The Fastest Electric Cars of 2016

Electric cars did more than send a warning shot to every petrol-powered sportscar on the market this year.

They started an outright speed war … with each other.

And why not? While electrics do have some limitations, they have the killer advantage of conjuring all of their torque from a standstill. Translation: they’re zippy as all hell. And by the looks of the 2017 releases (and beyond), they’ll continue gunning for three things: go fast, go far and beat Tesla into smithereens at its own game.

With no further ado, here are the 11 rides currently gunning for the title of fastest electric in the world.

NIO EP9
Where it’s from: Chinese electric car maker NextEV
Touted top speed: 194 mph
Acceleration time: 0-124 mph in 7.1 seconds
Horsepower/torque: 1,360 ponies/4,670 lb-ft of torque
Range: 265 miles on a single charge
In production: NextEV only plans to produce six EP9s for China next year, with no mention of international exports.
Claim to fame: A car that goes 0-124 in 7.1 seconds is so fast that it makes the standard 0-60 largely irrelevant. It’s the newest newcomer, and it’s like the hot sauce that you have to sign a waiver to try, but of the car variety.

GRIMSEL
Where is it from: Some Swiss students originally made it for the Formula Student Electric (FSE) race competition in 2014
Touted top speed: Unknown
Acceleration time: 0-60 in 1.513-seconds
Horsepower/torque: 200+ ponies/1,250 lb.-ft. of torque
In production: Negative
Claim to fame: Destroyed the Guinness world record for electric vehicles with its 0-60 time.

EXTREME
Where is it from: Genovation
Touted top speed: 205.6 mph
Acceleration time: 0-60 in 3.0 seconds
Horsepower/torque: 700 ponies/600 lb-ft of torque
Range: 130 miles
In production: Sure. Genovation offers its GXE for $330,000 (or $290,000, if you supply the Vette).
Claim to fame: The Rockville, MD, company broke the top-speed record for all-electric street-legal vehicles with their converted sixth-gen Chevy Corvette Z06. It’ll blow the doors right off a Tesla.

FUTURE
Where is it from: Faraday
Touted top speed: 200 mph
Acceleration time: 0-60 in 3.0 seconds
Horsepower/torque: 1,000 ponies/unknown
Range: Unknown
In production: Negative, in concept. Production expected in the next two years.
Claim to fame: Although Faraday will need serious funding — like Tesla — to turn a profit, the Future concept has pulled design and engineering talents from Ferrari and Tesla. And it looks like you’d think the future should look. Here’s to hoping they’re not talking a big game.

ENFIELD 8000
Where is it from: Fifth Gear presenter and gearhead extraordinaire Jonny Smith
Touted top speed: 121 mph
Acceleration time: 0-113 in 6.0 seconds
Horsepower/torque: 800 ponies/unknown
Range: Unknown
In production: Built on the Isle of Wight during the the oil crisis in the ’70s, the eight-HP Enfield 8000 (affectionately nicknamed the Flux Capacitor) was limited to a run of around 100 units. This one is a bit swooped up to say the least.
Claim to fame: At the Santa Pod Raceway, Smith’s Enfield blazed through a quarter-mile sprint with a record-breaking time of 9.86 seconds (the old record was 10.25 seconds).

TREZNOR
Where is it from: Renault
Touted top speed: Unknown
Acceleration time: 0-62 in under 4.0 seconds
Horsepower/torque: 350 ponies/280 lb-ft torque
Range: Unknown
In production: Negative, in concept
Claim to fame: The clubhouse winner for pin-up potential.

BULLET CAR
Where is it from: Venturi
Touted top speed: 358 mph
Acceleration time: Unknown
Horsepower/torque: 3,000 ponies/unknown
In production: In your dreams.
Claim to fame: Holds the record for electric land speed.

EMOTION
Where is it from: Henrik Fisker
Touted top speed: 161 mph
Acceleration time: Unknown
Horsepower/torque: Unknown
Range: 400 miles
In production: Not yet
Claim to fame: It’s Fisker’s first electric make, and blends luxury and innovation in a way that Tesla has yet to produce for the high-end sect.

VITOLA
Where is it from: Lamborghini
Touted top speed: 186 mph
Acceleration time: 0-60 in 2.5 seconds
Horsepower/torque: Unknown
Range: Unknown
In production: Currently just rumors of a limited production run … for approximately $1m a pop.
Claim to fame: Forget Tesla. The Vitola would likely go head-to-head with an electric Porsche and tip the scale for the hypercar-cum-electric auto game.

SLS AMG COUPE
Where is it from: Mercedes
Touted top speed: 155 mph
Acceleration time: 0-62 in 2.5 seconds
Horsepower/torque: 740 ponies/738 lb-ft torque
Range: 155 miles
In production: Yes, but the electric drive is not yet available in North America.
Claim to fame: The SLS AMG Electric Drive lapped the Nurburgring in Germany in less than eight minutes.

CONCEPT 1AA E-COUPE
Where is it from: Mercedes
Touted top speed: 155 mph
Acceleration time: Unknown
Horsepower/torque: 280 ponies/unknown
Range: 310 miles
In production: Rolling out in 2018.
Claim to fame: Dead set on sexing up the electric car game.