Electric vehicle manufacturers are producing and delivering extraordinary models for more adventurous car owners. In addition to the typical sedan or pickup truck, EV makers are rolling out sleek sports cars for speed demons or off-road vehicles for a more rugged and active lifestyle.
Car owners looking for fast EVs can look no further than the Model S Plaid's Tri-Motor All-Wheel Drive, which is the quickest accelerating EV in production today, Tesla claims. It accelerates from 0-60 miles per hour in 1.99 seconds, and reaches a top speed of up to 200 mph with a range of 396 miles on a charge. The Model S Plaid is currently priced at $108,490.
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Volkswagen (VWAGY) -) affiliate Porsche is Tesla's top competitor in the high performance EV category with a wide range of models from the Taycan with 402 hp and accelerating from 0-60 mph in 5.1 seconds at $90,900 to its fastest sportscar with the Taycan Turbo S with 750 hp, accelerating 0-60 in 2.6 seconds at a $194,900 price.
Another Volkswagen high performance EV challenges Tesla with the 2023 Audi e-Tron GT at 522 hp and accelerating 0-60 in 3.9 seconds and priced at $104,900.
South Korean EV maker Hyundai (HYMTF) -) has ambitious plans to compete with Tesla's Model S Plaid, Porsche's Taycan and Audi high performance EV vehicles as it on July 13 premiered its Ioniq 5 N high performance sportscar at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in West Sussex, England. The Ioniq 5 N will accelerate 0-62 mph (0-100 kmph) in 3.4 seconds with a top speed of 161 mph. Vehicle range will be revealed at regional market launch.
Ford
From High Performance to Off-Road
Hyundai did not list a starting price or delivery date for the high performance vehicle, but the 2024 model could arrive by the end of the year and the price should be higher than the highest priced Ioniq 5, possibly around $60,000.
In addition to high performance vehicles, Tesla also is a player in the off-road market with its All-Wheel Drive Model Y with the Off-Road Assist feature, which is designed to provide overall improvements when driving off-road.
Off-Road Assist balances the torque between the front and rear motors to optimize traction, according the Tesla Model Y Owner's Manual. Off-Road Assist improves traction on rough and soft surfaces where one side of the vehicle may lose traction while the other side still has traction. The accelerator pedal provides more gradual torque when Off-Road Assist is on, which is useful for crawling at low speeds like on rocky surfaces. When enabled, "Off-Road" displays on the touchscreen above the driving speed.
Ford Has an Off-Road Model
Ford (F) -), a top competitor for Tesla's new Cybertruck as the No. 2 seller of EV pickup trucks behind Rivian (RIVN) -), is entering the off-road market as well. Dearborn, Mich., EV maker introduced its Ford Mustang Mach-E Rally at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
The first rally-inspired electric SUV made by Ford will be available for order in the fall of 2023, the company said in a statement. The company's website did not have any details about range, speed or price at this time. Current prices of Mustang Mach-E vehicles range from $42,995 for the Select model to $59,995 for the GT model. Buyers can expect the Rally to be priced higher in the $60,000 range.
