Top 10: fastest accelerating production electric cars

Bugatti, Ferrari, Lamborghini, McLaren, Porsche… the list of  hypercar makers that have smashed acceleration records over the past 120 years is long.

But those records are now being torn up and rewritten, as the age of the electric motor redfines what’s possible, thanks to its capability to deliver full torque from a standstill.

Here we round-up the fastest ten electric cars from 0-60mph, using the official figures claimed by the manufacturer. And, just to set expectations, here’s some sobering context: it takes a Formula 1 car around 2.5secs to go from 0-60mph - so every car in this list is pretty incredible in terms of its drag potential (if less so at taking corners at 180mph).

10. Lotus Evija - sub-3.0 seconds

The Lotus Evija is a £2.4m+ hypercar that is designed to show that an electric future is anything but boring - as anyone lucky enough to sit in one of the just 130 examples being built to enjoy its 2011bhp of power and sub-3.0sec 0-62mph time will likely attest.

It’s not just the initial acceleration that marks the Evija out as something special, however: once it hits 62mph in the time it takes you to yelp, it’ll keep on pulling onto a scarcely believable 218mph, having passed 186mph from a standstill in just 9.1secs (still faster than most everyday hatchbacks can hit 62mph in).

9. Porsche Taycan Turbo S - 2.6sec

Porsche’s first electric car arrived with the brief of convincing doubters that electric cars can be exciting - and the Taycan Turbo S delivered on every level, from being excellent dynamically to delivering mind-blowing acceleration, the 0-60mph sprint taking just 2.6sec.

Despite its name the Porsche Taycan Turbo S doesn’t have a turbo - that’s a historical reference to fast Porsches, and instead it has ‘just’ a 93kWh battery, with an overall output of 751bhp. For comparison, a Lamborghini Huracan Tecnica takes 2.8secs to reach 60mph.

8. Tesla Model X Plaid - 2.5sec

You may wonder how a family SUV weighing 2.5 tonnes could ever make a list of fastest accelerating cars? Well, that’s the joy of a powerful electric motor and instant torque, but don’t forget to warn the kids before you unleash all 1006bhp.

The key to the Tesla Model X’s potent performance is the Plaid model’s tri-motor layout, which launches it down the road just as hard as the tyres can grip and pretty much faster than any supercar on sale today. Indeed, a Bugatti Chiron (0-62mph 2.3sec) will only just beat it in a drag race.

7. Lucid Air - 2.5sec

The Lucid Air Dream Edition is the flagship model from this emerging car maker, although you’d have to have some pretty wild dreams if launching from a standstill to 60mph in a stomach-turning 2.5secs (and on to a top speed of 235mph) is among them.

Lucid is based in California, and started selling the Air in 2021. It is powered by two electric motors, with a combined 1065bhp. While using all that power will eat range, it’s battery and efficiency mean it is rated as covering a chunky 520 miles per charge; it’s fast-charging capabilities also mean that it can add 300 miles of range in 20 minutes (if  you can find the right supercharger).

6. Faraday Future FF91 - 2.2sec

Faraday is at the forefront of a raft of Chinese car makers looking to use electrification to establish their car making credentials. The FF91 is part saloon, part SUV, it’s eye-catching design complimented by its hypercar-baiting 0-60mph time of 2.2sec.

Given its futuristic speed, amazingly the FF91 was unveiled as long ago as 2017. Within 36 hours the company claimed to have received 64,124 reservations for the car. However, it hasn’t had an easy time taking the idea into production - but after a raft of investment and being floated on the Nasdaq, we look forward to seeing its cars on the road.

5. Tesla Model S Plaid - 1.99sec

Another Tesla? Well, we’re not even done yet, as Elon Musk and his team of electric pioneers have long understood the power of an eye-catching performance figure. Thanks to its slipperier shape and (slightly) lower weight, the Model S Plaid beats the Model X for a 0-60mph time of 1.99 seconds.

As with the Model X Plaid, the Model S Plaid edition has a tri-motor set-up: one on the front axle and two on the rear, deploying a combined 1006bhp onto the road. Top speed is rated at 200mph, and proving it can handle corners, too, it  lapped the Nurburgring in 7m 30.9sec - more than 10secs faster than the Taycan Turbo S.

4. Tesla Roadster - 1.9 seconds

Rumours suggest the second generation Tesla Roadster will make 1000bhp from its 200kWh battery, all packaged in a relatively lightweight body. Whatever the details, it’s clear the Roadster has to be the fastest Tesla and good for a 0-60mph time of 1.9sec. 

It’s worth stressing that the Roadster gets a mention here for potential rather than reality - having been revealed as a concept as far back as 2017, and mooted for production pretty much every year since 2020, nobody (even Elon Musk, given the number of false starts the project has had) is sure when it will actually go on sale.

3. Pininfarina Battista - 1.79sec

Some slight controversy here, as while the Pininfarina Battista has clocked a 0-60mph time of 1.79sec, it’s yet to be homologated for doing so. As such, the official estimated of 2.0sec is used by some to highlight its performance instead. Frankly, given the caveats, claims abd counter-claims around most of these figures, we’re prepared to run it in this list, however.

The Battista used the same powertrain as the Rimac Nevera, with four electric motors delivering 1877bhp and a whipping 1726lb ft of torque. If you want to enjoy a taste of all this performance, you can expect to pay more than £1.9m (€2.2m) to get your name on the ownership documents of one of the 150 cars planned for production.

2. Rimac Nevera - 1.74sec

Rimac’s extraordinary story - from developing its own electric hypercars in Croatia to co-owning Bugatti and working for numerous established car makers on their electric programmes - is headlined by the performance figures of its own-branded cars. The 1914bhp the Nevera can achieve a 0-60mph time of just 1.74 seconds, and will go on to 200mph in 10.8 seconds.

The secret to the Rimac Nevera's pace is the fact that it has a powerful electric motor in each wheel, providing maximum pace whatever the conditions. Providing energy for all that pace is a sizable 120kWh battery pack. The only downside is that to enjoy all this performance you should expect to pay north of £2.4m. 

1. Aspark Owl - 1.72sec

Owls are known for many things - but, aside from among fearful mice, perhaps not their neck-snapping speed from a standstill. The Chinese-made Aspark owl looks to change all that, its four electric motors delivering 1985bhp of power and an eye-watering (literally, we suspect) 0-60mph time of 1.72sec. The Aspark Owl’s top speed is a staggering 249mph, and it has a range of 280 miles.

Owning the world’s fastest accelerating production car is far harder than reading about it, however: for starters, Aspark says it will make only 50, selling them for around £2.5m each, but there’s also the issue of the relatively unknown company delivering on its promise; to date, it has only displayed a static car, as it works to take it from concept to production. While its ambitions are admirable, we’re looking forward to verifying them.