Most driving enthusiasts don’t see the transition from combustion to electric as something positive since they argue burning fuel is a lot of what makes a car fun. While there’s certainly some truth to that, electric vehicles can still be really enjoyable to drive, and 2024 is a year with several enthusiast-pleasing EVs launches.
Some try to imitate the performance combustion car driving experience with fake engine noises and shifting, but others embrace the silent surge of power that EVs are known for. Both approaches have merit, which you choose depends on your personal preference… and budget.
While the number of fun-to-drive electric cars has increased and will continue increasing, most of these performance EVs are still on the expensive side. Keen drivers on a budget have more limited options, although they do exist, and one of the most affordable driver’s EVs got a major overhaul this year.
Let’s take a look at all the new or refreshed performance EVs launched in 2024.
Porsche Taycan And Audi E-Tron GT Refresh
Photo by: Audi
The Porsche Taycan is one of the most engaging electric vehicles ever made, which feels like a proper Porsche through the bends even despite its extra weight. The manufacturer gave it more range and a lot more power for 2024, and it made other tweaks that made it even better to drive.
However, even though the refreshed Taycan builds upon an already excellent performance EV, they haven’t exactly been flying out of showrooms. The same can’t be said about its mechanical twin, the Audi E-Tron GT, which received a similar mid-lifecycle makeover in 2024 and saw a slight sales uptick in the third quarter of 2023 compared to Q3 2023.
But even if both are similar cars under the skin and the E-Tron GT is by far the best electric Audi to drive, the Taycan is still the driver’s choice. Porsche even offers a stripped-out, track-focused version without a back seat in the quest for lightness and the best possible lap times. The Taycan Turbo GT with the Weissach Package broke lap records around Laguna Seca and the Nurburgring Nordschleife this year.
MG Cyberster
Photo by: InisdeEVs: Alex Goy
Car journalists have often been critical of SAIC’s use of the MG name, which for decades was synonymous with two-seater sports cars. Now, nearly two decades after SAIC bought the rights to the MG name, during which time it mostly released fairly mundane family cars, it has finally launched a vehicle worthy of the brand’s heritage: the MG Cyberster.
At first glance, the Cyberster two-door roadster looks like a direct rival for the BMW Z4, which it is, but it’s also in a class of its own because it’s powered solely by electrons. We found a lot to like when we reviewed the Cyberster earlier this year, and while it’s not perfect, there’s nothing quite like it, and it’s definitely a step in the right direction for both MG and the electric sports car genre as a whole.
Xiaomi SU7
You probably don’t associate the Xiaomi name with cars, and there’s a good reason for that: its automotive division was only established in 2021. However, even if it’s a newcomer with no prior car-making experience, Xiaomi’s first model, the SU7, is aiming straight for the top of the sporty electric sedan category.
The Xiaomi SU7, which entered production at the very end of 2023, is a cut-price Porsche Taycan rival that promises EV driving thrills at a fraction of the cost. The base version, which has 295 horsepower and a sprint time from 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) of 5.3 seconds, costs just over $30,000 in China, which sounds like a great deal for a car that looks as sporty as it does.
At the other end of the SU7 lineup sits the SU7 Ultra, which is Xiaomi’s equivalent to the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT with the Weissach pack. This top version hasn’t been officially launched yet, but it promises ridiculous levels of power (1,527 hp) and Taycan-beating lap times. Earlier this year, an SU7 Ultra prototype beat the Taycan’s Nurburgring lap time, although it didn’t qualify as a production car, so the Porsche held on to its top spot, at least for now.
Hyundai Ioniq 5 N
Photo by: Chris Rosales / Motor1
One of the most pleasant performance EV surprises of the year was the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, which we were quite reserved about before getting behind the wheel. We thought it was too heavy to be a hoot around a track, and its simulated engine noise and gears seemed like a gimmick. But then we drove one, and our view completely changed.
