If you're a keen driver bemoaning the disappearance of the characterful, sonorous internal combustion engine (ICE) in the looming age of electric cars, we’ve made a list of EVs that you should still find enjoyable to drive. They may not have a raspy exhaust, but they have excellent handling and are probably considerably quicker than your beloved gas-burning sports car.

Here's our selection of ten enthusiast-pleasing EVs, listed in ascending performance order.

1. Abarth 500e

Drive an Abarth 500 and you'll quickly discover that its tuneful four-cylinder turbo engine dominates the experience. It’s no wonder then that for its electric equivalent, the Abarth 500e, the manufacturer went to great lengths to imbue it with the character of an ICE vehicle.

That’s why the Abarth EV has artificially generated ICE sounds that are not only pumped into the cabin through the speakers, but also played outside for everyone to hear.

There's not much performance to shout about, though, given the relatively modest 153 horsepower from its single electric motor, but with a sprint time to 62 mph (100 km/h) of seven seconds, it's quick enough for most drives.

Abarth is bound to launch more powerful and extreme versions of the 500e if the car’s gas-burning predecessor is anything to go by. But the car should be enjoyable to drive around a twisty road, even with the limited power, thanks to its short wheelbase, sticky ultra-high performance (UHP) tires, and sharp steering that makes the car eager to turn.

2. Mini Cooper SE

With more power and a lower-slung driving position than the Abarth 500e, the Mini Cooper SE is less about playing fake exhaust noises for people on the sidewalk and more about taking you around a corner quickly. Thanks to one of the sharpest steering racks of any car on the market, regardless of price, the electric Mini Cooper is exceptionally eager to turn. When you lift off mid-corner, you'll feel the back rotate, just like in a proper hot hatchback.

Unlike the 500e, the Mini is not based on a bespoke electric vehicle platform, and one of the downsides this brings is its relatively small battery, which only provides a WLTP range of up to 145 miles. Considering this, there’s a risk that it won't be feasible for you to drive this car to your favorite road where you could actually enjoy it.

Plus, being a BMW product, it is also quite pricey, especially once you start adding in the optional extras.

3. Tesla Model 3

If rear-wheel drive is more your thing, then the most affordable, fun-to-drive EV with this configuration is the ubiquitous Tesla Model 3. The American electric vehicle manufacturer is not renowned for making particularly sporty-driving vehicles, but its smallest offering is certainly a worthy electric canyon carving companion.

The Model 3 is also quick in a straight line, whichever motor and battery configuration you opt for, and the 460-horsepower Performance model really pins you to your seat like a proper sports car.

Proof the Model 3 has gained an enthusiast following is the plethora of performance-enhancing aftermarket parts that you can order.

4. Polestar 2 BST Edition 270

When the Polestar 2 first came out, it got mixed reviews from enthusiasts who expected it to be more fun than it really was to throw around a few corners on a country road. However, the vehicle has received several updates since then, which have improved all versions’ driving dynamics, and there’s now even a dedicated performance version called the Polestar 2 BST Edition 270.

The BST part of the name is reportedly a contraction of the word “Beast,” and 270 stands for the production number for this limited-series variant. Its two electric motors produce 470 horsepower, the same output as the regular model. However, it does have unique 21-inch wheels shod in Pirelli P Zero tires specially developed for it, as well as two-way adjustable Öhlins dampers and the obligatory go-faster strip running along the top of the vehicle.

5. Kia EV6

Even though the Kia EV6 is a cross between a conventional hatchback and a crossover, with hints of Stormtrooper helmet and a sprinkling of rally car, the Korean automaker did things right. It built the model on a bespoke 800-volt EV architecture called E-GMP and it then engineered the vehicle in such a way that it's surprisingly engaging to drive.

In its most potent guise, the feature-packed EV6 GT, the vehicle has a dual-motor setup with 577 horsepower, which is good for a 0 to 62 mph time of 3.5 seconds and a top speed of 161 mph (260 km/h). It’s good around a corner and it stops really well thanks to uprated brakes. Plus, it boasts sporty interior additions like a driving mode button on the steering wheel and aggressive bucket seats with big side supports.

