mph. 

In keeping with Lotus’s lightweight principles, the Evija is believed to tip the scales around the 1700kg mark. Sure, it’s not the lightest hyper EV, but that’s less than the Nevera and Battista. 

Maserati Granturismo Folgore

The Maserati Granturismo Folgore is the first model from the Italian brand to get the electric treatment, featuring an all-new aluminium platform. With a 93kWh battery onboard, the 2+2 GT has 560kW and 997lb ft torque, helping it achieve a 0-62mph time of just 2.7sec. 

With the Porsche Taycan firmly in its sights, the Folgore’s batteries are positioned low down in the car to give it a better centre of gravity. This shows through the corners, with the Folgore offering great levels of agility and grip. 
 

Pininfarina Battista 

Described by its maker as the ‘world’s first electric hyper GT’, the quad-motor Battista pushes the high-performance game to new heights, with 1400kW and 1726lb ft of torque. With such ferocious power on hand, the Battista is good for a 0-62mph sprint in just 1.86sec, making it the fastest accelerating electric car on the market. 

Better still, the £2 million hyper GT has the handling and poise to match its power figures, offering plenty of thrills down meandering roads. Much of the Battista’s underpinnings are from the Rimac Nevera hypercar, with the striking exterior delivering plenty of italian flair.

Porsche Taycan

The industry powerhouse landed a killer blow with its electric four-door GT performance car, with Porsche’s first EV proving that a pure-electric driver’s car is possible. Few electric cars can match the Taycan’s balance, resistance to body roll and unwavering agility. The Taycan’s low centre of gravity is a key ingredient, helping you forget it is a near 2.2-tonne EV. 

Performance is best described as beguiling: 560kW, 0-62mph in 2.8sec and a top speed limited to 155mph. And if you want that performance in a more practical setting, the Cross Turismo estate is just as capable as the saloon. 

Rimac Nevera

Mate Rimac’s rise to the forefront of the hyper electric car segment is nothing short of remarkable. Now part-owned by Porsche, the Croatian brand has a majority stake in the Bugatti Rimac company that will deliver future electric Bugatti models. 

Boasting a power output of 1427kW, 1704lb ft of torque and a 0-62mph time of 1.81sec, the quad-motor Nevera features double-wishbone suspension, torque vectoring and autonomous driving. Like most electric hypercars, it’s far from cheap, with a £1.8million starting price. 

Hyundai Ioniq 5 N

The Korean brand’s hot new version of the Ioniq 5 made its public debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, arriving with 447kW, an 84kWh battery and an all-wheel-drive layout. 

The Ioniq 5 N is also fitted with what the brand calls N Grin Boost, which increases the power up to 477kW, allowing the electric hot hatchback to sprint from 0-62mph in just 3.4sec. 

Hyundai has also integrated a fake gearbox and engine note to create more communication between the car and the driver. The N e-Shift gearbox simulates the behaviour of the eight-speed dual-clutch unit found in the firm’s ICE-powered N models. This is paired with N Active Sound which plays an exhaust note through eight internal and two external speakers. 
 

BMW i5 M60

The hot new i5 M60 features a four-wheel-drive layout and develops 442kW and 605lb ft of torque. This helps it sprint from 0-62mph in just 3.8sec, with the M60 able to reach a top speed of 143mph. 

The M60 has a range of between 283 and 321 miles and can be charged at up to 205kW, allowing for a 10-80% charge in around 30 minutes. 

As the sportier version of the i5, it does command a big premium over the standard car, with prices starting from £98,840. 
 

Coming soon - Alpine A290 Beta

French brand Alpine plans to launch three new electric models over the next three years, with the firm’s first electric model – the A290 Beta – confirmed to be a hot-hatchback based on the inbound Renault 5 supermini.

Technical details are yet to be confirmed but the production car will be offered with two outputs: one with 160kW and another with around 200kW. 

Lotus Emeya

The Hethel-based brand's electric saloon car is set to arrive next year as a direct rival to the Porsche Taycan and Audi RS e-tron GT. 

Lotus, which is now owned by Chinese car giant Geely, is currently undergoing its most radical transformation in its history, having launched its first electric car – the Eletre SUV – earlier this year. 

The Emeya sits on the firm's new Electric Premium Architecture and develops a whopping 905bhp and 726lbf of torque. This means it will be able to sprint from0-62mph in under three seconds. 

MG Cyberster

The recently revealed Cyberster convertible is the Chinese-owned car maker's new electric sports car, which is set to arrive with a choice of two powertrains. A 230kW rear-wheel-drive option and 400kW dual-motor variant will make-up the Cyberster line-up, with the heaviest model set to weigh under 2000kg. 

Due to go on sale in the UK and Europe next year, the new high-performance EV is set to offer up to 497 miles of range and go from 0-62mph in around 3.0sec. 

Tesla Roadster

The Roadster was primed for launch in 2020, but is now four years behind schedule after the brand shifted its focus on the Semi Truck and Cybertruck. While the technical details of the Roadster remain closely guarded, the car’s tri-motor set-up is likely to offer similar performance to the Tesla Model S Plaid, which has 750kW of power. 

Tesla claims the future roadster will have a top speed of 250mph and can sprint from 0-60mph in just 1.9sec. It’s also meant to arrive with a 620 mile-range, but we’ll have to keep an eye out for when the second-gen model lands.

Polestar 6

Based on the striking O2 concept, the Polestar 6 electric roadster is the Swedish brand’s first convertible model, with just 500 models set to make production. The 2+2 roadster will launch with a special LA Concept edition based on the concept version, which will feature a sky blue exterior. 

The roadster will use a modified version of the electric platform developed for the Polestar 5 saloon, allowing for an output of up to 650kW and a 0-62mph time of 3.2sec.