The Electric Vehicles You Could Be Driving Soon - News

The switch to electric vehicles (EVs) has brought out both the weird and the wonderful in our eyes. However, what we have been mainly interested in, is which cars do we think would be perfect out on the track.

For today's blog, and to coincide with World EV day, we therefore intend to dive into five different EVs, which are either already in production or look set to be released soon.

It is not all about the speed in our eyes here at TrackDays HQ. That would be too easy. Instead, we wanted to take a wider look at the proposed roster currently being offered to us so that we could provide a list of vehicles for all motoring enthusiasts.

From the nippy hatchback to the g-force inducing supercar, we hope these are enough to whet your appetite for what the future on our tracks could look like.

• Hyundai Ioniq 5N

First up is the recently announced Hyundai Ioniq 5N which is set to hit our roads towards the end of 2023.

Designed to mimic the conventional hot-hatch feel, Hyundai has worked hard to design systems which combat the weight issues many EVs face. The car has been designed from the ground up, with a particular focus on taking concepts from Hyundai's successful World Rally Championship (WRC) engineering.

Not only has Hyundai increased the bhp to 641 (up from 600), but it also has integrated drive axles which are inspired by the WRC team so that it is able to handle corners like a traditional hot hatch could. If its 'N Grin Boost' (yes, we recoiled when we found that out, too) is activated, then it will supposedly hit 0-62 mph in 3.2 seconds as well as putting the driver through 0.6Gs when the pedal hits the floor.

However, we are more interested in Hyundai's 'N-Race' mode, which within it allows the driver to further adapt their vehicle depending on the type of driving they want to do (sprint or endurance for example).

We hope that this car does deliver what it is currently claiming it can – we have an affinity for hot hatches and are hoping that track day fun in a smaller car won't die when internal combustion engines are phased out.

• Tesla Roadster

Elon Musk's Tesla still knows how to do EVs. Ever since we added the Model S P90d to our roster, we have continually been impressed by the acceleration this car produces – an incredible 0-60 mph in 2.6 seconds.

And the second-generation Tesla Roadster, scheduled for release towards the back end of 2024, has even more stomach-churning figures, with the company highlighting that it will achieve 0-60 mph in a mere 1.9 seconds! Throw in a reported quarter-mile time of 8.8 seconds and a top speed of over 250 mph and you have an EV which will thrill anyone who gets in the driving seat.

• Porsche Taycan

At the time of its release, the Tesla S Plaid was king of the roads, but Porsche's Taycan swiftly challenged Tesla's crown when it arrived on our roads.

The Taycan Turbo S has everything the S Plaid had – 0 to 60 in 2.8 seconds, as well as 751 bhp. However, the Taycan managed to demonstrate that it could repeatedly hit these figures again and again during a single drive.

What does this mean for us on the track? Well, each hairpin and turn you have to slow down means your exit will be like you're being shot out of a rocket, again, and again, and again.

Throw in Porsche's determination, and relative success, in ensuring that the weight issues which plague many EVs on the corners does not impact the Taycan's drive, we feel that this is a car our customers will love to take out for a ride.

• Concepts

We have tried to steer clear of concepts during our research, mainly due to their eccentric announcements and appearances which rarely match the end product, but we picked the next two cars purely to demonstrate a small flavour of the different cars on their way, and how each one will fit perfectly in our current garage.

The Taycan may have been out since 2019, and although the super saloon tag doesn't sound that desirable, we still look forward to seeing it out on our tracks in the future!

• Dodge Charger Daytona SRT (Concept)

American muscle cars are always a fan favourite. And with the arrival of EVs, many are worried about what will become of the roaring American engines we have all fallen in love with.

One car which fits into that bracket is the Dodge Charger, which has been screaming around our roads since 1966! Back in 2022, Dodge released its first glimpses of what was in charge for the Charger, and we cannot wait to see what will come to fruition from the information and design pictures provided so far.

While many manufacturers have opted for a more futuristic look, Dodge has blended the old with the new, providing a car which has all the wide aggression you expect from a Dodge, along with sleek lines and curves of the future.

In terms of speed, Dodge claims that its new 'Banshee' powertrain, an 800-volt propulsion system which will offer up 661 bhp to the driver.

But what about that American muscle car sound? Dodge announced that the SRT will include technology which provides a similar 128-decibel growl to that of the Hellcat. Due to its patent pending technology, rumours are that it will be more than just a speaker attached to the bottom of the car, instead serving some functionality in increasing performance as well.

However, will the fact that the sound isn't the product of a V8 engine be enough to win over its fans?

• Caterham Project V (Concept)

We pivot back to Britain for our final car, and Caterham picked none other than the Goodwood Festival of Speed to showcase what their EV offering to us could be.

Diverging from its roofless, minimalistic frame, Project V looks like a normal car in many of the typical senses that it now will have a roof and body wrapped around the chassis – which we know will put some fear into some Caterham enthusiasts.

However, in our opinion, any fears look likely to be dispelled once you get into the specifics of the car and are soaked in the new type of beauty unveiled to us. The car itself still holds onto the small dimensions we do associate with Caterham, with measurements coming in at 4.2 metres long, 1.9 wide and 1.2 tall.

While others are pushing for as much speed and acceleration as possible, it seems as if Caterham are also following a different route here, too, with the car coming in at just 1,190 kg; very light in the EV world.

Throw in the single-mounted 268 bhp motor towards the back of the car, and we feel this car could appease Caterham fan's appetite for a car that will still be extremely fun to drive.

All this fun may not be as far away as you think, with Caterham predicting that the Project V could hit our roads by late 2025.

• Conclusion

While many of these EVs may take a while to filter down into our garages, we feel the future is looking bright for cars out on our tracks. The type of vehicles may change, with roars of the engines being replaced by gut-punching acceleration instead, but we believe it will still be a hell of a lot of fun!

If you're interested in EVs and what they're like out on the track, visit our dedicated Tesla Driving Experiences page to book from available dates on our Tesla Experiences Calendar or through purchase of our Gift Vouchers.