Revealed: the world's most expensive electric cars
The electric car industry grows stronger by the day as new models enter the market, bringing with them all kinds of new and innovative technology to help push EVs further into the mainstream.
Indeed, battery-powered cars are far more advanced than only a few years ago, but thankfully manufacturers are finding ways to make them more affordable. Dacia and Citroën, for example, now offer EVs that you can buy for less than £20,000.
But while some electric models cater to all, there are a select few that push the very boundaries of automotive design and engineering, arriving with jaw-dropping performance and staggering acceleration times.
These electric cars often come with eye-watering prices, often costing millions of pounds (dollars). Here, we take a look at the most expensive electric cars yet made, from the limited-run hypercars, right through to cars you can go out and buy today.
Lucid Air Sapphire - £200,000 ($250,000)
Pitched as a rival to the Tesla Model S, the Air Sapphire is the American brand’s most powerful model to date, featuring a 1234bhp powertrain and capable of a 0-62mph time of just 1.89sec. Impressively, the ultra-quick Sapphire can still manage up to 427 miles on a charge, despite its fearsome performance.
The Sapphire’s incredible performance is achieved by the firm adding an additional motor to the rear axle, which helps it take on rivals from Tesla and Mercedes. It can also do a claimed 200mph.
Cadillac Celestiq - £270,000 ($340,000)
Aiming to offer its own take on the Rolls-Royce is Cadillac with the boldly-styled Celestiq saloon. The ultra-luxury EV is nothing like anything the brand has done before, with the Celestiq hand-built at the firm's factory in Michigan, US.
Customisation is said to be limitless, with buyers able to spec their cars with the help of a personal concierge and Celestiq designers – so you’re getting a lot for your money. The Celestiq features a 600bhp powertrain and develops 640lb ft of torque, helping it to 60mph in just 3.8sec.
Rolls-Royce Spectre - £330,000 ($422,750)
The fabled British marque revealed its first electric model last year, with the smooth and silent Spectre arriving with an all-wheel-drive 577bhp setup and 664lb ft torque. Refined, smooth and delivering a supple ride at high speeds, the Spectre has a range of up to 329 miles and can be charged at up to 150kW.
Offering the ultimate luxury motoring experience, the Rolls-Royce is priced at £330,000, but with the endless customisation offered by the Goodwood-based brand, you’ll likely pay close to £400,000 for one.
Drako GTE - £1 million ($1.3 million)
Described by Drako as “the most powerful GT car” ever made, the GTE is a quad-motor, 1200bhp electric car that can reach a top speed of 206mph – and it can do that carrying four passengers. Power is drawn from a 90kWh battery, which sits low down in the GTE’s chassis for a low centre of gravity.
The American firm’s electric saloon gets all the latest technology, such as torque vectoring, which the brand claims can adjust the power of each wheel up to 1000 times per second. Limited to just 25 examples, the ultra-rare GTE costs £1 million ($1.3 million)
Hispano Suiza Carmen Boulogne - £1.65 million ($2.1 million)
Most of the cars on this list feature a striking exterior design, but the Hispano Suiza Carmen Boulonge has arguably the most outlandish of the lot with its smooth lines and large front grille. Being the most exclusive model in the Carmen range, it comes with a price to match.
The Boulogne is powered by a 1114bhp electric motor and develops a searing 848 lb ft, allowing it to sprint from 0-62mph in less than 2.6sec. The battery is T-shaped and acts as a Tuned Mass Damper (TMD) which provides stability and reduces structural vibrations. Range is up to 250 miles.
Deus Vayanne – £1.9 million ($2.4 million)
The most powerful car in our lists is the Deus Vayanne, a striking electric sports car that boasts a power output of 2243bhp and develops 1475 lb ft of torque – now that is mind-boggling. That means it can do 0-62mph in as little as 1.99sec.
And because only 99 units will be made, the Vayanne commands a hefty price tag of £1.9 million ($2.4 million).
Pininfarina Battista – £1.9 million ($2.4 million)
Named after one of the mode influential automotive designers, the Battista is an outlandish and eye-catching electric hypercar which develops a whopping 1874bhp. This means it can do 0-62mph in a blisteringly quick time of just 1.86sec, making it one of the fastest electric cars on sale today.
Intriguingly, the Battista sits on the same electric platform as the pricier Nevera, but is almost identical in terms of performance. Where the Battista differs is in its design, with the hypercar featuring a sleek and low-slung aesthetic for optimal aerodynamic efficiency.
Rimac Nevera – £2.4 million ($3.1 million)
The Nevera had quite the start to its production life; not only did it set 20 – yes, 20 – new acceleration records, but it also became the fastest electric production car to lap the Nurburgring with a time of 7min 5sec – so you’re getting quite a lot for the money.
Packing 1888bhp and developing a staggering 1741 lb ft of torque, the mighty Nevera takes just 1.81sec to hit 62mph, and 9.2sec to reach 186mph. And to ensure that there is plenty of energy for quick jaunts, the Nevera is fitted with a huge H-shaped 120kWh battery.
Lotus Evija - £2.4 million ($3.1 million)
The UK-based firm is undergoing its biggest transformation in its history by switching from a lightweight sports car brand to performance EV marque. The first hint of Lotus’s electric future came in the form of the Evija, an aerodynamically-honed electric hypercar with a significant retail price.
For that price you get a quad-motor 2011bhp EV that can sprint from 0-62mph in less than 3.0sec, and it will keep on going up to a seriously fast 218mph; and that after hitting 186mph from standstill in less than 10sec.
Aspark Owl - £2.5 million ($3.2 million)
Claimed to be the fastest accelerating car in the world, the quad-motor Aspark Owl can sprint from 0-62mph in just 1.72sec. Such an outrageous time is achieved thanks to a motor on each wheel and 1985bhp – and as you would expect, that level of performance doesn’t come cheap, with the Owl costing a cool £2.5 million ($3.2 million).
And being the fastest accelerating EV is just one of Aspark's party pieces. It also has one of the highest top speeds of any electric car at 258mph. Beyond its insane performance, the Owl can still do up to 280 miles on a charge.
