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Yangwang breaks into the record books
© YangwangThe Yangwang U9 Track Edition has set a new top speed record for electric cars, reaching 472.41km/h (294mph) at a test track in Germany. The Chinese supercar uses four 30,000rpm electric motors for a combined output in excess of 3,000hp, plus active suspension to ‘optimise the contact patch between the tyres and the road’. Driver Marc Basseng said: “I thought I’d peaked. I never expected to break my own record so soon — but here we are, at the same track, with new technologies that have made it possible.”
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Building your dreams… at nearly 300mph
© YangwangBefore we move on, however, let’s check out the Cyberster in more detail. Now on sale in the UK, the car costs from £54,995 for the 340hp rear-wheel-drive Trophy, or £59,995 for the 510hp dual-motor GT version. The latter can hit 62mph in just 3.2 seconds, despite a hefty kerb weight of around 2.2 tonnes. Maximum range from the 77kWh battery is 316 miles for the Trophy and 276 miles for the GT.
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Tesla Roadster
© TeslaThe original Tesla Roadster catapulted the high performance EV into public consciousness. Amazing performance, reasonable range and a pretty Lotus-based silhouette were very appealing in 2008. As we’ll see, its successor is still under development.
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Lightning GT
© LightningThe British-built Lightning GT didn’t enjoy the success of Tesla. It was first revealed in 2008, boasting 408hp from two rear-mounted electric motors, plus a range of 200 miles. Production is yet to begin.
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Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Electric Drive
© Mercedes-BenzAfter Tesla made the waves, the mainstream marques tried to ride them. The Mercedes SLS AMG Electric Drive was introduced in 2013, with more than 700hp and a reported 160-mile range. Less than 100 were sold, at upwards of £300,000 each.
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Audi R8 E-tron
© AudiThe R8 E-tron, like the SLS, was something of a blip rather than a revolution, although it lasted longer than the Mercedes. Audi has been musing on an electric R8 since the standard car’s debut in 2006.
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Audi R8 E-tron Mk2
© AudiPrototype electric R8s came along in 2012 and 2013. Then a production second-generation E-tron arrived in 2015. It lasted just 19 months and managed only a handful of special-order sales. A tough sell alongside a naturally aspirated V10?
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Rimac Concept One
© NewspressThis is arguably the first proper electric hypercar. The Rimac Concept One looks incredible, has more than 1,000hp and blasts to 62mph in 2.5 seconds (on par with a Bugatti Veyron). Top Gear’s Richard Hammond famously crashed one.
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Tesla Model S
© TeslaIt’s not a sports car in the conventional sense, but the Model S earns its place with an ability to destroy most Ferraris or Lamborghinis off the line. The flagship 1,020hp Model S Plaid can blast from 0-60mph in just 1.99 seconds.
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Porsche Taycan
© PorschePorsche’s long-awaited riposte to the Tesla Model S arrived in 2019. Our review said: ‘The Taycan Turbo may “only” reach 62mph in 3.2 seconds, but that’s still stupendously quick. Supercar-quick. With no gears to shift and a muted whoosh from the e-motors, the experience is oddly serene. Like the Millennium Falcon making the leap to light speed, it doesn’t so much accelerate as teleport from one location to the next.’
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Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo
© PorscheThe estate version of the Taycan is a seriously cool alternative to an SUV. We drove the flagship Turbo S version and said: ‘This is, ahem, an electrifying car, but also one with plenty of precision, feedback and sensation. It’s proof positive that EVs can be exciting, and allays any concerns that going electric means dialling back the fun of driving.’
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Volkswagen ID R
© VolkswagenRace on Sunday, sell on Monday, right? Not quite, but the Volkswagen ID.R, which broke the record at America’s Pikes Peak and the Goodwood Festival of Speed hillclimbs, is a proof of concept. Electric has always been fast; in this case, it’s one of the very fastest.
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Nio EP9
© NioWith new ideas come new upstarts who want to ruffle some feathers. Nio doesn’t want to be a supercar manufacturer, but the Nurburgring record-smashing EP9 is a gorgeous machine in its own right. Each of its wheels has its own electric motor, giving a total output of 1,360hp.
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Lamborghini Terzo Millennio
© LamborghiniLamborghini, THE supercar manufacturer, has turned its attention to electric power. The Terzo Millennio looks to a future where there isn’t a howling V10 or V12 to be heard. What this concept lacks in ferocious noise, it makes up for in visual drama. The wheel rims glow orange when it drives.
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Dendrobium D-1
© DendrobiumIf the Nio is an upstart, the Dendrobium is veritable vapourware. Still, with backing from Williams Advanced Engineering, there’s still a chance this spectacular zero-emissions electric supercar could make production.
