The Lotus Evija has rewritten the rulebook on hypercar performance. Following its full Autocar road test debut, the all-electric British masterpiece now officially holds the crown for the fastest accelerating production car the magazine has ever tested – and by quite some margin.
A New Era of Hypercar Performance
Autocar’s definitive road test – a benchmark in motoring journalism since 1928 – has seen some incredible machines over the years. Yet none have delivered numbers like these.
The 2025 Lotus Evija, priced at £2 million and powered by a staggering 2,013bhp, has not only topped every major acceleration metric but also redefined what electric performance really means. It’s the first all-electric car to set a clean sweep of records in the test – from 0-150mph to a standing kilometre – eclipsing legends like the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport, McLaren F1, and Ferrari SF90 Stradale.
Key Performance Highlights
Here’s what makes the Evija’s Autocar test results so jaw-dropping:
- 0-150mph: 7.7 seconds
- 0-200mph: 13.0 seconds (a full 9.2 seconds quicker than the Veyron Super Sport)
- Standing Quarter-Mile: 9.5 seconds at 171.6mph
- Standing Kilometre: 16.2 seconds at 217.4mph
Even more impressively, the Evija covers the 150-180mph sprint in just 2.7 seconds – that’s quicker than many sports saloons take to get from 60 to 90mph.
And it doesn’t just go fast – it does so with confidence. It hits its 217.4mph speed limiter within a standing kilometre, giving it plenty of braking room within a standing mile. That’s control, not just chaos.
Why the Evija Matters
The hypercar world has changed. Where once top speed was king, modern engineering has shifted focus to all-round performance, usability, and, more recently, electrification. Lotus has embraced that shift – and made it thrilling.
While other carmakers chase lap times or efficiency, Lotus zeroed in on a raw yet elegant display of electric torque. As Autocar’s road test editor Matt Saunders puts it:
“Some have opted for outright circuit pace, but Lotus chose something powerful electric motors could be truly exceptional at: the 0-200mph, standing-kilometre drag-strip blast.”
That choice has paid off. Compared to the Veyron’s leap in 2011, the Evija’s performance leap in 2025 is twice as significant. It’s a bold step forward not just for Lotus, but for electric performance cars as a whole.
The Competition? Not Even Close
Let’s take a quick look at who the Evija beat:
0-150mph
0–200mph
- Veyron Super Sport – 22.2s
- McLaren F1 – 28.0s
Standing Kilometre
- Lamborghini Revuelto – 17.7s
- Ferrari SF90 – 17.9s
- Tesla Model S Plaid – 17.9s
The Evija didn’t just beat the competition – it obliterated them.
Designed to Be Different
So how does the Evija achieve these results? It’s not just brute force. The car’s four electric motors and precision torque vectoring deliver extraordinary grip, response, and acceleration. Its lightweight carbon-fibre monocoque keeps things agile, while the battery pack is designed to deliver sustained power without performance drop-off.
Importantly, it’s also road legal. This isn’t a track toy. It’s a functional, drivable electric hypercar that just happens to go faster than anything else in its class.
Final Thoughts
The Evija’s performance in Autocar’s road test has elevated Lotus to the very top of the hypercar world. It’s about engineering excellence, vision, and British ingenuity.
For a company once known for featherweight sports cars, this is a landmark moment. The Evija proves that speed, sustainability, and style can live in harmony.
What do you think?
Can any rival truly challenge the Evija’s numbers – or has Lotus already set a new benchmark that others can only chase? Could this be the beginning of a new electric era for hypercars? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
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