Top 10 Best electric sports cars 2023

Some of the fastest cars on the planet are now powered by electricity. These are the best ones right now, along with the most anticipated

They're no escaping the march toward electrification, and if any sector highlights the permanent change to all things battery powered then its the sportscar class. Traditionally the preserve of petrol-soaked, adrenaline-pumping machines, this rarified corner of the market has seen ever-increasing numbers of contendors that favour lithium ion over super unleaded.

Not only is this new source of power delivering the sort of power and performance than internally combusted alternatives could only dream about, it's broadening the definition of a what a high performance car can be. That's why our list runs the gamut from traditional low-slung sportsters, through to curvaceous coupes, continent crushing GTs and even (whisper it) the odd SUV. There are cars from established players of a driver's car art, as well as those from makers more normally associated with more humble offerings - if nothing else the EV revolution has helped level the playing field. Yet while these machines look disparate on paper and in the metal, they all share a similar goal of keeping the driver amused.

This is also one of the most fast-pace sectors, with new additions arriving all the time, which means some of the cars you see here you can drive out of a showroom today, while others are little more than a line in a order book. There are even one or two that are a little further away than that - near production-ready examples exist, but supply chain problems or protracted development means we'll have to wait a little longer before we can spend that cash that's fast burning a hole in our wallet. Nevertheless, for now these are our favourite all-electric driver's cars.

Top 10 Best Electric Sports cars

*1. Porsche Taycan*

Porsche has hit the electric car market with exactly the sort of impact you'd hope that an industry powerhouse of its stature might make, even if it wasn't the sort of car you'd expect it make that statement with.

Instead of being a true sportscar in the traditional sense, the Taycan is a four-door fast grand tourer that's slightly smaller than the company's existing Panamera model, but is certainly not the lesser car of the two. The Taycan possesses fine body control, rare balance, superbly calibrated operating controls and palpable steering precision. That the car rides extremely well on its air suspension only adds to its appeal and was a key factor in our decision to award the Taycan the full five stars after an exhaustive road test.

In fact, where it possible to drive blindfolded and with noise cancelling headphones on, then you'd still know instantly that the Taycan was a Porsche. From the steering weight and feel, through to the unnering agility and expensively calibrated damping, the Taycan marks itself out as a true son of Zuffenhausen.

There are now several models in the range, although the best elements of the package are evident even in the 532bhp 4S, which despite its entry-level status is still supercar-grade accelerative. The top-ranking Turbo S musters 751bhp, costs almost £140,000 and is surely one of the quickest real-world cars on the planet, especially when you factor in its 2.6 second 0-60mph time. There are also Sport Turismo and Cross Turismo versions, which add estate and off-road flavours respectively to the Taycan recipe.

However, our money (quite a large chunk of it in fairness) would go on the 590bhp GTS, which combines more than enough poke with suspension settings designed to delight keen drivers. It'll also travel the best part of 300 miles on a charge, which means more time driving.

*Save money with new Taycan deals from What Car?*

*2. Audi RS E-tron GT*

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The first electric car to wear Audi's RS initials is, deep down, the Porsche Taycan in a different suit. It uses the same powerful electric motors - one per axle and the same three-chamber air suspension and, of course, the underlying architecture is shared. As such, the battery pack is also carried over, meaning a WLTP range of up to 285 miles with the potential for 350kW ultra-rapid charging.

What this all means is that, firstly, the RS E-tron is enormously quick. In fact, the flagship version develops 612lb ft and 637bhp and will accelerate to 62mph in comfortably less than 3.5sec.

Better still, the RS E-tron handles well, albeit not with quite the same level of panache and engagement as its Porsche cousin, particularly in terms of steering. Yet it's not far off, and the trade-off is a more relaxed gait than the Taycan when you're mooching, which considering the refinement benefits of an EV makes the Audi an equally appealing proposition.

*3. Lotus Evija*

All the recent Lotus headlines have been about the Emira, the British brands pretty much all-new Porsche Cayman-chasing sports car. Yet this machine is also being heralded as the firm's last to feature an internal combustion engine, with future models favouring ultra-rapid charging over unleaded. The first hint of what we can expect has already been given by the Evija, an all-electric hypercar that's been knocking around for a couple of years, but customers will have to wait until early 2023 before deliveries of the limited run of 130 cars begins.

The bald statistics are somewhat mind-numbing. Lotus itself was recently surprised to find that the car's four motors together deliver 2011bhp, rather than the 1973bhp previously quoted. That will act against 1680kg, which is relatively light in EV terms, and so performance will feel like freefall, we imagine. Actual performance figures are thin on the ground, but Lotus expects a sub two seconds time for the 0-62mph sprint and a top speed the naughty side of 200mph. Oh, and there's also talk of an attempt on the Nurburgring EV lap record, which given the Evija's low(ish) weight and incredible power should be a foregone conclusion.

