The Fastest Electric Cars in the World: How EVs are Breaking New Speed Records

Image: 2024 Rimac Nevera by Charles from Port Chester, New York, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Speed isn’t just for petrol heads anymore

For years, if you said “fast car,” people instantly thought of Ferrari, Porsche, or maybe a souped-up BMW roaring down the motorway. Electric cars? Nah, those were supposed to be slow, sensible, quiet little runarounds that saved you money on fuel. Kind of like the opposite of exciting.

But things have flipped. Big time.

Electric cars aren’t just catching up with traditional sports cars-they’re smashing records and leaving petrol engines looking a bit, well, old-fashioned. And it’s not happening in some distant future either. It’s happening right now, on racetracks, on drag strips, and even in showrooms like ours here at Dace Motor Company in Stockport and Manchester.

The key difference is how electric cars deliver their speed. With a petrol car, the engine has to rev, gears need to shift, and then you get that surge forward. With an electric car, all the power is there instantly. Press the pedal, and bang-you’re shoved back in your seat. It’s a bit like turning on a light switch. No waiting. Just instant go.

And the best part? This record-breaking technology isn’t staying locked away in million-pound hypercars. It’s already working its way into everyday electric cars you can actually buy. Pop down to our Greg Street showroom and you’ll find EVs from Audi, BMW, Kia, and more that might not set world records, but they’ll still give you a surprising kick of speed when you put your foot down.

So, if you’ve been picturing electric cars as slow and boring, it’s time to throw that idea straight in the bin. The fastest cars in the world are now running on batteries, and they’re rewriting the rules of what driving feels like.

Breaking records like it’s nothing

Here’s the mad bit. Petrol cars have had over a hundred years to chase records. From Le Mans to Formula 1, manufacturers have been tweaking, tuning, and squeezing every last drop of performance out of engines. And they’ve done amazing things. But electric cars? They’ve only been taken seriously for, what, the last 15 to 20 years? Yet in that short space of time, they’re already beating some of the best petrol cars ever made.

Image: Rimac Nevera R at Auto Zürich 2024 by Matti Blume (CC BY-SA) or GFDL, via Wikimedia Commons

Take the Rimac Nevera. This Croatian-built electric hypercar looks like it’s straight out of a sci-fi film. But it’s not about looks-it’s about numbers. Zero to 60 in just 1.74 seconds. To put that in perspective, by the time you’ve said “Stockport Viaduct,” the Rimac is already way past 60 mph. Its top speed? Around 258 mph. That’s not just quick. That’s history-making.

Image: Tesla Model S Plaid by Alexander-93, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Then you’ve got the Tesla Model S Plaid. Now, this isn’t some one-off hypercar with a price tag the size of a football club. It’s a saloon car. A family car. And yet, it can go from zero to 60 in under two seconds too. It’ll happily cruise you and your mates to Manchester city centre in comfort, and then if you fancy, it’ll out-drag a Ferrari at the lights.

Image: 2020 Lotus Evija by Liam Walker, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

And we can’t forget the Lotus Evija. Lotus, a brand with deep roots in British motorsport, has built an electric car that not only hits ridiculous speeds but also looks like it belongs parked outside Old Trafford before a Champions League night. With nearly 2,000 horsepower, it’s proof that British engineering is keeping up in this new electric age.

What’s wild is that these cars aren’t just breaking one or two records. They’re breaking multiple records-fastest acceleration, fastest quarter-mile times, even lap records on famous tracks. And they’re doing it in near silence, which makes the whole thing feel even more surreal. It’s like a spaceship has snuck onto the racetrack and blown everyone else away.

Why electric speed feels so different

Here’s something that doesn’t always come across when you just look at the numbers: the feeling of electric speed is nothing like what you get from petrol.

In a petrol car, speed is tied to noise and drama. The revs climb, gears clunk into place, the exhaust growls louder, and then you feel the push. With electric cars, none of that happens. You press the accelerator, and the car just launches. Smooth, instant, and almost eerie. It feels more like being yanked forward by a giant bungee cord than driving in the traditional sense.

