There was a time when if you wanted a fast electric car, you'd have to look to the world of radio-controlled RC cars. But today full-sized electric vehicles (EVs) have some real speed machines in their ranks. Here we round-up some of the EVs that can out drag a supercar from 0-60mph, set record breaking quarter-mile times and lap the nurburgring like a GT3 racer, all the while making zero emissions.
Electric cars really seem to be making in-roads into the dominance of petrol and diesel models, with more production models than ever available in dealers. But another clear sign of this growth is the number of people attempting to break speed records with them, while the recent influx of mainstream manufacturers entering the Formula E electric single-seater championship at the expense of other racing programs just goes to show how serious some makers are at furthering the development of EVs.
It's about time that electric cars got the same kind of development as their internal combustion-powered counterparts. Back at the start of the 20th Century, electric cars were on an equal footing with petrol as the motive power for cars. Indeed, an electric car held the Land Speed Record for a brief period in the 1890s before some bright sparks started fitting aero engines in car frames to put the LSR well out of the grasp of any EVs.
Now that car makers are realising that electricity is going to be the only way to meet ever-stricter emissions laws, the pursuit of records and involvement in motorsport will only accelerate developments. Breakthroughs in these areas will filter to production cars eventually, so one day EVs will deliver the same kind of performance and battery range that buyers are accustomed to from conventional power sources.
At the moment, there are a diverse variety of cars vying for assorted electric car speed records. Here we feature 10 cars that defy preconceptions that EVs are dull...
The world's fastest electric cars
1. La Jamais Contente
Top speed: 66mph
0-62mph: N/A
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Image 2 of 11
A list of fast electric cars wouldn't be complete without the great-grandfather of them all - La Jamais Contente (Translation: The Never Satisfied). This was the electric car from Belgium (of all places!) that set the World Land Speed Record in 1899 at a nosebleed-inducing 66mph. It was the first car, with driver Camille Jenatzy at the wheel, to break an existing record, which incidentally was set by another electric car a month earlier.
The torpedo-shaped body was quite advanced for the time, as it was made of a mix of aluminium and magnesium. But the separate chassis it was bolted to and an upright driving position negated any positive aerodynamic effect it could've had.
The Belgians held the LSR for three years before it their best mark was bettered by a real automotive cul-de-sac, a steam-powered car that did 75mph. Later in 1902 a petrol-powered car went 1mph faster, then another steam car blitzed the record by hitting 128mph, but after that petrol power took control.
Tesla Model S P100D Ludicrous Mode
Top speed: 155mph
0-62mph: 2.5 seconds
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Image 3 of 11
The Tesla Model S is the halo car for the electric revolution. It's desirable, spacious, and it has the kind of driving range that rival EVs can only dream of matching. And while the basic models offer excellent cruising comfort and cutting-edge autonomous tech, the flagship P100D with Ludicrous Mode is one of the fastest accelerating production cars on sale.
Set it to Ludicrous mode, and the Tesla's full 762bhp is on tap, while the four-wheel drive and instant torque of the electric motors mean this four-door, five seat executive saloon can show a clean pair of heels to the fastest supercars.
You will pay a price for this performance, with a dramatic drop from the claimed 320-mile battery range, while the £100k-plus price tag is a big one to pay for low everyday running costs.
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Aston Martin RapidE
Top speed: 155mph
0-62mph: 3.0 seconds (est)
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Image 4 of 11
British prestige marque Aston Martin is going fully electric with its four-door grand tourer. The RapidE ditches the traditional big-capacity V12 in favour of an electric motor/battery set-up co-developed with the technology division of the Williams Formula One team.
This means it'll have Tesla-rivalling performance figures, and bosses have said it'll deliver a unique driving experience unlike any V8 or V12-powered Aston. However, the RapidE will be just as luxurious as its ancestors inside, thanks to the hand-finished interior and bespoke materials used.
The plan is to build just 155 RapidEs at almost a quarter of a million pounds each. The first cars will hit the road in 2019.
Rimac Concept One
Top speed: 221mph
0-62mph: 2.5 seconds
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Image 5 of 11
The Rimac Concept One should be familiar, as it's the car that TV's Richard Hammond used to give up one of his nine lives when he crashed one in Switzerland. The Concept One is currently the world's most powerful EV on sale, and it comes from Croatia, of all places.
It was developed from a blank sheet of paper, and the company took out 24 exclusive patents while creating it. Power comes in at 1,224bhp, torque is rated at 1,600Nm, and there's an electric motor driving each wheel. Rimac claims a range of 210 miles from the battery, although it's the car's acceleration that steals headlines, with numerous videos of the Concept One beating assorted hypercars in drag races online. The big drawback is that the Concept One comes with a price tag that makes a Tesla seem cheap (if you have to ask, you can't afford it), although that hasn't stopped Rimac selling them to buyers across the globe.