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Aspark Owl
© AsparkYes, the Aspark Owl has a silly name, but just look at it. The styling is Tesla meets late-1990s GT1 racer. It’ll get to 60mph in less than two seconds and was, until recently, the world’s fastest electric car. Marc Basseng (remember him?) recorded a top speed of 272.6mph in Germany.
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Rimac Nevera
© RimacThis was the difficult second album for Rimac and it hasn’t held back. The headline numbers include 1,914hp, 0-60 mph in 1.85 seconds, a 340-mile range and a £1.7 million price tag. The Nevera also uses 12 ultrasonic sensors, 13 cameras and 6 radar sensors to enhance the driver’s on-track performance. It’s Gran Turismo made real.
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Pininfarina Battista
© PininfarinaAn old name takes on a brave new world. After decades as a coachbuilder and design house, Pininfarina is going it alone for the first time in its history. The Battista (named after the company’s founder) is based on the Rimac Nevera and only 150 will be built. As you’d expect, it looks stunning.
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Lotus Evija
© LotusAs stunning as this, though? Arguably not. The Evija heralded the rebirth of Lotus under new owner Geely, with radical ‘porous’ styling that reflects its amazing performance. A 2,039hp output means 0-62mph in comfortably less than three seconds, plus a top speed limited to 217mph.
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Lotus Evija
© LotusAfter testing the Evija on-track at Hethel, we said: ‘If driving a McLaren F1 flat-out is ‘uncomfortable’, this borders on assault – a violent kinetic energy that pummels you into your seat. At lower speeds, the electric motors are limited by traction, but more torque is fed forwards as you go faster, so the dizzying, disorientating rush just keeps on building. Throttle response and acceleration at three-figure speeds are otherworldly: the Lotus seems to laugh in the face of physics.’
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Polestar Precept
© PolestarHere’s a future we can all get behind. Polestar has confirmed its electric Precept concept will enter production, albeit not for several years. There’s no news about the powertrain as yet, but neat details include camera door mirrors and a roof-mounted Lidar module for autonomous driving.
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Xing Mobility Miss R
© Xing MobilityWho is Miss R? Who knows, but we like the idea of an off-road supercar with 1,341hp. Taiwanese Xing Mobility is already testing a prototype and promises a run of 20 cars, priced at around £750,000 each.
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Tesla Roadster
© TeslaTesla is set to come full-circle, with a second-generation Roadster. While the first was a Lotus Elise in electrified drag, this is a bona fide supercar. Controversial Tesla boss Elon Musk has claimed 0-60mph in a brain-scrambling 1.9 seconds – if they ever build it…
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Maserati GranTurismo Folgore
© MaseratiBy contrast, this EV looks almost sensible – and it’s already on sale. We recently drove the 761hp Maserati GranTurismo Folgore in the UK, saying: ‘Whether it’s a Bora or a Biturbo, Maseratis have always been cars that demand a few compromises in return for plentiful character. They appeal to those who want to drive something different, rather than simply buying a Porsche like everybody else. In this regard, the GranTurismo Folgore is a chip off the old block, and while it might seem odd to mention ‘character’ in the context of an EV, battery power feels more at home here than it would in, say, a Maserati MC20.’
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Ariel Hipercar
© ArielThis vision of the future ain’t pretty, but it sure is effective. Made by the same British company as the skeletal Atom, the aptly named Hipercar musters around 2,000hp and can blast to 62mph in two seconds. Reservations are now open, with a choice of fully electric or turbine range extender powertrains. A pilot’s licence is optional.
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MG Cyberster
© MGA more affordable alternative comes in the shape of the MG Cyberster. Now on sale in the UK, it costs £55,245 for the 340hp rear-wheel-drive Trophy, or £60,245 for the 510hp dual-motor GT version. The latter can hit 62mph in just 3.2 seconds, despite a hefty kerb weight of around 2.2 tonnes. Maximum range from the 77kWh battery is 316 miles for the Trophy and 276 miles for the GT. Those doors certainly grab attention, although the MG is arguably more of an open-top GT than a true sports car.
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Porsche 718 Cayman and Boxster
© PorscheThe new Porsche 718 Boxster and Cayman have already been much-delayed, but they could prove something of a litmus test for electric sports cars. Will they succeed on their own terms? Or will a lack of demand for sporting EVs force Porsche to reverse-engineer in a petrol engine and hybrid hardware? One thing is for certain: these new EVs won’t be short on performance. A Turbo-badged version is likely, too.
Chinese supercar hits 294mph to claim EV speed record
As the Yangwang U9 Track Edition gets close to 300mph, we look at the fastest and most exciting electric cars.
