Best Electric Performance Cars

You might not realise it, but electric power and performance cars really do make the perfect bedfellows...

All that instant acceleration, linear torque and flexibility to dial up the power to dizzying numbers has resulted in some extraordinary cars that have defied convention in recent years.

Better yet, performance-oriented electric power is being harnessed in myriad ways across the industry, from premium sports cars like the Audi RS e-tron GT to the elegant MG Cyberster roadster to the pocket rocket Peugeot E-208 GTI hot hatch.

It means there is a sporty electric car out there for everyone – here are six cars that are ‘charged’ with changing the way you think about EVs…

Best Sporty Electric Cars

Hyundai IONIQ 5 N

It’s no small undertaking for a manufacturer to launch its own performance sub-brand in the modern age, more so when thoroughbred sporty models aren’t exactly what the brand is known for.

So, kudos to Hyundai for not only getting its ‘N’ range of performance cars off the ground with well-received hot hatches like the i20 N and i30 N, but finding a loyal and committed following around the world in a short space of time.

That said, it is its latest creation – the all-electric Hyundai IONIQ 5 N – that stands apart as not only an outstanding creation, but as the car that has changed the way even die-hard performance car enthusiasts think about electric power.

For one, it looks fantastic, Hyundai doing a stellar job of aesthetically transforming the SUV-style hatchback with a lower ride-height, chunky alloy-wheels, tasteful body kit and hints of signature ‘N’ decals.

But it is the bare statistics that make for eye-watering reading; 641bhp, a 0-62mph time of a little over three seconds, a whopping 740Nm of torque going to all four wheels and an incredible 21,000rpm on the needle – and this is all available at the giddy push of the ‘N Grin Boost’ button. Epic!

Audi RS e-tron GT

Electric cars don’t get sleeker or more stylish than the utterly elegant Audi RS e-tron GT.

Audi has been at the forefront of EV tech for a long time now, so it stands to reason that it has been ambitious with its application by creating the four-door luxury RS e-tron GT coupe.

The term ‘GT’ – or, Grand Tourer – is key here, for the RS e-tron GT is designed to gobble up the miles and do so at mind-bending pace, as demonstrated by its ‘blink-and-you-miss-it’ 2.5-secs 0-62mph sprint.

Even so, it still delivers impressive range, the RS e-tron GT able to travel up to 350-miles (combined WLTP) before needing to be replenished.

And, of course, being a flagship Audi, it is a decadent place to spend time behind the wheel with exquisite materials and impeccable build quality that offers a luxuriating experience… once you’ve recovered from the goosebump-inducing acceleration.

MG Cyberster

And now for something very unexpected…

While we have long since come to terms with modern-day MG being better associated with SUVs and value-added hatchbacks, that’s not to say anyone has forgotten that the origins of the brand are rooted in evocative sports cars.

The story of how MG has metamorphosised over the years is a (very) long one, but it’s reassuring to learn the company itself hasn’t forgotten its origins entirely, as demonstrated by the MG Cyberster, a car that taps right into its legacy but does so with a very contemporary electric flavour.

The result is a heady mix of nostalgia and visionary, the Cyberster looking every inch a slinky, sophisticated model, the likes of which we don’t see launched all too often anymore.

MG hasn’t wasted its opportunity to create something memorable either, as demonstrated by the party-piece gullwing doors, wraparound interior design and union-jack themed rear light clusters.

So, it looks the part and it goes like it too, the Cyberster – especially in 77kWh Dual Motor AWD trim – taking little more than three seconds to complete the 0-62mph sprint while still travelling all the way to 316-miles in terms of range.

Plus, it’s a convertible – and who doesn’t want to experience wind-in-your-hair drop top thrills once in a while?

MINI Cooper JCW Electric

Of all the cars on sale right now, it is the MINI Cooper that definitely looks deepest into the past for inspiration of what is a modern-day gem in the present.

That’s not to say the iconic hatchback doesn’t have an eye on the future though, as demonstrated by the way in which electric power has been seamlessly integrated in MINI’s entire line-up.

And when we say ‘entire’ line-up, we mean it, because you can pair electric power with its hottest of hot hatches, the MINI Cooper John Cooper Works.

In fact, its 54.2kWh battery will accelerate to 62mph quicker than its petrol equivalent (5.9-secs versus 6.1-secs), while engineers have ensured the Cooper has lost none of the agility in its pin-sharp, go-kart like handling.

Better yet, it will still return 251-miles of range (WLTP Combined) while those zero emissions ensure it is significantly cleaner too.

Peugeot E-208 GTi

There have been many iconic hot hatches over the years but for many it is the original Peugeot 205 GTi that stands head and shoulders as the ultimate pocket rocket.

It’s a winning formula Peugeot has attempted to repeat on numerous occasions ever since – admittedly with mixed success – so for its latest effort, the French manufacturer is trying something entirely different with the famed nameplate.

Arriving later this summer, the Peugeot E-208 GTi sees the badge adorn an electric-powered model for the first time.

Described as having ‘sport spirit with EV thrill’, the new E-208 GTi certainly has the specs to back this up with 0-62mph arriving in just 5.5-secs thanks to a whopping 277bhp and 375Nm of torque.

It even looks the part, Peugeot transforming the already attractive 208 with chunky wheelarches, muscular bumpers and even a modern interpretation of the original’s signature ‘pepper pot’ alloy wheels.

Ford Mustang Mach-E GT

While the concept of a large electric family SUV wearing the ‘Mustang’ nameplate is a bit jarring for some, look a bit closer and you’ll see the Ford Mustang Mach-E GT does a very good impression of a ‘muscle car’.

With 480bhp and 860Nm of torque on tap from its 98.8kWh battery, the Mustang Mach-E GT pulls hard from a standstill, its 3.7-secs sprint to 0-62mph making it one of the fastest accelerating cars on sale in the UK.

And yet, even with that much power underneath your right foot, the Mustang Mach-E GT still returns well over 300-miles of range.

It looks the part too, the Mustang Mach-E’s sleek yet muscular proportions elevated by GT-branded sill plates, reprofiled bumpers, a revised grille and larger 20-inch alloy wheels.

For a true gauge of the GT’s personality, however, just check out the driving modes on offer – Whisper, Active, Untamed and Untamed Plus…