For automotive enthusiasts, now is the time to be alive. The automotive industry has reached the height of capabilities for the internal combustion engine. Because of the major push by environmentalists, enthusiasts are also witnessing a Renaissance for electric vehicles. EVs were once overlooked and forgotten as fossil-fueled cars became standard and gave the world classical, ground-breaking, unforgettable machines. Now that the internal combustion engine has run its course, electric vehicles are proving to reverse environmental issues and offer high-performance in a much quieter package. It is quite the challenge to envision a world without V-10 and V-12 supercars in music videos, movies, or on streets.
However, these very quick electric sedans are making it difficult for these supercar brands to justify their through-the-roof pricing. When Ferraris and Lamborghinis are being left at the starting line by Teslas, one may forget to ask a question that will need to be asked sooner or later: When are we going to see an EV supercar? And many more questions may follow. Will it be quicker than a Tesla Model S Plaid or Lucid Air Sapphire? Will it surpass 200 miles per hour? Will it look sexy? Many EV supercars are being forged and crafted in the shadows, and here are 10 that we can't wait to drive.
10 Drako GTE
The GTE is the only four-door supercar on this list. It turns heads with its familiar, but rare body shape. This stunning coupe-like sedan with a stretched hood is based on the 2012 Fisker Karma's platform. In 2020, the company planned a production run of 25 examples. Offering 1,200 horsepower and 6,500 pound-feet of wheel torque, Drako Motors claims that the GTE will catapult its driver up to 206 miles per hour. What makes this car more super than the next EV is its focus on cornering. On an episode of Jay Leno's Garage, co-founder and vice president of Drako Motors, Shiv Sikand, stated "The superpower behind this car is the fact that this car can rotate like no other car". The company is re-engineering the way cars are steered by dedicating one motor for each wheel. If this EV is claiming to steer as quickly as it takes off in a straight line, we should not want to wait any longer to drive one.
9 Nio EP9
If automotive journalist Richard Hammond has driven it, we know that it is real. The team behind that Nio EP9 runs a Formula E team, which explains why this road car looks like nothing that should be street-legal. The EP9 holds a Nürburgring lap time of 6 minutes and 45.9 seconds. For context, the Mercedes-AMG One holds the fastest lap time of any production vehicle at 6 minutes and 35.183 seconds. Falling behind 10 seconds may make the Nio EP9 seem a little less threatening, until realizing that the quickest time for a production electric car was made by the Tesla Model S Plaid at 7 minutes and 35.579 seconds. That is a full minute slower than the Nio. With active suspension, active aerodynamics, and torque vectoring, this car claims to create more downforce than a Formula 1 car. Maybe, kids shouldn't want posters of Ferraris on their walls anymore.
8 Pininfarina Battista
A 1900-horsepower hyper-EV is Pininfarina's answer to these up-incoming carmakers that dare challenge its legacy. The Pininfarina Battista is an uncompromising, beastly machine that makes the LaFerrari and Enzo look underpowered. For the car's EAU debut, the Battista broke several records in acceleration capabilities and the greatest range offered for a production hyper-EV. The Automobili Pininfarina Chief Product and Engineering Officer, Paolo Dellacha said, “I am proud that our new electric hyper GT delivers on the promises we made when we set out our development plan. In Battista, we have achieved performance beyond our original, extreme targets…" How often does a car brand exceed their own goals as opposed to sugar-coating and lying about performance figures? The Pininfarina Battista was born to spit in the faces of aspiring competitors, no matter the political or environmental climate.
7 Lotus Evija
Lotus is another household name that refuses to be forgotten in the past. The brand known for lightweight, pocket-sized sports cars is reimagining its future without neglecting its niche. The result is the Lotus Evija, an electric hypercar that takes a different approach to aerodynamics. That approach is shedding mass to create vents and wind tunnels for ultimate downforce. Named the "Carved by Air" philosophy, the mass reduction also carries on into the interior with a floating dashboard and floating "'ski slope-style' center console". All this weight saving means that the Evija can push impressive numbers like reaching 186 miles per hour from a standstill in a jaw-dropping 9.1 seconds. With a dedicated motor for each wheel, there seems to be a trend in what's allowing these electric supercars to become so overpowered.