6. BMW i4

BMW has done a great job turning the ICE 4 Series Gran Coupe into the completely electric i4. It has decent efficiency and good range, and it's even better and more engaging to drive than the Polestar 2 or the Tesla Model 3.

The top performance model, the i4 M50 (the first ever electric BMW to wear an M badge), weighs around 2.3 tons—so even with 544 horsepower, it’s not going to be the most nimble vehicle. However, BMW is known for engineering its vehicles’ dynamic capabilities up to a very high standard, and this is evidenced here by the i4’s exceptional levels of grip and poise around a corner, despite its weight.

Movie soundtrack composer Hans Zimmer designed the acceleration sound you hear inside the i4, which adds another dimension to driving a fast EV and also helps convey a sense of speed (which is absent in most EVs.)

7. Porsche Taycan

The Porsche Taycan is the world’s best-known sporty EV; a low-slung sports sedan that doesn’t share its underpinnings with an ICE vehicle. Just like the Kia EV6, it rides on a dedicated 800-volt EV platform. Thanks to legendary Porsche engineering, it’s exceptionally rewarding to drive and capable.

Porsche also offers two battery sizes and several motor configurations, as well as a more practical wagon body. Regardless of which one you choose, the driving experience is excellent. Even the entry-level single-motor model is a hoot to drive, thanks to its pin-sharp steering, great body control, and an eagerness to rotate around its axis mid-corner (a trait shared with actual sports cars and not really present in other EVs.)

8. Tesla Model S Plaid

If you’re looking for an engaging performance EV with lots of power, then you need to look no further than the Tesla Model S Plaid. The Plaid gets over 1,000 horsepower from its three-motor configuration and it can achieve 0 to 60 mph in a little over two seconds. It's pretty good around a track—an uprated set of brakes and tires is recommended for this purpose.

The Model S Plaid is also exceptional value for the straight-line performance that it provides, but don’t expect it to hang with the Taycan on a twisty road. Even though it has a lot more power than the Porsche, the latter is one of the fastest EVs around the Nurburgring Nordschleife, beating the Tesla by nearly three seconds.

Many have also complained about the Plaid’s airplane-style steering yoke, which makes it difficult for the driver to catch the rear end when it slides out. The yoke may look cool, but other than allowing for a better view of the digital gauge cluster, many enthusiasts don’t like it because it’s impractical for spirited driving. Thankfully, Tesla now offers a regular steering wheel too.

9. Lucid Air

Lucid is a newcomer to the EV scene, but its first offering, the Air sedan, is exceptionally engaging to drive. In fact, it may be the only other sporty sedan available that can provide a similar feeling to the Porsche Taycan—although it’s not quite as extreme as the German car, and it’s geared slightly more toward comfort.

There is an extreme version of the sedan, the Air Sapphire, which has a tri-motor configuration (like the Model S Plaid), with two motors powering the rear axle, one for each wheel. Just like the Tesla, its combined power output exceeds 1,200 horsepower, so it’s similarly quick in a straight line. But show it a corner and the Air feels sporty and eager to turn, while the Model S requires a bit more effort and steering correction to go around the same corner at comparable speeds.

10. Rimac Nevera

If you’re after the very best performance EV, look no further than the Rimac Nevera. Only millionaires need to apply, though—it's one of the most expensive EVs. This Croatian-built electric hypercar has almost 2,000 horsepower, and nothing else on the road (or even the track, for that matter) will be able to keep up.

It sprints to 62 mph in under two seconds, and it needs just 9.3 seconds to reach 186 mph (300 km/h). Few vehicles are quick enough to scare you in a straight line with sheer acceleration, but the Nevera is one of them.

Being a purpose-built vehicle designed to engage the driver and be good around a track, it loves to slide around, but it’s been engineered to feel progressive and neutral thanks to the plethora of electronic aids (without which the vehicle would probably be close to undrivable.)

Sporty EVs Are Surprisingly Plentiful

Combustion engine vehicles showed us that driving could be both functional and fun, but this selection of EVs proves that the sporty car will live on well into the electric age. The two vehicle types have their differences, but EVs are plenty capable of providing thrills for enthusiast drivers.