Electric Vehicle Power: Beyond the Tesla Model S
If you’re looking to buy an electric car that packs power and offers a solid driving range, the Tesla Model S is a strong contender. While not much has changed for the 2026 model year compared to its predecessor, one of the key defining features of the Model S is the power that it outputs. The 2026 Model S comes in two trims: A base 670-horsepower (hp) trim, which is more than enough for a daily driver, and, for performance enthusiasts, the Model S Plaid offers 1,020 hp and can sprint to 60 mph from a stop in just under 2 seconds.
No matter the trim you choose, the Model S sends power to all four wheels, and multiple reviewers have found it snappy when accelerating. In fact, Edmunds says the Model S is one of the quickest cars they have ever driven, a remarkable achievement considering the team independently reviews more than 300 cars every year. Car and Driver also notes the Model S’s impressive range, up to 410 miles.
More Powerful EVs
While the Tesla Model S’s 1,020 hp and 1.99-second sprint from 0 to 60 mph are impressive, more powerful EVs exist. Here are some models that surpass the Model S Plaid in terms of raw horsepower:
2026 Lucid Air
As a direct competitor to the Model S, the 2026 Lucid Air offers even more power, wrapped in a package that is leading the way for other electric sedans in terms of luxury. The 2026 version is available in four trims: Air Pure, Air Touring, Air Grand Touring, and Air Sapphire. Fully equipped, the Air Sapphire packs the most power, boasting 1,234 hp, over 254 more hp than the Model S.
The Air Sapphire has a top speed of 205 mph and can go from 0 to 60 mph in 1.89 seconds, a tenth of a second faster than Tesla’s most powerful Model S Plaid. The Air also offers one of the longest ranges in the class, with an EPA-estimated range of 427 miles in the Sapphire trim. However, the fully-specced Sapphire model comes with a price tag of $249,000.
2026 Rimac Nevera
Unlike the Lucid Air or the Tesla Model S, the Rimac Nevera is an electric hypercar focused on speed and power. It offers up to 2,107 hp, more than double what you get in the Model S Plaid. The Nevera sells in two trims, with the base entry-level Nevera developing up to 1,914 hp.
The most powerful trim, the Nevera R, offers 2,107 hp. With such impressive horsepower figures, the Rimac Nevera can do 0 to 60 mph in 1.74 seconds in the base trim and 1.66 seconds in the top-end R trim. The Nevera R has a top speed of 267 mph. However, with its focus on performance, the Nevera isn’t as practical for daily driving as the Model S, and it’s estimated to start at over $2 million.
Yangwang U9 Xtreme
The Yangwang U9 Xtreme, produced by the luxury brand of Chinese EV maker BYD, is an electric hypercar that produces almost three times as much horsepower as the Tesla Model S Plaid. Four electric motors power the U9 Xtreme, enabling it to develop over 3,000 hp.
The U9 Xtreme has a claimed top speed of 308.4 mph, surpassing the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport’s 304.8 mph record set in 2019. It also set the fastest time of a production car (6 minutes and 59 seconds) at the Nürburgring. However, BYD plans to make only 30 units, making it extremely exclusive.
Aspark Owl Roadster
Founded in Japan in 2005, Aspark has been in the EV game for a while. The Owl Roadster is an open-roof hypercar powered by four motors, outputting a maximum of 1,953 hp. With nearly twice the horsepower offered by the Model S, the Aspark Owl Roadster claims a 0 to 60 mph time of just 1.72 seconds and a top speed of 256 mph.
The company debuted the Owl Roadster in October 2025 and plans to make only 20 units.
2026 Lotus Evija
The Lotus Evija is a hypercar that delivers more power than the Model S. It has four electric motors, which output a total of 2,011 hp. Lotus claims the Evija can sprint to 60 mph from 0 in under 2 seconds.
Production of the Evija is limited to just 130 units. While legal to drive on roads in Europe, it is not currently legal in the U.S., and a unit will cost around $2.4 million.
How We Selected These EVs
For this list, we used horsepower as the guiding factor. We determined the maximum hp offered by the latest Model S (1,020 hp) and then searched for fully electric models offering better figures. We prioritized horsepower, even if it meant including cars not practical for daily driving, such as hypercars optimized for speed and performance.