6 Aspark Owl
Japan has introduced its first electric hypercar, and it is named after an animal known for its silence and ability to hunt its prey in the lowest-lit environments. The Aspark Owl is another electric hypercar that is claiming potentially record-breaking numbers. Zero to 60 mph in 1.72 seconds and exceeding 250 miles per hour. However, A design trait of the Owl that is difficult to ignore is its spoiler. When hidden, the design becomes unsettling. Not only does the car appear incomplete, but the handling becomes questionable… like the episode of Top Gear when the Koenigsegg CCX flew off the track because of the absence of a spoiler. On its journey to running racetracks and enticing journalists, the Aspark Owl will be the car to look forward to driving, but preferably with the spoiler in the up position.
5 Tesla Roadster
Waiting for this second-generation Roadster to hit production has been like waiting for Rihanna to drop another studio album, or waiting on President Joe Biden to forgive federal student loans. It is hard to justify holding our breath. Its claims hold much promise, but who cares if we can't test it out for ourselves, as customers? Zero to 60 in under two seconds, a range of an unheard of 620 miles, and a top speed of over 250 mph sounds extremely exciting. It even has seating for four humans. Less exciting is that the release date has continually been pushed back for years. Prospective buyers have been waiting for so long, that Elon Musk traveling to Mars himself may be a bigger guarantee. Tesla's CEO just may be too occupied with Twitter to see that new up-incoming EV brands are promising competitive numbers. However, when it does release, many customers will make bad financial decisions in order to afford one, as they should.
4 Deus Vayanne
If you thought Tesla was a practical car brand, Deus has come along to challenge your thinking. The Vayanne is a hypercar with ample storage space, power seats, wireless device charging, and a driving range of over 300 miles. That's not something one might normally expect from a 2,200+ horsepower car that can hit shy of 250 miles per hour. The exterior of the car has a softness that whispers "drive me to the grocery store" after evading the police in silence. The interior appears like an "up-to-date" flagship from a luxury performance brand with leather, ambient lighting, and a digital dashboard. The design of this car is intended to represent timelessness, which can be seen in the infinity loop-inspired grille. Not only should we wait to drive the Deus Vayanne when it's in production, we should also want to drive it past its production run.
3 Hispano Suiza Carmen
The Hispano Suiza Carmen is an electric supercar that self-proclaims to be the pioneer of the "hyperlux" car category, "which combines hypercar-rivaling performance with exquisite luxury, painstaking craftsmanship and meticulous attention to technical and engineering details." Inspired by 1930s automotive styling, this classical EV mimics exaggerated curves that distinctively differ from modern styling. The engineers behind the Carmen also have Formula E experience with much test-driving done by former Formula 1 driver, Luis Pérez-Sala. The Hispano Suiza Carmen has already been introduced and sold to American buyers with abundantly, overflowing pockets. For a car with such "concept" styling and coach-building options, the Carmen further impresses for becoming more than just an idea. And for this reasoning, true automotive enthusiasts should want to drive this luxurious, electric hypercar.
2 Maserati GranTurismo Folgore
Not many brands create grand touring cars quite like Maserati. The GranTurismo has always been a top choice for a luxuriously, fast car that's just practical enough to be a daily driver. With Maserati's latest offerings, the GranTurismo has an EV option called the Folgore that pushes out an estimated 750 horsepower. This number may seem low in comparison to other entries on this list, but 0 to 60 is still achieved in under three seconds. The physical beauty of this car is traditional in Maserati's taste. The signature three side air vents illuminate, teasing where the brand sees itself in the future. The catfish-shaped grille has better grown into the design to become less of an acquired taste. The interior is up-to-date with upcycled materials and updated technologies that don't result in an obnoxiously wide iPad for a dashboard. This Folgore is the GranTurismo update we've been patiently awaiting.
1 YangWang U9
Alongside the Tesla and Maserati, the YangWang U9 is the third and final entry to not exceed a price of one million USD. If price was a factor in choosing the electric supercar we'd most want to drive, YangWang could be the top choice. Not only is it the cheapest at an estimated $150,000, it has the most advanced vehicular body control system. It is called DiSus-x, and BYD, the parent company, states "DiSus-X showcased its ability to dance, jump and drive even with only three wheels…". If this car will jump rope and play hopscotch with its customers, are the million-dollar cars on this list that will never attempt to try both worth your time? Kicking down the door to introduce the world to new things can be very costly, and yet this supercar has four motors and climbs to 60 miles an hour in two seconds. What are the others' excuses for being financially unattainable? Whatever the reasoning, It doesn't matter, because we still want to drive them anyway!