When you think of speed, electric cars may not be the first thing that comes to mind, but that is about to change. Modern advances in an increasingly competitive market have made the days of puttering about at a snail’s pace a thing of the past. Many electric cars have had the environmental and economical advantages for some time; but some recent additions to the available lineups are pushing the boundaries of speed and horsepower as well. These days, all-electric cars are not only the clean and responsible choice, they can also be the fun choice.
Among traditional gas cars, a few worthy beasts have ruled the road for some time. We all know the big names of speed, Bugatti, Koenigsegg, McLaren, and many more; and ranked right among them is the Chevrolet Corvette. The Corvette ZR1, for example, is among the top ten fastest cars in the world, topping out around 212 MPH. What you probably did not know is that the Genovation GXE, an all-electric sports car modeled after the Corvette, has topped out at 211.8 MPH. That’s right, the all-electric version of the Corvette just broke its own record set in September of the same year. The coup set this new record at NASA-Kennedy Space Center in December 2019, breaking its old record of 210 MPH for fastest street legal electric car.
Its traditional predecessor, the C7 Corvette Grand Sport, packed a 6.2-liter V-8 engine. The Genovation GXE utilizes five battery packs instead. The C7 boasted about 460 horsepower, while the Genovation GXE quietly wields more than 800 HP. Even the Corvette ZR1, the gas car mentioned earlier that topped out at 212 MPH, is only packing about 755 HP. This state-of-the-art piece of machinery is leaving traditional gas-powered cars in its dust everywhere it goes. While the Genovation GXE is street legal, it’s not the most economical option for EV enthusiasts; pricing at about $750,000. It’s fun to watch it whisper past gas cars like they’re standing still, but what about those of us that actually want to buy an electric vehicle with a little speed?
There are a few options that are reasonably priced, but still get up and move. One example is the Chevrolet Bolt. While its top speed is only about 91 MPH, it has surprisingly decent acceleration for its price range, going from 0 to 60 in only 6.5 seconds. That isn’t bad at all, when you consider the fact that it costs about $36,600 and it goes roughly 238 miles per charge. A faster, but somewhat less affordable option, would be the Audi e-tron. This example of German ingenuity can race along around 120 MPH, and costs roughly $75,000. There are plenty of options between these examples, so don’t worry, even a very modest budget has more than a few options when it comes to going electric without sacrificing speed.
The current leader in the space, Tesla, receives the best of both worlds. At $56,990, the Performance Tesla Model 3 gets a top speed of 145 MPH with a 0-60 of 3.2 seconds while maintaining 322 miles of range. Tesla’s flagship vehicle, the Model S, hits an impressive top speed of 163 MPH with a 0-60 of 2.4 seconds. This actually places it as one of the fastest accelerating production cars beating out most million dollar hypercars. It’s only the beginning as Tesla has a Plaid variant of their Model S focused on track performance expected to enter production this year.
On the German side, Porsche has blown sway all expectations with their new Taycan. With a 0-60 of 2.6 seconds, Porsche’s first electric car is their fastest accelerating car. As is with most Porsche’s, this vehicle was built with nothing but track performance in mind. Today you can purchase an electric car that will blow away most production cars on the track. Just be prepared to give up some features in order to drive a street legal race car.
With modern advances in science and engineering, electric cars are only going to get faster and more affordable. Whether you’re in the market for a record-setting beast like the Genovation GXE, or looking for something more affordable, but still hoping to get a little hustle out of your electric car, there are plenty of options. Either way, the days of whispering along while the gas-guzzlers pass you by are long gone.
Tesla’s next electric sports car is set to break just about every record at a relatively affordable price. With a starting price of $250,000, the next-gen Tesla Roadster will hit a record breaking 0-60 of 1.9 seconds and pass every car on the track with a top speed over 250 MPH. While maintaining a 620 mile range surpassing most gasoline vehicles on the road today, the future looks bright.
