Are Electric Race Cars Faster Than Gas?

It depends on what “faster” means. Electric race cars are often quicker off the line and can dominate short, technical sprints, but gas and hybrid race cars still lead on outright top speed, sustained lap pace on fast circuits, and endurance. The answer varies by metric (acceleration, top speed, lap time) and by the rules and tracks in each racing series.

Defining “fast”: acceleration, top speed, lap time, and race distance

Racing speed isn’t one thing. There’s the hit-you-in-the-chest launch (0–60 mph/0–100 km/h), maximum velocity on straights, average pace over a lap, and the ability to maintain speed over a race distance. Series regulations, track type (tight street circuit vs. high-speed permanent track), tires, aerodynamics, and energy strategy all influence the outcome as much as the powertrain itself.

Head-to-head by performance metric

Acceleration

Electric powertrains deliver maximum torque from zero RPM and can drive multiple wheels with precise control, which makes them exceptionally quick off the line. Recent examples: the Formula E Gen3 Evo package unveiled for the 2024–25 season targets about 1.86 seconds 0–60 mph in AWD qualifying/attack modes; the Rimac Nevera hypercar has posted sub‑2 second 0–60 mph runs and a raft of acceleration records; and the fan-assisted, electric McMurtry Spéirling has demonstrated sub‑1.5 second launches. By contrast, modern Formula 1 cars are traction-limited off the line—typically in the 2.2–2.6 second range to 60 mph—though they accelerate ferociously at higher speeds. One caveat: in ultimate drag racing, nitromethane Top Fuel and Funny Car machines (internal combustion) still out-accelerate everything over 1,000 feet, covering the distance in about 3.7 seconds at over 330 mph.

Top speed

At v‑max, combustion and hybrid race cars generally hold the edge. Formula 1 regularly exceeds 350 km/h (217 mph) and has recorded trap speeds around 370+ km/h on low-drag tracks. IndyCar oval qualifying averages top 380 km/h. Formula E’s Gen3/Gen3 Evo cars are limited by series rules to about 320 km/h (200 mph). Some EV hypercars can exceed 400 km/h in special runs—Rimac has verified 412 km/h (258 mph)—but sustained racing at such speeds remains rare due to energy and thermal management constraints.

Lap times on circuits

On fast permanent circuits, top-tier combustion/hybrid race cars are still quicker. The all-time Nürburgring lap record belongs to the Porsche 919 Hybrid Evo (5:19.546, 2018), and the street-legal Mercedes-AMG One (hybrid) set a production-car benchmark of 6:35. In production EVs, the Rimac Nevera set a 7:05.298 lap in 2023 for hypercars, while the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT with Weissach package ran 7:07.55 in 2024, a standout for four-door electric sedans. Formula E, built for tight street tracks and energy strategy, is much slower than F1 on the rare shared venue: around Monaco, FE laps are roughly 18–20 seconds off F1’s pace, reflecting different power, aero, tires, and circuit layouts used by each series.

Endurance and race distance

Over long distances, internal combustion and hybrid platforms remain dominant in top categories. The FIA World Endurance Championship and the 24 Hours of Le Mans run hybrid prototypes; there is no pure-EV class competing for overall wins, largely due to energy density and refueling/charging turnaround. Formula E races are typically around 45–60 minutes with strict energy management, whereas F1 Grands Prix run about two hours and ~305 km (outside Monaco). Until fast, race-ready charging or battery-swapping with competitive mass becomes viable for prototypes, endurance will favor fuel-based or hybrid solutions.

Where each powertrain is currently quicker

The relative advantage of electric versus gas/hybrid power changes with the kind of challenge—short bursts and grip-limited sprints versus high-speed, long-duration runs.

• Electric excels in short, technical sprints and launches: hillclimbs (e.g., Goodwood), Pikes Peak, autocross-like tracks, and standing-start challenges where instant torque and sophisticated traction strategies shine.
• Combustion/hybrids lead at high sustained speeds and over long stints: Formula 1, IndyCar, and top endurance prototypes benefit from quick refueling, energy-dense fuel, and aero optimized for high-speed circuits.
• Production-car benchmarks are mixed: EVs dominate 0–100 km/h and often the quarter-mile on street tires; ICE/hybrids set the fastest laps on long, high-speed circuits due to energy, aero, and thermal durability.

In other words, EVs tend to win the launch and the hill; ICE/hybrids still rule the boulevard of very high sustained speeds and the grind of endurance.

Notable records that illustrate the split

These milestones show where electric power already leads—and where combustion and hybrids remain supreme.

1. Pikes Peak overall record: Volkswagen I.D. R (electric), 7:57.148 in 2018, beating all prior combustion times at altitude.
2. Goodwood Hillclimb overall record: McMurtry Spéirling (electric fan car), 39.08 seconds in 2022.
3. Nürburgring all-time lap: Porsche 919 Hybrid Evo (hybrid ICE), 5:19.546 in 2018.
4. Nürburgring production-car benchmark: Mercedes-AMG One (hybrid ICE), 6:35.183 in 2022.
5. Nürburgring production EVs: Rimac Nevera 7:05.298 in 2023 (hypercar); Porsche Taycan Turbo GT with Weissach 7:07.55 in 2024 (four-door electric sedan).
6. Ultimate drag acceleration: NHRA Top Fuel (nitromethane ICE) to 1,000 feet in roughly 3.7 seconds at 330+ mph—quicker and faster than any EV over the same distance.
7. Formula comparisons: Formula E Gen3 Evo targets ~1.86 s 0–60 mph with AWD modes and ~320 km/h capped top speed; Formula 1 reaches 350+ km/h and laps much faster on Grand Prix circuits.

Taken together, the records show EVs already own some of the most acceleration- and traction-sensitive challenges, while combustion/hybrid machinery still sets the pace where peak speed, aero efficiency, and sustained energy throughput matter most.

Why the split exists: physics and rules

Battery energy density and heat rejection limit how long an EV can deliver peak power at racing mass, especially on fast tracks. Refueling a combustion car takes seconds; recharging or swapping at comparable mass/packaging is tougher today. Aerodynamics and tires also differ: many EV race series use street circuits and harder compounds to emphasize energy management. Finally, regulations shape outcomes—Formula E caps power and top speed for safety and show on tight courses; F1 and endurance prototypes are built for downforce and high sustained velocities.

Outlook

Advances in cell chemistry, thermal systems, power electronics, and ultra-fast charging could push EVs closer to parity in sustained lapping. Formula E’s Gen3 Evo adds AWD deployment for better launches; manufacturers continue to chip away at mass and heat. In parallel, hybrids and sustainable fuels are improving efficiency on the combustion side, keeping ICE relevant for high-speed and long-distance racing. Expect the boundary to keep moving: more EV hillclimb and sprint dominance, gradually stronger circuit pace, and, eventually, credible endurance EV/hybrid entries as technology matures.

Summary

Electric race cars can be faster in the ways that favor instant torque and traction—launches, hillclimbs, and short sprints—while gas and hybrid race cars are still faster at very high top speeds, on long, fast circuits, and across endurance distances. Performance today is as much about physics and energy logistics as it is about raw power, and the balance is shifting as technology and rules evolve.