Are electric vehicles redefining "fun-to-drive" altogether

Be it the humble Tata Tiago EV or the mighty Jaguar I-Pace, EVs have one thing in common - instant torque!

BHPian DCEite recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Off late, EVs have taken the Indian car market by storm. Be it the humble Tiago EV or the mighty quick Jaguar I-Pace, EVs across the spectrum have one thing in common - Instant torque, zero lag and Fun to drive factor. Of course, not discussing the obvious traits of EVs like zero tailpipe emissions or silent drive.

Not too long ago, Fun to drive was associated only with high-revving Japanese engines like I-Vtec or torquey CRDi Turbocharged diesels, if we talk about mass-market cars. But the way today's affordable EVs drive and deliver instant acceleration, and in some cases Sub-10 second timings to 100kmph, there are a lot of converts (read Dieselheads and petrolheads), who are vouching for EVs.

And EVs are becoming more affordable with longer range, which is the icing on the cake. Even affordable segment/mid-range EVs like Nexon, XUV400 are boasting of sub-10-second 0-100kmph timings and incredible performance on tap. Something unheard of say a decade ago.

What is your take on EVs - purely from a performance perspective? Do you still miss the high and smooth-revving petrols or torquey turbocharged diesels after having experienced driving modern-day EVs?

Here's what GTO had to say about the matter:

I've said it before and will say it again. EVs will "democratize" performance. You could never buy an ICE car under 15 lakhs that did 0 - 100 in 7 seconds, but trust me, you will be able to buy EVs that will. Tata already claims a 0 - 100 under 9 seconds for the Nexon EV Max.

Personally, I find any car that is well-engineered to be fun to drive. I've had fun in supercars, AMGs & ///Ms, as much as I have with the Kushaq 1.5, i20 N-Line and Abarth Punto. Fun-to-drive is a state of mind. If you're in the zone, you can have fun with a 100 BHP car just like a 500 BHP car.

To answer your question, yes, I think EVs are redefining fun altogether. I love their acceleration, effortless performance (instant torque), smooth drive & zero emissions.

Once you drive a Tesla dual motor or any equivalent powerful EV (from the Model S to the Kia EV6), you are a convert. Trust me, I say this as a diehard 7000-rpm guy. I love EVs just like I love my fast turbo-petrols & big powerful 6-cylinder diesels.

I L-O-V-E CARS. Period. All kinds of cars.

Here's what BHPian naveenmani had to say about the matter:

If "Fun-to-Drive" means in-gear acceleration within city speed limits, then EVs are the successors of direct-injection turbo petrol with dual-clutch transmission cars.

Here's what BHPian CoolFire had to say about the matter:

Only factor missing in most powerful EVs is the right engine note we petrolheads are addicted to. New Bimmers with Hans Zimmer notes prove that is very much solvable. Give me a nice EV with such audio feedback and I am game.

Here's what BHPian srini1785 had to say about the matter:

EVs with their instant torque and better 0-100 times are ideal candidates for "Fun to drive" but they are also the outright first choice for the "difficult to repair" category.

Cars will soon be like home appliances which come with a "No serviceable components inside" warning. After all, repairing an SMD board, winding an electric motor or servicing a Li-Ion battery is not an FNG skill.

Here's what BHPian lamborghini had to say about the matter:

Definitely redefining fun to drive given the immense power available on hand: All of us are going to have to re-learn how to drive responsibly!

That being said, pure fun to drive has so many other factors that come into play - EVs, given their weight and massive power, seem to be preying on muscle car territory, but the real challenge is going to lie in tuning the ride and handling, higher speed acceleration (like on track days), etc.

Not to mention, there is a certain joy in working for the performance / handling as compared to the power being handed down on a platter coupled with a ton of safety assists to keep not-as-experienced drivers safe.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.