Top 10 Fastest-Accelerating Electric Cars 0-60 MPH Tested by MotorTrend

Electric cars are just starting to take hold in the auto market. No longer relegated to the luxury segment, EVs now run the gamut from small to large and expensive to mainstream. And as you’ll see on this list, some are quite quick. Keep reading to find out the top 10 fastest-accelerating electric cars from 0 to 60 mph ever tested by MotorTrend. To avoid repetition, we’re listing each model only once in the highest-performing variant we’ve tested.

The Kona Electric is actually more powerful than its gas-powered counterparts, making 201 hp and 290 lb-ft of torque. And it’s almost a whole second quicker than the most powerful gas version offered. With its smooth driving experience and 258-mile electric range, there’s a lot to like about this plucky subcompact crossover.

The Mercedes B-Class hatchback was relatively quick, smooth, and luxurious. It was able to reach 60 mph in 6.5 seconds and it made 177 hp and 251 lb-ft of torque. But with just 87 miles of range, it wasn’t a practical commuter. The model was discontinued in 2017. Luckily, Mercedes has a swarm of stylish and more practical EVs in the works.

We were pleasantly surprised when we first stepped on the accelerator in the Leaf Plus, the long-range version of Nissan‘s popular electric car. With 214 hp and 250 lb-ft of torque, it’s substantially more potent than the standard version. Who ever thought a Nissan Leaf could outrun a Honda Civic? If you can get past the dull steering, you’ll also enjoy its quiet, stable ride in the city and on the highway. Range in this quick electric car tops out at 226 miles.

We appreciate the BMW i3‘s tight turning radius and quick acceleration, not to mention its eco-friendly interior with natural materials such as Eucalyptus wood. Overall, the i3 is not a bad first foray into the EV game. But we’re generally not a fan of the driving dynamics; sloppy handling mars the experience. We expect BMW’s next generation of electric vehicles to feel better suited to the blue-and-white roundel.

No question about it: The Chevrolet Bolt made long-range electric cars accessible to the masses. Roomy, quiet, and fun-to-drive, the Bolt is the second EV to win MotorTrend’s Car of the Year award after the Tesla Model S. Chevrolet sweetened the pot for the 2020 model year by extending range even further, to 259 miles. The Bolt makes a healthy 200 hp and 266 lb-ft of torque.

The first all-electric product from Audi is the sleek E-Tron SUV. Part of the first wave of battery-electric vehicles planned by Volkswagen Group, the E-Tron is built on a new EV-specific platform that incorporates components from the group’s existing SUV architectures. In many ways, the E-Tron is a stopgap until VW Group’s dedicated modular MEB platform arrives, but that doesn’t mean Audi just phoned this one in. With its two electric motors making a combined 355 hp and 413 lb-ft of torque, the Audi E-Tron is one of the fastest accelerating electric cars we’ve tested. In our tests, the E-Tron did 0-60 mph in 5.1 seconds. Range is estimated at just 204 miles by the EPA, however. Stay tuned for our real-world range test results.

Jaguar‘s electric crossover is a pleasant sight to behold, and pure fun to drive. This stylish electric crossover makes 394 hp and 512 lb-ft of torque. With precise steering, instant acceleration, and next to no body roll, the I-Pace deserves a seat at the top of this list alongside the Teslas. As one of our 2019 SUV of the Year finalists, it even performed well off-road, trekking across dirt hills and sand pits thanks to its all-wheel-drive traction. Range is a healthy 234 miles.

One of the fastest electric cars is actually an SUV. The Tesla Model X has many gimmicks, from its falcon wing doors to oversized front windshield and monopost second-row seats. But it’s also functional, with sufficient room in the optional third row and an aerodynamic design that loses little range to the Model S. It’s also surprisingly quick for its size. We tested a 2016 Model X P90D Ludicrous running from 0-60 mph in 3.2 seconds, although it took a much less powerful 75D model 5.5 seconds to hit the same mark.

It may be Tesla‘s entry-level car, but the Model 3 packs a strong punch. In our tests, the dual-motor Model 3 Performance zipped from 0-60 mph in 3.1 seconds. This quick electric car packs 450 hp and 471 lb-ft of torque. The dual-motor Long Range model was noticeably slower, though, reaching 60 mph in 4.0 seconds. Both versions can travel 310 miles on a charge, although the Performance is currently $8,000 more expensive to start.

The Tesla Model S isn’t just the quickest electric car MotorTrend has ever tested. It’s also the quickest production car we’ve ever tested—period. We clocked a 2017 Model S P100D, comparable to today’s Model S Performance, hitting 60 mph in 2.28 seconds. In our review, we said this Model S “snaps your body in a manner that is utterly impossible to replicate in any other street-legal production car on normal tires and dry asphalt at a mid-$100,000 price point.” Of course, we’ve tested less potent versions with slower times, everything from the P90D (2.6 seconds) to the P85D (3.2 seconds) and the previous “budget” 60 version (5.0 seconds).

We have yet to test the new all-electric Porsche Taycan in any form, but it’s pretty safe bet the EV sport sedan will end up on this list once we do. Porsche estimates that a Taycan Turbo S in Launch Control mode can do the 0-60 mph sprint in 2.6 seconds, which would easily earn it a spot in the top three if we can confirm it in our own tests. Until then, the Taycan gets an *honorable mention.

1. Hyundai Kona Electric: 6.6 Seconds
2. Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric: 6.5 Seconds
3. Nissan Leaf Plus: 6.5 Seconds
4. BMW i3: 6.4 Seconds
5. Chevrolet Bolt: 6.3 Seconds
6. Audi E-Tron: 5.1 Seconds
7. Jaguar I-Pace: 4.0 Seconds
8. Tesla Model X: 3.2 Seconds
9. Tesla Model 3: 3.1 Seconds
10. Tesla Model S: 2.3 Seconds