- Traditional luxury carmakers like Aston Martin and Porsche are creating bonafide fully-electric supercars.
- Smaller companies, such as Dendrobium and Aspark, have also been entering the field with four-digit horsepower cars.
- Here are 12 of the most powerful electric supercars you can buy, including the one that James Bond may be driving in the next “007” film.
- Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.
Though it gets a lot of attention, Tesla isn’t the only company creating electric cars.
Some traditional carmakers like Aston Martin and Porsche are exploring the rapidly-growing electric car field with super powerful new models which add their own flair for luxury and speed to the market.
Meanwhile, other much smaller companies are exploring the high-end electric sector, such as the relatively unknown Aspark – which hasn’t even released a production vehicle yet.
Horsepower is measured a little differently for electric cars, as an electric motors’ full torque is deployed as soon as the driver steps on the accelerator. That means an electric car can feel more powerful than an internal-combustion-engined (ICE) car with the same horsepower rating at the low end, but start to lose some of its gusto at sustained high speeds unlike a gas-powered car.
With that crucial difference in mind, here are 11 of the most powerful electric cars money can buy, including some that are setting world records.
Nio EP9
Nio has been called the "Tesla of China." With the EP9 supercar, it's obvious the company means business.
The car has a top speed of 195 mph and horsepower rating of 1,341, giving it a zero-to-60 time of only 2.7 seconds. Nio boasts the car has double the downforce of a Formula One racecar and delivers a F-22 fighter pilot experience by cornering at 3G.
The EP9 has a range of 265 miles before needing a new charge, and a full charge takes 45 minutes. The car also has an interchangeable battery system that takes 8 minutes to swap.
The Nio EP9 is also self-driving and set a record in 2017 for the fastest lap driven by an autonomous car at the Circuit of Americas track.
At least six of the 16 produced units have been sold to investors at $1.2 million each.
Tesla Model S Performance
Tesla no longer boasts the horsepower ratings for its cars, but the $99,990 Tesla Model S Performance is plenty powerful. It can propel its nearly 5,000-pound frame to 60 mph in just 2.4 seconds. Tesla says its top speed is 163 mph and it carries an average range of 345 before complete discharge.
Owners can recharge at the company's Supercharger locations, where 15 minutes is good for 130 miles in optimal conditions.
Rimac's Concept One and C_Two
Rimac's Concept One, which debuted in 2011, has a rating of 1,224 horsepower, allowing it to reach top speeds of 220 mph and hit 62 mph from a standstill in just 2.5 seconds. The nearly $1 million supercar's 90 kWh battery pack gives it a 310-mile range.
Rimac made only 88 units of the supercar, and British TV personality Richard Hammond famously crashed one in 2017.
In 2018, the Croatian company unveiled Concept One's successor, the C_Two. With a 1,914 horsepower rating and a 403-mile range, the newer sibling is able to go from zero-to-60 in 1.85 seconds and a 256 mph top speed
The supercar can be charged 80% in 30 minutes when it's connected to a 250 kW fast-charging network. It also includes a list of driver assistance systems, such as facial recognition to open doors and start the engine. It can also scan your face to determine your mood, and if the C_Two determines emotions such as stress or anger, it will start playing soothing music.
The planned 150 units of the $2.1 million car were nearly all purchased within three weeks of orders opening. The cars will be delivered in 2020.
Genovation GXE
The Genovation GXE is a converted all-electric Chevy Corvette with a horsepower rating of 800. It currently holds the record for "fastest street-legal electric car to exceed 209 mph," but the company claims it can even get to 220 mph. It can go zero-to-60 mph in under three seconds.
The $750,000 car also has a range of about 175 miles, according to Genovation's computer simulations.
Delivery of the 75 planned units will begin by the end of 2019.
Tesla Roadster
The next generation of the Tesla Roadster is arriving soon.
This new Roadster will be able to hit top speeds of over 250 mph, and 60 mph in 1.9 seconds, Tesla says. There's also a removable glass roof that stores in the trunk, turning the car into a convertible.
The $200,000 car also will have a 620-mile range, the longest of any on our list.
The company is now taking reservations for 2020 delivery.
Aspark Owl
The Aspark Owl, a 1,150 horsepower supercar, will be able to reach 174 mph and have a 180-mile range. The Owl recently hit 62 mph in 1.9 seconds, although it's still in testing.
Only 50 of the $3.6 million car will be produced, according to Bloomberg, and the company plans on delivering them in mid-2020.
Porsche Taycan
Formally known as the Mission E, the Taycan will be Porsche's first fully-electric car. Porsche initially had a target of 20,000 units for its first year of production, but it recently doubled this number due to interest, and the company already has more 30,000 reservations, it recently revealed.
The Taycan has a horsepower rating of over 600 that allows it to travel zero-to-60 mph in under 3.5 seconds. The car also has a range of 310 miles on a single charge and can get 60 miles of range from just four minutes of charging.
The supercar is expected to have a starting price of $90,000, according to the Drive.
Dendrobium D-1
The D-1 is the first in a series of electric cars by Dendrobium Automotive. The car originally debuted at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show and made an appearance at this year's 24 Hours of Le Mans event.
The car is still a prototype but is estimated to have an output of 1,800 horsepower, giving it a top speed of over 200 mph and the ability to see 60 mph in 2.7 seconds.
Pininfarina Battista
The Battista is a 1,900 horsepower rated electric car from Automobili Pininfarina. The Battista can reach 60 mph in under two seconds.
The Battista will have a range of around 300 miles on one charge.
North America will see 50 out of the 150 Battista units that will be made. Half of those 50 have already been claimed, despite a $2.5 million price tag, according to CNBC.
Aston Martin Rapide E
Rapide E will be Aston Martin's first fully electric vehicle. The 612-horsepower car can reach a top speed of 155 mph and can go zero-to-60 mph in four seconds.
The $330,000 car has a range of around 200 miles and can be fully charged in three hours in ideal conditions.
Only 155 units of the Rapide E will be made available with deliveries starting in 2020. One of them may be driven by Daniel Craig in the next James Bond film, according to British media reports.
Lotus Evija
Lotus' Evija is poised to be the first fully-electric British hypercar. The company will fully reveal the Evija during Monterey Car Week starting August 9.
Although the company has not released final specifications, its target is 2,000 horsepower, which would be good for a zero-to-62 mph acceleration time of under three seconds and a top speed of around 200 mph, according to CNET.
The car will cost around $2 million and 130 units will be made.
Drako GTE
Silicon Valley-based Drako Motors is creating its first limited-production electric supercar, the Drako GTE. The 4-passenger luxury supercar debuted at the 2019 Quail Motorsports Gathering.
The 1,200 horsepower quad-motor vehicle can hit top speeds of 206 mph with the aid of its 90 kWh battery pack, according to Drako Motors. The car, which the automaker claims has sports car DNA, includes a "Quattro Manettino" that commands the entire driving experience. This four-console control system allows drivers to adjust powertrain characteristics and select one of six road surface conditions: race, track, dry, rain, snow, and ice.
Drako Motors is producing 25 GTE units, each with a base price of $1.25 million. The units are expected to be delivered in 2020.