That said, Lotus is tuning the car for handling and dynamism more than raw statistics, and so the power delivery is said to crescendo, rather like any naturally aspirated engine would. Just how much the Evija bottles traditional Lotus traits remains to be seen, but if any of the upcoming electric hypercars can truly appeal as a driver's car, Hethel's effort is probably our best bet.

*4. Pininfarina Battista*

Much like the relationship between the Porsche Taycan and the Audi RS E-tron GT, the Pininfarina Battista shares much hardware (and software) with the Rimac Nevera, but for the purposes of differentiatio it's being presented as the more outwardly luxurious, more GT-oriented machine of the pair.

Even so, this is no soft-centred cruiser, as the raw statistics reveal. With 1900bhp and 1696lb ft on offer from its four motors it's perhaps no surprise to find it claims 0-186mph in less than 12sec and 217mph all out - although even these numbers pale into insignifance alongside the £2 million asking price. Yet there's more to it than stats, because the Pininfarina handles with surprising delicacy and poise too, feeling every bit as thrilling through the corners and it does down the straights. It even managed encourage our inscrutable Editor at Large, Matt Prior, to laugh out loud when he sampled it on track, which says a lot about the Battista's considerable abilities.

In the metal (and carbon fibre, obvs) the Battista is beautifully wrought, both inside and out, and largely Italianate, despite the fact that the company is now based in Munich and the parent company - Mahindra Group - is Indian. The engineers and trimmers themselves, however, include alumni from Pagani and the Mercedes-AMG Project One hypercar, meaning there's no lack of talent on display here.

*5. Rimac Nevera*

Few car makers have made such a big impression in such a short space of time as Rimac. In little more than a decade the Croatian brand has grown from the garage of Mate Rimac into a company that's now partly owned by Porsche and is a 55% stakeholder in newly formed Bugatti Rimac. That's quite the meteoric rise.

The crowning achievement of the young Rimac empire is the Nevera, which is the follow-up to its Concepts One and C-Two show cars - the former having arguably kick-started the electric hypercar trend with its 1073bhp output and £670,000 asking price when it debuted in 2017. Just 150 examples of the Nevera will be made, almost all of which are apparently spoken for. It's appeal has only been enhanced by many by its recent record-breaking EV top speed run, when it topped 256mph.

The hardware is compelling, if somewhat eye-watering. The car is built around a composite tub, and there's an electric motor for each wheel, with independent single-speed gearboxes at the front and two two-speed dual-clutch 'boxes for the back axle. The aim is to ensure the Nevera can make the most of its 1888bhp and, more important, its mountainous 1696lb ft.

With double-wishbone suspension, torque vectoring, and the potential for level four autonomous driving, the car has the works - and an eye-watering £1.8million pricetag to match. It finishes just below the closely related Battista mainly because we've spent more time in the Italian version.

*6. Maserati Gran Turismo Folgore*

Over the decades there have been many false dawns for Maserati, but somehow the iconic Italian brand has failed to move out of the shadows of its early Fifties heyday when its cars were winning F1 world championships on the track and the hearts of enthusiasts on the road. Yet while this recent attempt to reset and go again could ultimately flatter to deceive once more, there are reasons to be hopeful that this time the Modenese maker is finally on the path to success. 

First up there was the lauch last year of the sensational MC20 supercar, then it pulled the covers off a new mid-sized SUV (crucial for sales success) and now there's the all-new Gran Turismo, a car that's designed to do exactly what it says on the tin. More importantly, it's the first Maserati to get the all-electric treatment. Known as the Folgore (that's thunderbolt in English), its based on all-new, largely aluminium platform that's designed to work as both an ICE and BEV. I

On paper it's got the raw statistics, with a tri-motor set-up (two at the back for torque vectoring and one at the front) it delivers 751bhp for 0-62mph in 2.7 seconds and a 199mph top speed. What's more, it's battery (83kWh for a claimed range of 280 miles) has been designed in an elongated captial 'H' layout, with the centre section slotting down the spin of the car. Not only does this deliver a lower seating position, it centres the masses and helps to give the car greated agilty. We've only driven the car on track so far, but the results are extremely promising. The incredible acceleration you expect, but it's the car's ability to to turn in sharply, rotate quickly aroun the apex and exit with a delicious rear-biased attitude means it's good to drive. 

We'll have to wait until we sample a fully production-ready example on the road, but all the signs are positive.

*7. BMW i4*

BMW is no stranger to electrified sports cars, its ill-fated i8 plug-in hybrid combining daring supercar looks with a powerful hi-tech powertrain and a genuinely entertaining driving experience. However, the i4 is the firm's first stab at a proper high performance all-electric machine - and it's not a bad effort.

