World’s Top 10 Fastest Electric Cars
Think a Ferrari is fast? Watch one get schooled below.
Electric cars are no joke. Yes, it’s true that many EVs are small, ungainly-looking oddities, but the other end of the spectrum—the realm of high-performance supercars—might surprise you.
After re-discovering a 1972 electric datsun that can accelerate from 0-60 in 3 seconds, we decided that an important question hadn’t really been answered yet: how do the electric cars we’ve been hearing so much about stack up in terms of performance?
Below, we’ve listed the world’s top 10 fastest electric cars, based on the best available information (and a little creative license). Note that our criteria does not take into account a variety of important factors like charging time, availability, and cost. All cars are simply ranked by the time it takes them to get from 0-60 mph.
Most of the machines shown here are either not available or otherwise out out of the realm of possibility for most, but then again, so are most high-performance gas-powerd cars. And that doesn’t keep us from admiring them. Please keep in mind that this post is not intended to be the final word on this topic.
Btw, if you’re interested in joining the first mailing list dedicated to bulk purchasing electric cars, check it out (you can also get cheap solar there too).
- » See also: Factory Five Electric ‘33 Ford Roadster Debuts at SEMA
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Disclaimer: The numbers below come primarily from builder websites, although some are visibly validated in the videos below. Some of these cars only exist in the imaginations of the designers, so for those we’ll have to wait for some real-world testing to take place. Enjoy.
1. Shelby SuperCars Aero EV: 0-60 mph in 2.5s
The Aero EV debuted mid-2008 with some shocking statistics: a twin motor AESP producing 1,000 hp, 60 mph in a mere 2.5 seconds, and a top speed of 208 mph.
Shelby SuperCars already holds the distinction for the world’s fastest production car, the 2009 SSC Ultimate Aero (270 mph). While some of the claims for the new Aero EV seem outlandish, such as a 10 minute charge-time on a standard 110 outlet and a 150-200 mile range on a single charge, this doesn’t stop it from being the king of this list of high-performance machines.
2. The custom 1972 Electric Datsun: 0-60 mph in 2.95s
The 1972 Datsun pictured above inspired this list, after we posted about it recently. Ultimately, I wanted to see if this custom-mod was really the world’s fastest car, and it didn’t disapoint at 2nd place. From the outside, you wouldn’t expect a high-performance monster, but this thing rockets from 0 to 60 in 2.95 seconds, taking a quarter-mile in 11.46 seconds with a 114.08 mph trap speed. The top speed of the car is estimated to be 130 mph.
Unlike other cars on this list, the Datsun—even with expensive lithium-ion batteries—costs only $35,000.
See our last post on it (World’s Fastest Electric Car is a 1972 Datsun) or watch the video below.
3. Wrightspeed X1: 0-60 mph in 3.07s
We covered the X1 when it first debuted last year (see An Electric Car With Muscle: The 175 MPGe X1 Prototype by Wrightspeed Inc).
The X1 uses a 3-phase AC induction motor and inverter from AC Propulsion, which catapults it from 0-60 in 3.07 seconds. There’s no clutch, no shifting, and first gear will take you all the way to 112 mph. The electrical system is powered by lithium polymer batteries, which is a variation on lithium-based systems we’ve highlighted before. The X1 has a 100 mile range and reaches an overall equivalent of 175 MPG.
You can see the X1 smoke a Ferrari and a Porsche in this video:
Thank you for featuring White Zombie, but please correct the stats, as it runs 0-60 in 2.95 seconds, and its ‘trap speed’ at the end of the 1/4 mile is 114.08 mph. The car’s ‘top speed’ is in the neighborhood of 130 mph if given more than just 1320 feet to stretch its legs! Since the outrageous price tags are mentioned with some of the other cars shown, the Zombie’s ~$35,000 price (when using expensive lithium cells) should be included as well, to keep things in perspective.
You might want to change this title from ‘World’s 10 Fastest Electric Cars’ to ‘World’s 10 Quickest Electric Cars’, since you specify “All cars are simply ranked by the time it takes them to get from 0-60 mph.” 0-60 is an acceleration parameter, while’Fastest’ refers to top speed, not acceleration. Also, hybrids are not electric cars, so they should be left out of this comparison… unless you do a third name change to ‘World’s 10 Quickest Electric and Hybrid Cars.
