The 5 most exciting EVs to drive

From blistering performance saloons to go-anywhere adventure SUVs, these electric cars prove that driving fun and zero emissions are no longer mutually exclusive.

Ever feel like you couldn’t help looking admiringly your shoulder, as you walked away from your gen. 1 Prius? Likely not. All that has changed. EVs have reignited this feeling. The electric vehicle revolution has moved well beyond the era of modest, utilitarian transport; even the new Prius is eye-catching. In 2026, the best EVs on the market don’t just match their petrol-powered rivals — they surpass them for sheer driving excitement. Instant torque, ultra-low centres of gravity, and cutting-edge chassis engineering have combined to produce some of the most viscerally thrilling cars ever built. Whether you crave sports car precision, neck-snapping acceleration, or the confidence of a capable off-road machine, there is now an electric car built with you in mind.

These are the five most exciting electric vehicles to drive right now cars that will make you forget you ever needed a combustion engine.

If you are searching for the gold standard in electric performance driving, look no further. The Porsche Taycan has been the benchmark EV driver’s car since its debut, and the thoroughly updated 2025–2026 model takes every metric — power, range, and charging speed — to a new level. It received the most comprehensive refresh since its 2019 launch, adding more power, greater range and quicker charging across every variant.

Behind the wheel, the Taycan feels unlike any other electric car. A finely tuned two-speed rear gearbox, rear-axle steering, and an available active suspension conspire to deliver handling that is genuinely sports-car sharp — something no software update can replicate in a car not designed from the ground up with driving in mind. Consumer Reports praised it as speedy, responsive, and highly satisfying, while its 300 kW DC fast-charging acceptance rate means you spend far more time driving than you do plugged in.

The Taycan Turbo GT, with its 1,019 hp, holds production EV lap records at circuits around the world. For those who demand the most driver-focused electric experience available, it is, quite simply, unmatched.

A Plugged In Ride staff member owns a 911 turbo and they really like the Taycan. What makes it exciting? True sports car dynamics, sublime steering feel, and real-world usability wrapped in one iconic package.

A Plugged In Ride staff member used to own a 1990 CRx Si….or rather, it owned them. They would walk up to it and would feel the adrenalin coursing through their system. And after tossing it around corners, they couldn’t help looking over their shoulder, admiringly, as they walked away.

This could just be that car……reimagined.

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N is a revelation. Developed with input from Hyundai’s Nürburgring-based N Performance division, it takes the brilliant Ioniq 5 platform and transforms it into something that Edmunds called one of the best performance SUVs, period, electric or otherwise. That is not hyperbole. It is just as impressive on a twisty back road as it is rocketing away from a standing start.

What separates the N from lesser performance EVs is its suite of driver-engagement features. N Grin Boost unleashes maximum power for a short burst, while N e-shift simulates gearchanges with both haptic feedback through the steering wheel and artificial sound through the speakers. It sounds gimmicky; in practice, it adds a layer of engagement that keeps the experience fresh mile after mile. The electronically controlled limited-slip differential ensures traction is always deployed intelligently, whether you’re cornering hard on track or launching on a damp road.

Why it excites? Hot hatch DNA fused with a 641 hp electric powertrain — this is driver involvement reinvented for the electric age.

Plugged In Ride staff members have owned a 325i, an M3 (manual), an M6 (SMG) as well as a 635 csi (manual). They were all precise driving machines. They gave feedback and g-force grins. Can BMW capture their lineage in EV guise?

Well, sure.

BMW has built its reputation on producing the ultimate driving machines, and the i4 M50 is the clearest proof yet that electric and engaging are not mutually exclusive. Consumer Reports highlighted the i4 for its exciting speed, nimble cornering, and balanced suspension, and the M50 variant cranks all of that up to eleven with dual motors producing 536 hp.

Where the i4 M50 distinguishes itself is in how it rewards a driver on a challenging road. The rear-biased all-wheel-drive system, adaptive M suspension, and M-tuned steering deliver genuine feedback through the wheel. It feels connected, responsive, and alive in a way many EVs simply do not. Equally important: the remarkably quiet interior insulates occupants from road noise without feeling detached. Add rapid DC fast-charging — adding 65 miles in just 15 minutes and you have an EV that fits every dimension of daily life while still being a thrill to drive.

A buck-toothed beauty.

Why it excites? It looks like a BMW, drives like a BMW, and just happens to be electric. The complete daily driver.

A Plugged In Ride staff member currently owns a Land Rover Series III 88”. Every time I drive it, I smell like gas, I feel oily and I lose 3% of my hearing. And I love it. It will climb a wall or break through it. Can the modern EV bring that plus more than a semblance of safety and reliability?

No question.

The Rivian R1S is a paradox made real: a three-row family SUV that drives like a sports car and tackles terrain that would embarrass a dedicated off-roader. Edmunds described it as akin to an electric Range Rover, a luxurious SUV capable of doing serious off-roading and that comparison captures its split personality perfectly.

Equipped with the Quad-Motor setup, the R1S dispatches the 0–60 sprint in around 3.0 seconds. That figure is jaw-dropping for a vehicle of this size and weight. On road, Rivian’s software-defined torque vectoring keeps the R1S flat and planted through corners, while the air suspension adjusts ride height for motorway cruising, rock-crawling, or the perfect wading angle in a river crossing. The dedicated off-road modes including a low-range equivalent and an automatic mode that handles terrain selection for the driver are as impressive as any mechanical system.

Adventure awaits.

Why it excites? Supercar acceleration, family SUV practicality, and genuine off-road capability — all in one vehicle.

I’ve ridden my share of quick motors (bikes & cars). I know fast as do all car manufacturers. So who has them quaking in their finely stiched racing shoes?

Lucid.

The Lucid Air is what happens when a team of engineers, many of them formerly from Tesla and NASA, set out to build the most technologically advanced luxury sedan in the world with no constraints. The result is an electric car that rewrites the rulebook on range, performance, and interior sophistication simultaneously. Cars.com awarded it a remarkable 9.6 out of 10, making it the top-rated luxury electric car on the market.

Its 516-mile EPA-rated range on the Grand Touring trim obliterates the competition and, crucially, Lucid’s real-world figures are renowned for matching or exceeding official estimates. The Air Sapphire, the tri-motor flagship, produces over 1,200 hp and reaches 60 mph in under two seconds figures that require a moment to absorb. Yet even in standard trim, the Air delivers a ride quality described as stately and serene: a vast, glassy cockpit, whisper-quiet cruising, and a sensation of effortless, limitless power whenever the accelerator is pressed.

Yeah, it goes.

Why it excites? Range anxiety simply doesn’t exist here. Uncompromising luxury, record-breaking efficiency, and performance that defies belief.