In May of 2017 the all-electric NIO EP9 hyper car set the record time of 6:45.9 for the infamous Nurburgring in Germany. It beat all production cars around the track which includes both gas and electric models. This cemented the electric car's credentials as a genuine sports machine.
A sporty EV, huh? What is that all about? How would a sports conscious driver go about experiencing this instant torque that everyone is talking? For this I strongly recommend test driving.
The NIO EP9 is great and all but, unfortunately there are only 6 of them in the world. Since EP9s fete, NIO has said it would produce 10 more. That is better but, not by much. Your chances of driving an EP9 went from slightly better than a snow balls chance in hell to the merest ghost of a chance.
Luckily there are options closer to home that could be test driven today. However, not all electric cars are the same. Some were built to be driven and some were not. Here is a list of EVs ranked in order of sportiness. They are compared on the qualities of power, torque, 0-30 time and 0-60 times. The cars listed are the ones available to purchase or test drive in the 2017 model year. Discontinued cars like the Chevy Spark, 1st generation Chevy Volt, or Mitsubishi iMiev won’t be covered. Unless they are imminent, future models, like the Porsche Mission-E which won’t be out until 2020, won't be covered. Future cars is the subject of a whole other blog and it's difficult to get settled data.
If you want to know what driving electric is really all about then drive these cars. Start at the top of this list and if for some reason you cannot drive that particular car work your way to the bottom.
Tesla: Model S P100D Ludicrous Mode
Power: 691 hp Torque: 792 lb-ft 0-30: 0.9 sec 0-60: 2.2 sec
If it’s a Tesla and it has P100DL go test drive it. The P represents the high power inverter that sends more power from the battery to the motors, 100 represents the 100 KWh battery pack underneath the floor meaning more time to drive fast, D represents dual motors one for each axle to place more power on the road, and ludicrous mode is the icing on the cake, a software cheat that lets the battery overheat slightly to allow more power. With all four elements combined (I can't believe I said that) the car pins you to the seat with a mighty force that's almost mythological. These cars are worth the hype and everyone should experience them at some point in their lives.
Tesla: any of them really
Whether it's the Model S, 3, X, Y test drive any of them(and, yes, even the Semi when it comes out). Tesla represents everything that an electric car could be. Tesla was the first car company to bring the true potential of the electric motor to the world stage. Effectively scrubbing off the crunchy granola that electrification was imbued with. Tesla showed the world what a real electric car can do.
Forward thinking 21st century design that’s more Silicon Valley than Detroit is a new design language for luxury cars. Tesla makes cars that are wide, spacious and airy. The drive is smooth, silky, and powerful. The acceleration seamlessly rockets you to top speed without any effort. These are great cars all around. If they were gas powered, they would still be worth every penny.
Chevy Bolt Power: 200 hp Torque: 266 0-30: 2.9 0-60: 6.5
and
BMW i3 Power: 170 hp Torque: 185 0-30: 2.9 0-60: 7.0
I’m listing these cars together because they have so much in common as far as driving feel. That and I’m not sure I can say which one is really better as far as test driving is concerned. They are both so good that everyone should give them a test drive and they are easily the sportiest EVs that aren’t Tesla… Rimac, or Nio and definitely come with striking distance of many muscle cars. They both have one advantage as they are both hot hatches that have a very similar compact footprint that provides a nimble agility some companies have yet to master. The Bolt will get you to 60 in 6.5 seconds (same as the Camaro) only a half a second faster than the i3 but, the i3 will rip off the line faster.
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| The i3 can drift |
Aside for Tesla, i3 is the only car on this list that’s rear wheel drive. The Bolt feels just a hair too fast to be front wheel drive especially with its low rolling resistance tires. This may or may not be a bad thing if you follow a certain television presenter’s philosophy on cars. The i3, on the other hand, has no issues putting that power to the road with a 170 hp 184 lb-ft electric motor that sits under the rear seats in the back. This isn’t the most powerful car on this list but, it is by far the lightest with its 2799 lbs. all carbon fiber body. The i3 is even lighter than the minuscule Fiat 500e.
What the Bolt has on the i3 is range. What does that really mean to the sports conscious driver? It means you can drive it as hard as you want on and off the freeway with reckless abandon. At surprisingly aggressive city speeds the Bolt will travel 238 miles, according to the EPA. The engineers claim that at the electronically limited top speed of 91 mph the Bolt will travel 170 miles. Also more energy means more power for its 200 hp electric motor that puts out 266 lb-ft of torque. This was the most powerful EV under $40,000 until the Tesla Model 3 showed up. The i3 starts at $41K. Both of these cars should be on your must drive list.