While the fake combustion powertrain stuff may not be to everybody’s taste, it adds a new dimension to the EV driving experience. It doesn’t make the car any faster (it’s actually slower with the simulated stuff turned on), but you can always turn all the fakery off and enjoy the brutal punch of the Ioniq 5 N’s dual-motor powertrain that delivers 601 hp under normal driving, which goes up to 641 hp with the temporary but aptly named “N Grin Boost” feature enabled.
Lotus Emeya
Another Porsche Taycan rival from China launched this year is the Lotus Emeya, which is the manufacturer’s second China-made EV after the Eletre SUV and it’s built on the same 800-volt platform. Lotus doesn’t call the Emeya a sedan but rather a “hyper GT,” which actually describes the car pretty well.
It’s quite a heavy thing, weighing about 5,500 pounds in base form, and it’s not as good around the corners as the Lotus badge might have you believe, but it’s still a very fast and fun car. It can’t hold a candle to the lighter and more focused Taycan around a twisty road, but it’s a really good road trip machine.
The top Emeya R variant has 905 hp and 727 pound-feet of torque, enough for an acceleration time from 0 to 62 mph of under 2.8 seconds and a top speed of 159 mph. Lotus intended to sell the Emeya in the U.S., where it was slated to start at around $100,000, but the higher import tariffs on cars made in China may have put the brakes on the plan to sell it here.
Tesla Model 3 Performance Refresh
Photo by: Tesla
Tesla Model 3 Performance 2024
The Tesla Model 3 Performance was the best fast and attainable EV, and the “Highland” update made it even better. It not only has more power and a unique exterior and interior treatment (which the pre-refresh model didn’t have), but it drives better than before too. It’s also more comfortable than before thanks to a completely redesigned suspension and you can now also drive it quicker around twisty roads with imperfect tarmac.
You just can’t beat the Model 3 Performance for the money, which costs $54,990 or $47,490 with the $7,500 federal tax credit applied. For that you get a 510 hp dual-motor all-wheel-drive setup that can push the car to sixty in under 3 seconds and a top speed of 163 mph. It also comes with Track Mode V3, which not only features new calibration but also gives you a lot of control over the powertrain and the handling balance.
Mini Cooper SE
Photo by: InsideEVs/Andrei Nedelea
Mini launched an all-new, fully electric Cooper SE, the J01, this year and while it’s not as sporty as its predecessor based on the ICE version, it’s still a hoot to drive. We drove it in Europe earlier this year and found it a much more grown-up-feeling vehicle than before and a much better EV with more range.
It’s also more powerful than before, with up to 255 hp and 258 lb-ft in the top John Cooper Works model. It sprints to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 5.9 seconds and has a top speed of 124 mph. Even though it’s not quite as good as the older version through the corners, the latest electric Mini Cooper is still great fun to drive, putting a bigger smile on your face than some much more powerful and expensive EVs.
It’s another great EV that likely won’t reach the U.S. due to high import tariffs imposed on Chinese EVs. Mini originally announced that it would begin production of the J01 in Oxford and begin U.S. sales in 2026, but now that plan is up in the air.
Lucid Air Sapphire
Photo by: Lucid Motors
Even though production of the Lucid Air Sapphire started in the latter part of 2023, most of the people who ordered one took delivery in 2024. The Sapphire is the $250,000+ top variant of the Air sedan, and it’s currently the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT’s only true rival.
With its tri-motor all-wheel-drive setup pushing 1,234 hp, it slingshots itself to sixty in a whiplash-inducing 2 seconds (or 1.89 seconds with rollout), and it keeps you pinned to your seat all the way to its top speed of 205 mph. It’s also good through the corners, too, and one Sapphire was even spotted on the Nurburgring, likely chasing lap times and possibly a record.
You don’t have to pay for the Sapphire to experience the best of the Lucid Air, though. We drove the base Pure version, and it’s the one we recommend you get since it’s quick enough and still a lot of fun to drive, and its $71,400 starting price is a lot more palatable.