Unlike the i3 and iX, the i4 isn't built on a bespoke EV platform, but instead uses a version of the firm's CLAR architecture (in essence, this is an electrified 4 Series Gran Coupe). There's an entry-level rear-drive eDrive40 model that's brisk enough, but for true bar room bragging rights you need the M50, which features a twin-motor set-up that packs a hefty 536bhp punch for a M4-baiting 0-62mph time of 3.9 seconds.

Despite a kerbweight that's 300kg the wrong side of two tonnes, the BMW handles with surprising agility and control, its powerful motors and clever software allowing some tail happy action if you're in the mood. It's not as fun as an M4 Competition, but it feels just as fast and what it lacks in outright poise and precision it gains in comfort and refinement.

As a first attempt at a fully electric driver's car, the M50 is pretty much on target, but bear in mind that the cheaper and slower (but lighter and with less adhesive tyres) eDrive40 actually has the sweeter and more approachable handling balance, plus it will go further on a charge at 367 miles. As a driver's car it's the better bet, and the fact you're saving a few quid only makes the deal more appealing.

*8. Kia EV6 GT*

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You probably weren't expecting to find a Kia in this list, but the Korean firm has been on a mission to shift perceptions recently. It started a few years ago with the now defunct Stinger GT-S, an upmarket four-door coupe that packed a thumping V6 engine and expressive rear-wheel drive handling, but it's the brand's warm embrace of electrification that will allow it to really make its high performance mark.

The rakish EV6 has already impressed in its cooking versions, with good looks, plenty of pace and biddable handling making it a surprisingly satisfying steer. So expectations for the flagship GT model are understandably high - not surprising when you consider the specification. The raw stats show that it's twin motor set-up (one at the front and another at the back for four-wheel drive) packs 577bhp and 546lb ft, which makes it good for a 0-62mph time of 3.5 seconds and a 161mph top speed. And thanks to its 77.4kWh battery, it can travel a claimed 263 miles on a charge, while 800 volt architecture means ultra rapid charging is on the menu.

There have also been chassis tweaks, with an enhanced GT mode delivering more focussed damper settings at the touch of a button, as well as the full 577bhp. Overall it feels surprisingly light on its feet, with quick steering strong grip and, of course, a devastating turn of speed, while the Drift Mode is hilarious - although the wild angles of dangle it induces means it's best not deployed on the road. Only when pushed to the limit does the Kia feel a little ragged as it struggles to contain its SUVish height and not inconsiderable mass.

However, where the Kia really scores is in its value for money. On paper its £62,645 asking price looks a little steep, but few cars come close to matching the quirky-looking Korean machine's performance per pound offering.

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*COMING SOON*

*Tesla Roadster*

Of course we couldn't have a list of electric cars without including Tesla. In fairness, in terms of performance most of its current line-up could secure a place in this rundown, but for sports car appeal the Roadster has to get the nod, even if it seems like the 2+2 drop top might never arrive. Already around four years behind schedule, bosses have recently confirmed that production will finally start in July 2023, although given we've been here a few times before it might be wise to take this claim with a pinch of salt.

Until then we've only got Tesla's claimed figures to go on and, on paper, the Roadster does look like it could be one of the most exciting EVs yet. Exact power figures aren't available, but the tri-motor set-up is similar to that used in the Model S Plaid, which delivers a heady 1006bhp - and given that the brand claims the Roadster will rocket from standstill to 60mph in 1.9 seconds and onto a top speed of 250mph, then this sort of muscle seems about right. Arguably even more impressive is the claimed range of 620 miles, which puts it ahead of cars such as the Mercedes EQS that packs a vast battery in excess of 100kWh.

Again, details on pricing are sketchy, but Tesla reckons the Roadster will cost around £189,000 when it goes on sale in the UK. That sounds a lot in isolation, but given it'll rival cars in this list that'll cost ten times as much, it could be considered a bargain. When we finally drive an example, expect it to rise closer to the top of this list.

*Aspark Owl*

You know the drill. The Aspark Owl costs £2.5 million, accelerates to 60mph in 1.7sec and generates just under 2000bhp from four electric motors. Assuming you don't ask for that level of performance on the exit of every corner, range is also said to be around 280 miles.

As for provenance, the slipper-esque Owl is Japanese in principle but is being built at Manifattura Automobili Torino in Turin. Italy. Deliveries of the 50 cars to me made were scheduled for early in 2021, but customers are still waiting in 2022. When the time does arrive, owners won't merely have one of the fastest street-legal cars in the world in their possession but also one that will never have to pay multi-storey car park fees. From the tread blocks of its tyres to the top of its composite roof, the Owl is a barrier-limboing 99cm tall.