Image: Kia EV6 by Alexander Migl, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Even in cars that aren’t headline-grabbing hypercars, that sensation is there. Take a Kia EV6 or Hyundai Ioniq 5-both cars we’ve had at Dace Motor Company. They’re family SUVs, not race cars, but when you put your foot down, they leap forward in a way that surprises people. It’s the sort of acceleration that makes you laugh out loud the first time you feel it.

Image: Hyundai Ioniq 5 by Alexander Migl, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The funny part is how sneaky it all feels. Because there’s no roar from the engine, you don’t always realise how fast you’re going until you check the speedometer. One moment you’re gliding along, the next you’re already at motorway speed joining the M60, wondering how on earth it happened so quickly.

And this instant speed isn’t just about thrills. It makes driving easier. Need to merge into a busy lane in Manchester? You’ve got the oomph to slot in safely. Trying to overtake on a country road near Cheshire? The power’s there the second you need it. It’s useful as much as it is fun.

So yeah, the record times and big top speeds make for great headlines. But the real revolution is in how electric cars make everyday driving feel. Smooth, effortless, and faster than most people expect.

Records today, normal tomorrow

You know how things that start off fancy eventually become everyday? Remember when having heated seats felt like pure luxury? Or when sat-nav was something only top-end cars had? Now, you’d expect those features in almost any car you buy. The same thing is happening with electric speed.

Right now, the record-breakers like the Rimac or Lotus cost millions. Most of us aren’t going to see one parked outside the Arndale anytime soon. But the technology that makes them so quick is already trickling down into cars that normal buyers can actually afford.

Image: Tesla Model 3 by Alexander-93, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Tesla Model 3 is a great example. It’s not cheap, but it’s in the price range of cars people genuinely buy, and it’s got performance that would’ve embarrassed supercars just ten years ago. The Polestar 2 is another one-Scandinavian design, everyday usability, and acceleration that’ll put a grin on your face every single time.

Image: Polestar 2 at Geneva Motor Show 2019 by Alexander Migl, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

This trickle-down effect is only going to keep happening. Electric motors are relatively simple compared to petrol engines. That means once the tech is developed, it’s easier to spread it across more models. In other words, what feels like an exotic performance feature today will feel normal tomorrow.

And this is a big deal for how people think about switching to electric. For a long time, the selling points were things like “better for the planet” or “saves money on fuel.” Important, sure, but not exactly thrilling. Now? Now the pitch can also be “it’s one of the fastest cars you’ll ever drive.” Suddenly, going electric isn’t a sacrifice. It feels like an upgrade.

Give it a few years, and we’ll look back and laugh at the idea that electric cars were ever seen as slow.

What it means for drivers in Stockport and Manchester

Alright, so here’s where it gets personal. What does all this record-breaking speed mean for folks in Stockport and Manchester? After all, it’s not like we’ve got endless runways to test top speeds, unless someone wants to turn Manchester Airport into a racetrack.

The thing is, the speed revolution is already shaping the cars you’ll actually see on the road. At our Greg Street site in Reddish, we’ve got rows of used electric cars-Audi, BMW, Volkswagen, Kia-that all deliver that instant acceleration we’ve been talking about. They might not hit 250 mph like a Rimac, but they’ll still make your daily drive feel fresh and exciting.

Imagine pulling out of a tricky junction near the Pyramid in Stockport. In a petrol car, you’d wait for the gap, put your foot down, and hope you’ve got enough pull. In an electric car, you’re gone. The power’s instant, so you feel safer and more confident. Or picture cruising into Manchester on the M62-when you need to overtake, you’ve got the performance right there, no fuss.

And let’s not ignore the practical side. Buying one of these cars doesn’t have to be stressful. At Dace Motor Company, we check prices daily, so you know you’re getting the best deal. We also offer soft-search finance checks, which means you can explore your options without messing up your credit score. Combine that with our in-house warranty, and you’ve got peace of mind too.

We’ve been around for over 25 years, serving the local community from Stockport to Manchester, and we’ve seen a lot of trends come and go. But this one? Electric cars-and especially their crazy speed-aren’t a fad. They’re the future. And the future is arriving quicker than most people realise.

So, whether you’re a car nut chasing thrills or just someone who wants a smooth, safe, and fun daily drive, electric cars are changing the game. And the best way to really get it? Come see for yourself. Because once you’ve felt that instant push in the back, you’ll understand why everyone’s talking about how electric cars are breaking records left, right, and centre.