Chevy Volt: 2nd generation
Power: 149 hp Torque: 294 lb-ft 0-30: 2.6 sec 0-60: 8.4 sec
The only plug in hybrid on this list for good reason. The Volt is often referred to as an Extended Range EV or EREV. It’ll go 50 miles all electric without the engine ever turning over at all. That is when you mash the peddle to the floor it will accelerate from 0 to 60 in 8.4 seconds using just battery power. Most PHEVs will turn on the engine when more power is demanded from the wheels regardless of how much is in battery. This is known as "blended" PHEV and is really a much bigger group of cars that I didn't want to cover in this list because some of them will blow many cars
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| This is a plug-in hybrid |
One thing I have to give to GM they didn’t make their electric cars boring like some car makers I won’t mention.
Fiat: 500e Power: 111 hp Torque: 147 lb-ft 0-30: 2.8 sec 0-60: 8.7 sec
This is a compliance car that feels like it should have always been electric. All the zippy fun of its gas powered cousin plus the instant torque of the electric motor. It gets from 0-60 in 8.7 seconds but, the 0-30 is where it’s at with a run time of 2.8 seconds.
VW eGolf was intended to be an electric car from the beginning. The eGolf shares a platform with three other Golfs but, this was not a conversion. The VW MQB platform was specifically planned out to allow for an electric variant. It shares many of the same driving characteristics as its gas powered brothers. This car has got all kinds driving options. Three different regen settings, four if you include no regen. 0-30 is done in 3.0 seconds and 0 – 60 is achieved in 8.9 seconds.
Hyundai: Ioniq Power: 118 hp Torque: 215 lb-ft 0-30: 3.0 sec 0-60: 10.1 sec
All new Hyundai Ioniq is the latest EV to come along. Providing a ride and comfort that is more mid sized sedan than sub compact like most electric cars these days. It's the closest thing to a “regular car” than any on this list. However, this would explain why in spite of its more powerful motor it’s not the sportiest car on this list.
Kia: Soul EV Power 109hp Torque: 210 lb-ft 0-60: 9.7 sec
This one is kind of a sleeper hit. The ICE Kia Soul had quirky charm to it however, when Kia made the Soul EV it seemed to many that the Soul was always supposed to be electric. It’s big on the inside and small on the outside. Inside it feels like a larger car but, still drives with the nimble agility of a small car. Heated steering wheel as well as heated and cooling seats shows that the designers really put thought into the EV driving experience.
Nissan: Leaf Power: 107hp Torque: 187 0-30: 3.4 sec 0-60: 10.2 sec
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| the most we've seen of 2018 |
The original, the elder statesmen, the seasoned veteran of the industry or as I like to call it Ye Olde Standard. The Leaf was the first truly affordable electric car and has been out for a while. The older models didn’t have it in the zoom factor but, they made up for it economy. In spite of this, it’s not to shabby on the 0-30 run with run time of 3.4 sec. The 2018 Leaf is right around the corner which is supposed to have longer range and higher performance which may be worth the wait.
The Ford Focus electric has a fan base. This compliance car only got 80 miles of range and didn’t even have DC Fast Charging on its first outing. However, 95% of Ford Focus electric owner say they will buy a new one which is a number the car industry can’t ignore. The 2017 model gets away from doing the bare minimum the Focus needed to comply as an EV. It gets 124 miles of range and DC Fast Charging. It is astounding that with a 143 hp 185 lb-ft motor the focus can’t accelerate to 60 faster than 10.1 sec. Maybe it's true what they say, it's all about the torque.
NIO: EP9 Power: 1380hp Torque: All of them 0-60: 2.5 sec
and
Rimac: Concept One Power: 1225 hp Torque: Enough 0-60: 2.5 sec
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| Rimac Concept One |
EP9 and Concept 1 hyper cars host similar specifications. With four motors, one for each
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| NIO EP9 |
Torque vectoring in an electric car is something else entirely. With one motor controlling each wheel, the car continuously senses and adjusts sending the right amount of power to each wheel, the car can even produce negative torque on the inside wheel (no ICE can do this) when turning keeping the car firmly planted in the turns allowing it to take corners at full speed. Coupling that with instant torque of the electric motors such a car can easily go around and out of corners with ease. This is a driving experience that is unlike anything that pure ICE sports car can produce.
If you are lucky enough to drive either of these cars DO IT!
Then come and tell us how it was.
Do you agree with this list? Were there any cars that were left off? Please let me know.
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