Electric vehicles offer shocking performance, and prove that the future is still abuzz for the car enthusiast.
With a climate crisis looming large over us all, humanity is quickly veering towards a future in which electric mobility is at the centre of how we get around. It is thus fair to say that we are at something of an inflection point, with the Electric Vehicle (EV) market in India at a very nascent stage. But, with momentum building and the future increasingly looking electric, we go hunting for EVs that set our pulses racing.
First up on the list, we have a (squints and checks notes) …Hyundai hatchback? Sorry, that can’t be right.
Except it is. And not just because of how it looks, a throwback to the iconic, boxy design of hatchbacks of yesteryear, such as the Lancia Delta Intgrale. All lines and rectangles, it’s a defiant look in the face of a sea of sharply sculpted angles.
But beyond that, it offers the perfect first stab at EV ownership to anyone new to the space. Sensible, spacious on the inside, and with enough ground clearance for most needs, the Ioniq 5 is a comfortable cruiser for the everyday that can quickly turn athletic when the mood possesses you. Its fat tyres and low center of gravity see it attack corners with poise, and it’ll do so while cossetting you in a sea of creature comforts that any modern driver demands. Fun frugality for the everyday; what’s not to like?
BMW i4
Coming from a glorious world of flat fours and sixes and V8s that yowl all the way to the redline, you’d think that an electrified future would leave BMW enthusiasts short-changed. You’d be flat wrong.
With its futuristic look and surprisingly athletic mannerisms, the Kia EV6 makes bold strides towards a future that is going to be all-electric. A fraternal twin of the Ioniq 5, the EV6 is a jack of all trades that should see it win over a lot of people. e interior is well appointed and spacious, and the AWD variant is capable of sprinting to 60 MPH in a brisk 5.2 seconds, with a range of a little more than 400 KMs.
But what is perhaps most surprising is the manner in which it attacks back roads, with a certain gusto and verve that encourages you to drive harder. But when you do want to trade in the running shoes for a pair of loafers or lounge slippers, the EV6 transforms from lusty to laidback, making it very easy to live with and great value for money.
Porsche Taycan 4S
Trust Porsche never to do half measures. Unwavering in their commitment to engineering excellence, it was never in any doubt that the Stuggart based automotive major would hit their first EV out of the park.
What is staggering is just how well Porsche made the transition to electric cars with the Taycan. But that should be no surprise, given how the sports carmaker pivoted to SUVs, and then executive sedans with great success. Make no mistake, the Taycan is worthy of sporting the Porsche crest on its hood.
Kia EV6
With its futuristic look and surprisingly athletic mannerisms, the Kia EV6 makes bold strides towards a future that is going to be all-electric. A fraternal twin of the Ioniq 5, the EV6 is a jack of all trades that should see it win over a lot of people. e interior is well appointed and spacious, and the AWD variant is capable of sprinting to 60 MPH in a brisk 5.2 seconds, with a range of a little more than 400 KMs. But what is perhaps most surprising is the manner. In which it attacks back roads, with a certain gusto and verve that encourages you to drive harder. But when you do want to trade in the running shoes for a pair of loafers or lounge slippers, the EV6 transforms from lusty to laidback, making it very easy to live with and great value for money.
Audi eTron GT
With a design that is reminiscent of the much-loved R8, Audi has looked to take a leaf out of its own playbook with the eTron GT. It looks and even feels like the Audi sports sedans that gained a major following, and packs 522 HP to help you get around quickly and in some style. In fact, there’s a mental 590 HP RS version that propels the car to 60 mph in less than 3.0 seconds. That’s proper supercar territory.
Steering feel, for so long an Achilles heel of Audi’s, is surprisingly present on this pocket rocket that stirs the emotions. But then, given it shares its platform, powertrain, and electrical architecture with the acclaimed Taycan, one would expect nothing less than excellence from the eTron. And with a driving range of up to 500 KMs, it’s ready to be your partner in crime as you tear up the highways.
Mercedes-AMG EQS 4Matic+
One can expect great things when AMG, the famed German tuning firm that infuses magic into all things Mercedes, cracks its knuckles and gets to work on the latest and greatest offering out of Baden-Württemberg.
And with that, we come to the eloquently christened Mercedes-AMG EQS 4Matic+, an all-electric, all-wheel drive, all-singing-and-dancing variant of the iconic S Class. Packing a meaty 751 horsepower, this electric flagship can dispatch the 60 MPH barrier in 3.0 seconds. Mercedes’ famed attention to detail sees it deliver a range of up to 580 km on a single charge, and can still deliver 450 KMs of driving range aer a full charge when driven consistently at 120 KMPH. Impressive.
Equally eye-catching is the Hyperscreen, a massive display running across the length of the dashboard that is quite unlike anything else. But then, one expects no less from an S Class, albeit its EV doppelganger.
BMW iX
As traditional carmakers go the electric route, they have the option of going one of two ways; they can either crame an EV’s innards into an existing car or just get back to the drawing board and make one from scratch. The iX clearly chose to go with the latter option on this one, eschewing all norms to create something that looks radically different. Even the electric motors are outside the norm, with current-excited motors used in lieu of permanent magnets, since the former removes the need for rare-earth magnets. But bolder still is the iX’s design, which has a hate it or love it look to it. But while the exterior is wildly polarising, there is no such debate about the interiors, which feels lavish and every bit as high end as the price tag would suggest. And of course, since it’s a BMW it goes like one too, with the 516-hp iX xDrive50 blasting past 60 mph in just 4.0 seconds. It’s not just the power delivery that’s outstanding either; it delivers approx. 520 KMs of driving range, marking it out as something special when you consider the entire
Jaguar I-Pace
When you cast your mind to Jaguar, what comes to mind is grace, pace, and space. And that sums up the I-Pace rather nicely. is all-electric crossover is quintessential Jaguar, oozing sensuality even at a standstill and driving with an eagerness that belies its frame. More sports car than SUV, even though it packs enough ground clearance for all except the most demanding drivers, the I-Pace can go up to 350 kilometers on a full charge which, while less than many others on this list, is enough for most. Packed with a smorgasbord of popular features and connectivity, the I-Pace is every bit as avant-garde on the inside as it is on the outside. Ample proof that EVs don’t need to be built boring, it hints at a brighter future for mobility, where fun and frugal can happily co-exist.
