Electric Car Performance Ranked

Tesla Model S

Electric car performance rankings can be a subjective topic. When we think of electric car performance, one would need quickness, high top speed, and the ability to have good traction in various road conditions. To rank the electric car’s performance, we took more of a data-driven approach to ranking vehicles based on the described attributes. Below we will explain the data we used and how we calculated it. We generated two rankings; a top ten list with our results and a more comprehensive ranking, including all-electric vehicle models and trim (trim can also be known as the term series).

Electric Car Performance Methodologies

The methodology used to rank electric car performance involved evaluating Top speed, acceleration, horsepower, body type, and drive type. We evaluate each model against the four criteria weighing heavily towards acceleration and top speed. A lesser weight is given to the horsepower, body type, and drive. We develop a score for each electric vehicle model evaluating all the described dimensions to determine which electric vehicles are the fastest.

Electric Car Performance Definitions

Top Speed: The maximum speed at which a specific electric car model can travel.
Acceleration (0 to 60 mph): How quickly a specific electric vehicle can go from standing still to 60 miles per hour measured in seconds.
Horsepower: The measurement of how much power a specific electric vehicle can exert.
Drive Type: What kind of drivetrain does a specific electric vehicle possess? There are Three types of Drivetrains:

  • All-wheel drive: The power from an electric vehicle motor is distributed to the front and rear tires. All-wheel drive generally helps with handling in various weather conditions (rain and snow).
  • Rear-wheel drive: The power from an electric vehicle motor is distributed to the rear tires. Rear-wheel drive vehicles help with handling but can suffer when driving in rain and snow.
  • Front-wheel drive: EV motor powers the front wheels of a specific electric vehicle. Front-wheel drive trains are least desirable when it comes to handling.

Body Type: For our ranking calculations, Body type is used broadly to represent center-of-gravity vehicles. Trucks and SUVs, for example, typically tend to have a higher center of gravity that limits the EVs’ ability to take sharper turns at high speeds. In contrast, sedans and hatchbacks have a lower center of gravity, allowing these EVs to handle turns and higher speeds better.

Top Ten Electric Car Performance Ranking

The following rankings are based on the best trim of each electric vehicle model. For example, the Tesla Model S comes in a base and Plaid trims. Our top ten ranks would only show the Plaid and omit the base trim from this rank set.

Mercedes Benz EQS
Image courtesy of Mercedes Benz

10. 2023 Mercedes Benz EQS AMG

Top Speed: 130 miles per hour
Acceleration (0 to 60 mph): 3.5 seconds
Horsepower: 649
Drive Type: All-wheel drive
Body Type: Sedan

2023 Rivian R1S
Image courtesy of Rivian

9. 2023 Rivian R1S Quad Motor AWD Large Pack

Top Speed: 125 miles per hour
Acceleration (0 to 60 mph): 3.0 seconds
Horsepower: 800
Drive Type: All-wheel drive
Body Type: SUV

2023 Tesla Model Y
Image courtesy of Tesla Motors

8. 2023 Tesla Model Y Performance

Top Speed: 155 miles per hour
Acceleration (0 to 60 mph): 3.5 seconds
Horsepower: 456
Drive Type: All-wheel drive
Body Type: SUV

Kia EV6
Image courtesy of Kia EV6

7. 2023 Kia EV6 GT

Top Speed: 161 miles per hour
Acceleration (0 to 60 mph): 3.4 seconds
Horsepower: 576
Drive Type: All-wheel drive
Body Type: SUV

Tesla Model 3
Image courtesy of Tesla Motors

6. 2023 Tesla Model 3 Performance

Top Speed: 162 miles per hour
Acceleration (0 to 60 mph): 3.1 seconds
Horsepower: 450
Drive Type: All-wheel drive
Body Type: Sedan

Audi RS e-Tron GT
Image courtesy of Audi

5. 2023 Audi RS e-Tron GT

Top Speed: 155 miles per hour
Acceleration (0 to 60 mph): 3.1 seconds
Horsepower: 637
Drive Type: All-wheel drive
Body Type: Sedan

Porsche Taycan
Image courtesy of Porsche

4. 2023 Porsche Taycan Turbo S

Top Speed: 161 miles per hour
Acceleration (0 to 60 mph): 2.6 seconds
Horsepower: 750
Drive Type: All-wheel drive
Body Type: Sedan

2023 Tesla Model X
Image courtesy of Tesla Motors

3. 2023 Tesla Model X Plaid

Top Speed: 163 miles per hour
Acceleration (0 to 60 mph): 2.5 seconds
Horsepower: 1.020
Drive Type: All-wheel drive
Body Type: Sedan

Lucid Air
Image courtesy of Lucid Motors

2. 2023 Lucid Air Grand Turing Performance

Top Speed: 168 miles per hour
Acceleration (0 to 60 mph): 2.6 seconds
Horsepower: 1,050
Drive Type: All-wheel drive
Body Type: Sedan

2023 Tesla Model S
Image courtesy of Tesla Motors

1. 2023 Tesla Model S Plaid

Top Speed: 200 miles per hour
Acceleration (0 to 60 mph): 1.99 seconds
Horsepower: 1,020
Drive Type: All-wheel drive
Body Type: Sedan

If you’d like to learn more about EVs and which one may be best suited for you, check out our EV search tool to find recommendations for EVs that fit your needs. We provide tailored search results with all the data you need to determine how much it will cost to own an EV in your state.

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