10 of the Fastest Electric Cars You Can Lease or Buy

9 minutes Published: 08/02/2022
Rowan Harris

Electric cars may not be as quick to refuel as petrol or diesel cars, but they’re certainly quicker off the starting line. 

In this article, we focus on one of the main perks of owning an electric car: straight line performance. Keep reading for the top 10 fastest electric cars that you can buy or lease right now, by top speed and acceleration!

If, like the cars in this list, you’re already champing at the bit and can’t wait to get your hands on an EV, be sure to compare electric car lease deals with Lease Fetcher first!

1. Polestar 2 Fastback

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  • Body: Hatchback
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The Polestar 2 may be the first car on this list, but it’s also something of an outlier. 

Why, you ask? Well, because it’s the only car that does 0-62mph in more than 4 seconds - 4.5 seconds to be exact. The Long Range Dual Motor version will also top out at 127mph, so it isn’t going to be breaking any records. 

But that doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty to recommend it. For starters, it’s also one of the cheapest on this list, and if you want to stand out from the crowd (we’re looking at you, Tesla Model 3), the Polestar 2 is a great alternative. 

If you do plan on taking this on the track, you’ll want to option the Performance Pack. This adds Ohlins’ manually adjustable suspension, which will help to disguise the Polestar 2’s 2,123kgs around corners. 

2. Mercedes EQS

  • Doors: 4
  • Engine: N/A
  • Fuel: E
  • Body: Saloon
  • Drive: A
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The Mercedes EQS is the closest we’ll get to an electric version of Mercedes’ sublime S Class. It’s also the most aerodynamically advanced production car, with a drag coefficient of just 0.20. 

Now given the ‘AMG’ treatment, the Mercedes AMG EQS 53 4MATIC+ is able to use its streamlined silhouette to its advantage. Despite having one of the biggest, heaviest battery packs in any production electric car (120kWh), the EQS AMG is able to go from 0-62mph in just 3.8 seconds and has a top speed of 155mph!

The EQS may weigh in at over 2.5 tonnes, but AMG’s alterations have ensured the EQS feels lighter and more agile. The air suspension keeps the kerb weight in check, and rear-axle steering helps the EQS take corners with ease. 

It’s also insanely practical for a car that travels this fast. The 5.2 metre long EQS boasts a 610 litre boot and a big interior with lots of legroom.

And when you do eventually need to stop and recharge, the EQS also offers one of the fastest charges of any car right now, with up to 200kW DC capability so you can recharge from 10-80% in just 31 minutes.

3. Ford Mustang Mach-e

  • Doors: 5
  • Engine: N/A
  • Fuel: E
  • Body: SUV/Crossover
  • Drive: A
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If you want an instantly recognisable fast car, the Mustang Fastback is a great choice. Its V8 engine is a thing of beauty, but the era of the conventionally-fuelled car is coming to an end. So, what would an electric Mustang look like? The Mach-E SUV gives us our first glimpse - and we like it a lot. 

The Mustang Mach E GT can gallop from 0-62 in just 3.7 seconds, has a peak torque of 860Nm, and a top speed of 124mph. It also improves on the standard Mustang Mach-E in several important areas. It’s a lower ride, and adaptive air suspension provides this two-tonne titan with some much-needed dampening over potholes.

While it may not have the distinctive snap, crackle and pop of a V8 engine, Ford have done their best to digitally recreate this, if that feels like a dealbreaker for you. 

4. Tesla Model Y Hatchback

  • Doors: 5
  • Engine: N/A
  • Fuel: E
  • Body: SUV/Crossover
  • Drive: A
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The Model Y is the latest in Tesla’s ‘S3XY’ line-up. It may be marketed as an affordable electric SUV, but the dual-motor all-wheel-drive version packs some serious power. Not only does it accelerate from 0-62mph in 3.5 seconds, it also has a top speed of 155mph

With two independently operated motors, the Model Y is also able to digitally control torque to both the front and rear wheels for superior traction control in rain, snow, mud and off-road conditions. 

5. Audi RS E-tron GT

  • Doors: 4
  • Engine: N/A
  • Fuel: E
  • Body: Saloon
  • Drive: A
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Built alongside the rip-roaring R8, the RS e-Tron GT is a car that feels at home both on the grid and on the drive. The RS e-Tron GT can achieve up to 646 PS, a 0-62mph time of 3.3 seconds, and a top speed of 165mph.

The combination of all wheel steering, quattro all-wheel drive with torque vectoring and adaptive air suspension provide the RS e-tron GT with a dynamic handling experience as standard, with Tungsten Carbide brakes for improved braking performance.

If you’re not sure you’re ready to part with the sound of the R8’s unmistakeable V10, be sure to take a look at what the sound engineers at Audi have produced for the RS e-Tron GT.

6. Tesla Model 3 Saloon

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When it launched in 2017, the Tesla Model 3 was hailed as the car that would finally make driving an EV affordable. That turned out to be true, as it’s now the best-selling car in both the UK and Europe. 

Much more importantly, for performance enthusiasts, it also makes sports car-level performance a reality for the masses (be sure to check out our list of affordable sports cars for more like it!). Take out a lease on a Tesla Model 3 Performance and you’ll be able to sprint from 0-62mph in 3.1 seconds and hit top speeds of 162mph. 

With dual-motor all-wheel-drive and performance brakes, you’ll feel confident in all weather conditions too. The two independent motors are able to digitally control torque applied to the front and rear wheels, responding to changing conditions in as little as 10 milliseconds, resulting in greatly improved handling and traction control.

The Model 3 also makes rapid charging available to the masses. After you’ve hit the autobahn and you’re all juiced out, you’ll be able to plug in to one of Tesla’s affordable V3 superchargers, which provide a maximum of 250kW of charging power, letting you add up to 174 miles of range in just 15 minutes.

7. Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo

  • Doors: 5
  • Engine: N/A
  • Fuel: E
  • Body: Estate
  • Drive: A
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Who said a serious sports car couldn’t be family friendly? The Taycan Turbo S Cross Turismo and Taycan Turbo S Sport Turismo take the iconic Taycan design (up next on our list!) and add an enlarged rear luggage compartment and a little more headroom. This amped up estate car is capable of 0-62mph in 2.9 seconds and a top speed of 155mph.

As you’ll probably already know, electric cars are generally automatic and don’t have multiple gears. The Taycan is also somewhat unusual for a production EV in that it has a two-speed transmission. Internal combustion engines use multiple gears because the RPM window within which they can operate efficiently (known as the ‘power band’) is much narrower. 

With an EV, the power band is much wider, and most electric motors can be tuned to a single gear ratio that works well for both low-end acceleration and highway driving - though the latter is generally less efficient. As a compromise, EV manufacturers generally favour low-end acceleration over top speeds. 

What this means then, is that the Porsche Taycan can not only go beyond the typical ‘cap’ on top speeds faced by most electric cars, but it can also drive at these speeds more efficiently. According to ZF E-Mobility, it could translate to as much as a 5% increase in range.

8. Porsche Taycan Saloon

  • Doors: 4
  • Engine: N/A
  • Fuel: E
  • Body: Saloon
  • Drive: A
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The Taycan is what Porsche calls the ‘pure expression of a Porsche electric sports car’. The perfect blend of performance and everyday usability, the Taycan Turbo S is essentially a supercharged version of the standard Taycan, with a top speed of 162mph and a 0-62mph time of 2.8 seconds.

Ok, but there are faster Porsches, you say. It’s true - but as Porsche points out, in the first 2.5 seconds, the Taycan Turbo S covers more ground than a 918 Spyder - electric definitely has its perks. 

When you do get up to speed, it will feel a lot more like driving a conventionally-fueled car. Where most EVs automatically apply ‘regenerative braking’ when the driver lifts the foot off the pedal, the Porsche Taycan is more intuitive. Brake recuperation is first activated via the brake pedal, and the mechanical brake is engaged when stronger braking is required. 

Regen braking can also be adjusted to suit your preferences, so there’s less of a learning curve than with other EVs. 

Like it's boxier siblings, the Taycan Turbo S Cross Turismo and Taycan Turbo S Sport Turismo, the Taycan Turbo S also has some of the most advanced charging capabilities of any EV. It’s able to charge at a rate of up to 270kW and recover 62 miles in just 6 minutes - so it’s also one of the fastest to recharge, too. 

9. Tesla Model X

  • Doors: 5
  • Engine: N/A
  • Fuel: E
  • Body: SUV/Crossover
  • Drive: A
  • CO2:

The Model X Plaid is ‘the highest performing SUV ever built’. Sure, top speed and acceleration are rarely (if ever) at the top of people’s lists when they’re shopping for an SUV, but the Model X is for those who want to have it all. 

A top speed of 163mph and 0-60mph time of 2.5 seconds make this not only the fastest SUV, but one of the fastest mass-produced EVs on the market right now. 

And that’s not all. The Model X Plaid uses a tri-motor all-wheel-drive set-up with torque vectoring. This helps to eliminate any understeer - an issue which plagues many electric cars due to the additional weight of the battery. In other words, it’s not just the best SUV for ‘straight line performance’ - it's competent on the corners, too.

If you do decide to put the Model X to the test (and why wouldn’t you, with specs like that), be sure to activate ‘Plaid Track Mode’. This drops the temperature of the battery pack and motors to create a chilled thermal mass. When track driving commences and heat is generated, shared coolant loops between the battery and motors keep the system cooler for longer. 

10. Tesla Model S

  • Doors: 5
  • Engine: N/A
  • Fuel: E
  • Body: Hatchback
  • Drive: A
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The Tesla Model S has always been ahead of the pack when it comes to performance. Over the years, Tesla has gradually improved the already impressive performance of the Model S with new electric car battery technologies like the ‘structural battery’ which eliminates excess weight by using the battery to give rigidity to the car.

In the Model S Plaid, Tesla has finally pushed the 0-60mph time to below 2 seconds. It’s also got a 200mph top speed - not that you’ll get many chances to use it. 

In any case, you can be prepared to pay top dollar for what is now Tesla’s flagship vehicle and best performing car. 

Unfortunately - for those of you who do decide to purchase the Model S Plaid - it won’t be the fastest for very long. That’s because the reimagined Tesla Roadster is waiting in the wings. According to Tesla’s website, the Roadster will be capable of 0-60mph in just 1.9 seconds, and speeds of over 250mph. Wow

OK, so it might not be able to keep up with the Tesla Roadster, but for a large saloon that comfortably seats five and weighs over two tonnes, it’s easily the fastest family car!

Summary

So, there we have it. The fastest production electric car that you can purchase or lease is the Tesla Model S Plaid. If you will settle for nothing less than the best, however, you may want to hold your horses for the release of the Tesla Roadster.

There are plenty of other exhilarating EVs that didn’t make this list, either because they’re not sold in the UK, not yet released, or too expensive for most people to even contemplate. 

There’s the Lotus Evija, claiming to be the ‘most powerful road car’ with 1970 horsepower, launching at the end of this year; the ultra-rare Nio EP9 hypercar; and the Aspark Owl, which makes all of the above seem like child’s play.

If your ‘need for speed’ comes second to your desire to go the distance, be sure to check out our top electric cars with the longest range!

Or, for the best deals in town, make sure you compare electric car lease deals with Lease Fetcher!