Nio EP9
Top speed: 194mph
0-62mph: 2.7 seconds
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Image 6 of 11
Here's an EV that looks more like a full-size R/C car than your average electric car. The EP9 is a showcase for Chinese electric car start-up Nio, and it's similar in concept to Rimac's car. It has a similar in-wheel motor arrangement as the Rimac, and it makes 1,341bhp in total. Nio also claims a longer range, at 265 miles, although it has the added facility of swapping the batteries for fully charged replacements (another nod to the world of R/C cars) in just eight minutes.
Under the skin, the carbon fibre chassis is built to Le Mans specification, while an active suspension system keeps things level. This combination of tech meant the EP9 lapped the Nurburgring Nordschliefe in 6:45s to make it one of the fastest production cars of any type, rubbing shoulders with the likes of the Lamborghini Huracan Performante and Porsche 918 Spyder.
And yes, it is a production car, as six have been sold, while another 10 will be built, albeit for £1million each.
Vanda Dendrobium
Top speed: 200mph
0-62mph: 2.7 seconds
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Image 7 of 11
If you thought Croatia was a stange country for an electric supercar to come from, how about Singapore? With its tight city streets, there won't be much space to test a supercar's performance, but with sky-high vehicle running costs a fact of life there, a million dollar supercar will still have its buyers.
The Dendrobium (named after a rare orchid) is the product of tech firm Vanda Electrics, and like Aston Martin's RapidE, F1 team Williams has a hand in its motive power. It's reported to have the benchmark 1,000bhp power output, and it certainly looks like it'll hit 200mph, too.
Production is still being considered at this point in time, but again, we can expect a seven-figure price tag for one.
Toroidion 1MW
Top speed: N/A
0-249mph (400km/h): 11 seconds (est)
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Image 8 of 11
The Dendrobium does at least move under its own power, with the Toroidion 1MW, there's debate as to whether that is the case. From that other renowned supercar country, Finland, the 1MW is another electric supercar start-up that promises huge power and performance from an electric drivetrain - they've even hired ex-F1 star Mika Salo as a consultant.
However, apart from a couple of appearances in London and Monaco a few years back, the Toroidion hasn't gone much further. That's a shame, because it's arguably one of the best looking electric sports cars we've seen.
Spark-Renault SRT_01E (Formula E)
Top speed: 140mph
0-62mph: 3.0 seconds (est)
It's the car you know as the single-seat Formula E racer, and it's going to be even more relevant to motorsport over the coming years. While the Formula E series started small, manufacturers such as DS and Jaguar have already joined, while Audi, Mercedes and Porsche, are dropping their conventional motorsport programmes in favour of works teams in the all-electric series.
The Spark-Renault chassis was created by Italian single-seater expert Dallara, while the original electric motor was the same as the one found in the McLaren P1 hypercar, although rule changes mean that teams can now develop their own motor systems. Batteries came from Williams, British firm Hewland provided the gearboxes and Michelin supplied the treaded tyres on 18-inch wheels.
The car's 900kg weight means it can sprint from 0-60mph in around three seconds, while the short, tight street circuits the cars race on are designed to deliver close, entertaining racing. With the arrival of major manufacturers to the series, it can only be a matter of time before we see longer, faster races and close on-track action.
Genovation GXE
Top speed: 209mph
0-62mph: 3.0 seconds (est)
Want to know what the world's fastest EV is? You're looking at it. But it looks like a C6-generation Corvette?, we hear you say. That's because Genovation has based its EV on the legendary US sports car.
While the GXE's bodywork is likely to raise a few eyebrows at General Motors, the chassis and running gear are all Genovation's own. There's aluminium construction to counter the weight of the batteries, and while they only give a range of around 120 miles, there is genuine 200mph ability from the car.
Production models will be based on the current C7 Corvette Stingray, but with a $750,000 (£575,000) price tag, it's either a really expensive 'Vette, or a bargain compared to the seven-figure models in our top 10.
Buckeye Bullet 3
Top speed: 340mph
0-62mph: N/A
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Image 11 of 11
Going for fast 0-60mph times is quaint, when you compare to the top speed achieved by the Buckeye Bullet, the world's fastest electric vehicle. This streamlined racer was created by Ohio State University with help from French firm Venturi, and took to the Bonneville Salt Flats in September 2016 to set a new electric Land Speed Record of 342.144mph. To put that into context, the first internal combustion-engined car to break 340mph did it back in 1938...
The Bullet is a one-off machine with the front and rear axles powered by two electric motors each, and with the cockpit set below the two axles. It has a two-speed transmission, with first gear suitable for speeds up to 275mph.
While 342mph is the current record, further attempts will eventually see the Bullet break 400mph. In addition, the team behind the Bullet is also developing a hydrogen-powered streamliner.
How fast can production electric cars get? Let us know your thoughts in the comments...
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