The world of performance EVs is growing, with many brands offering sportier variations of current models. Even EVs in segments that aren't traditionally considered performance-oriented can hang with the fastest sports cars out there.
A great example is the Rivian R1T, which can embarrass top supercars. However, in the world of EVs, everything moves very fast (literally!), and the future of high-performance EVs promises even more spectacular performance.
1. Lotus Evija
The Lotus Evija is probably the most exciting EV ever and the most formidable performance EV ever conceived. The Evija has almost too many technological wonders to list, but we'll give it a shot anyway. This hyper-performance EV takes a page from the amazing Rivian R1T's engineering playbook by implementing four electric motors.
Each of these electric motors drives an individual wheel, so the Evija, like the Rivian, can accomplish brilliant things through its power delivery. The four-motor architecture is the future of the automobile, and this alone will most likely set it apart from every other hypercar on the market, except for the Rimac Nevera, which also implements a similar four-motor design.
Lotus vehicles have always been known to be track beasts, and the philosophy behind the company's creations has always emphasized lightweight, track-focused vehicles. Of course, the Evija will not be the lightest car ever, especially with a big battery pack and four electric motors, but the hypercar is still a Lotus and should handle amazingly.
The Lotus Evija's main party trick and most significant aesthetic feature are the huge tunnels that let air escape through the rear. The Lotus Evija page says these venturi tunnels can channel a massive 5,680 liters of air every second while the vehicle is traveling at its top speed. If you want crazy numbers, the Evija delivers.
Furthermore, it can accelerate from 0-186 mph in 9.1 seconds, and the Evija is capable of a monstrous 2,000 horsepower, making it the most powerful production car ever when it's released. It's mind-boggling to think how fast the Evija will be, especially when you consider it's almost twice as powerful as a Tesla Model S Plaid.
Lotus says the Evija will be available in 2023, and the price is somewhere upwards of $2 million. Yikes.
2. Lucid Air Sapphire
The insanely fast Lucid Air Sapphire is the most direct answer to the Tesla Model S Plaid you could ever imagine. Both of these super sedans make over 1,000 hp, and they're both rammed full of advanced technology. They also feature drive units that boast not one, not two, but three electric motors. Clearly, Lucid has been doing their research, and the Model S Plaid is most definitely a car they studied very closely.
In the case of the Sapphire variant of the Lucid Air, the car produces over 1,200 HP, making it the most powerful sedan on the road. If you look at the numbers supplied by Lucid's story introducing the Sapphire on their site, you'll see stats directly aimed at dethroning the Model S Plaid.
Zero to 60 mph in less than two seconds. Zero to 100 mph in less than four seconds. The standing quarter mile in less than nine seconds.
These numbers are clearly one-upping whatever benchmark the Model S Plaid set, and you can bet Tesla will have an answer to the Sapphire in due time. It will be very interesting to see the performance figures for the fastest version of the Model S replacement.
If you're in the market for a Lucid Air Sapphire, it's going to be launching in 2023 with a whopping price of $249,000. The price is definitely one place where the Lucid does NOT have the Tesla beat. In fact, it might be a deal breaker for many, considering the performance of the Sapphire doesn't promise to be twice as good as that of the Plaid. Regardless, this car will most likely sell very well.
3. Tesla Roadster
The Tesla Roadster is very similar to the Cybertruck in the amount of hype it created when Tesla initially revealed it. The Roadster promised to be the absolute performance benchmark for electric vehicles, and when it was initially revealed, the performance numbers were almost unbelievable.
Now, performance EVs like the Rimac Nevera and even Tesla's own Model S Plaid have achieved numbers that somewhat dull the shock of the numbers promised by the Roadster. Of course, the Tesla Roadster still promises incredible performance. One look at Tesla's Roadster reveals breathtaking numbers, especially the 8.8 second quarter mile time.
The top speed is supposedly more than 250 mph, which would put the Roadster in some very exclusive company. Its 620 miles range would also solidify the Roadster as the standard-bearer in terms of electric vehicle range. The current crop of electric vehicles cannot compete with the range Tesla is promising on its Roadster.
Tesla also promises 10,000 Nm of earth-shattering torque at the wheels, guaranteed to scare your passengers at will. The introduction of the Roadster was quite some time ago, yet the Roadster promo page still lists the option to reserve one for a whopping $50,000.
If you don't mind putting down the deposit and then potentially being massively disappointed that the Roadster never launches, then this is the perfect car for you. But, all jokes aside, the Roadster promises to be an revolutionary ride once it does hit the road.
4. Chevy Silverado RST EV
A pickup truck wouldn't normally be on a list of performance vehicles, but in this crazy EV-ruled world, performance pickup trucks are completely normal. For example, the Rivian R1T is faster than most supercars, and the F-150 Lightning is also extremely quick.
But now, Chevrolet wants a piece of the performance EV pickup truck game, and they're coming in hot with the Silverado EV RST. This enormous pickup truck will produce up to 754 HP and 785 lb-ft of torque.
These numbers give a not-so-subtle hint at the amount of performance the Silverado EV will be capable of when it hits showroom floors in 2023. Just in case you're wondering, the 0-60 mph time is less than 4.5 seconds, according to Chevy.
If you really need to get to The Home Depot as fast as possible and carry tons of stuff back home, the Silverado EV is one of the best choices. The range isn't too shabby either, at 400 miles.
Performance Electric Vehicles Are Here To Stay
There was a time when EVs were considered slow and boring. Now, the performance car world is on notice thanks to the onslaught of performance EVs hitting the market.
Some of the best performance vehicles for sale today are electric, and most of these vehicles represent great value when compared to supremely expensive gasoline-powered supercars.
The great part is that these electric performance vehicles are just the tip of the iceberg, and the future holds even more exciting products.