-Our thanks to John (the owner/builder of the White Zombie) for taking the time to expand on some of our choices and correct the information about the White Zombie. We’ll be making the changes shortly. — Nick Chambers
Good catch. We’ve covered that one before: http://gas2.org/2008/07/23/bmw-mini-electric-cars-available-in-us-from-summer-2009/
I really don’t understand why these automakers are focusing so much time on these vehicles instead of finding ways to lower prices or lengthen the amount of miles between charges.
It is really too bad that you usually feel that it is necessary to denigrate existing cars rather than just promote “Green” cars on their own merits.
This is not necessary and it is counter productive for many people. The presentations in this issue should be your example for how to present all of these issues. The use of performance specifications and comparisons is the correct way to go.
That list is wrong and confusing. most of the models are not even in production and very likely won’t make it there.
Fun article. Honorable mention-the beautiful Tesla Model S. 0-60 in 5.6 seconds, seats 5+2 and 57,000 before the 7,000 tax refund. Can’t wait until the range hits 600 and the charge time 6 minutes. A123 apparently has a battery that charges to 95% in 6 min. I wonder what the range is if put in a Model S?
@Author RE Tango: “I’m not sure how this thing would bank sharp turns”
If you read the first page of their website it says that the Tango tips the scales at 2-3,000 pounds i.e., the weight of a “mid-sized Sedan” And the “low CG” means that the bulk of that weight is located 6-12″ off the ground between the 4 tires.
So the size of a Goldwing, the weight of a Camry = it doesn’t need to bank, as the weight is low enough it is much more likely to “slide” off the turns, not go on two wheels. It’s essentially a “sled” of batteries/motor/wheels with a passenger cab on top — the 2-400 pounds of passenger weight is negligible compared to the 2-3,000 pounds, compared to the same 1-300 (rider-plus one) pounds on a motorcycle that has a high CG and low weight (250-600 pounds)
@Allie: Because the Big Car manufacturers still don’t get it ;-p — 80% of Americans travel 50 miles or less a day (50% of us travel 25 miles or less), and judging by the cars I see going to work, a significant number of these miles are single passenger. Current EV ranges are just fine, when you figure half that is to get you to work, the other half back home, and you’ve got a 6-9 hour charge time while you’re at work… I’ve put over 6,000 miles on an EV with a 30-40 mile range per charge.
In general, high-speed electric vehicles are brought out because manufacturers feel the public has the misconception that electric vehicles are slow. In truth, they will blow the socks off gas cars BUT they won’t get you back and forth to work very well. Most in-town commuters will do quite nicely with an Electric Vehicle that gets between 30-50 miles per charge when they’re driven between 30-50 mph — it’s worked for me for the past two years…
The average American male is being forced to give up his insane notion that the length of his penis is related to low ET’s and splashy car bodies and take up the European notion of personality, skill and manners in seduction - not taught in newer American movies but obsessed on in the earlier black and whites. The great republican depression with its hard times and cash shortages combined with the end of the “cheap oil era” will force this enlightenment on us and make us whole again. Cars will no longer be an “extension” of the manliness, but simply a comfortable means for either sex to get from point A to point B, much to the chagrin of the advertisers who recently put female sex into every sales pitch to a mostly male consumer. Times have changed, Expect little pink and mauve electric commuters soon! GM’s downfall - a Double Y ex-marine, possibly raised by his father, a masochistic sicko, for a CEO - not good for sales to the ladies!
@ allie
Most innovations in automobile technology have been paid for by racing and tested on the grueling conditions of the track.
SO! Instead of the government bailing out Chrysler or GM AGAIN AND AGAIN, maybe the hundreds of millions to billions should be given to these companies designing and building electrical vehicles instead! Wouldn’t that make a lot of sense with regard to fulfilling Obama’s other goal of changing energy sources? GM & Chrysler will undoubtedly fail anyway… We’re just kicking the can down the road until later this year…