The Volkswagen Golf R is a little beastie – when pitted against other gas hot hatches, but against EVs?
Here’s the deal: we know that EVs are very fast. Even the basic Nissan Leaf gets up and goes swiftly – at any elevation. The fact that we have a massive 1/4-mile drag race at a mile above sea level only impacts internal combustion vehicles. Still, the 2013 Volkswagen Golf R Mark VI is no slouch. It makes 256 horsepower and 243 lbs-feet of torque. Paired with a six-speed manual transmission and all-wheel drive (AWD) it flies off the line like a rocket.
2022 Mini SE EV
The front-wheel-drive Electric’s motor makes 181 horsepower and 199 lb-ft of torque, and sources power from a 28.9-kWh . Weighing in at 3,143 lbs, Mini says it can run from 0 to 60 mph in 6.9-seconds. It is rated at a maximum 114-mile driving range, and it has a small 32.64 kWh battery. It may not be a speedster among these vehicles, but it’s quicker than you might think.
2023 Kia EV6
Our Kia EV6 tester has a beefy 77.4 kWh battery, with a maximum estimated range of 310 miles. Being that our version has two electric motors and AWD, it has a combined output of 320 hp and 446 lb-ft. While it is very quick, it does weigh over 5,000 lbs. It’s more of a sport-wagon over a sporty crossover.
Volvo XC40 Recharge
Finally there’s the Volvo XC40 Recharge has two electric motors that make 402 hp and 486 lb-ft of torque – combined. It weighs 4,741 lbs, and has a 78 kWh battery. This setup gives you a maximum range of 223 miles. This Volvo is much more crossover/SUV-like than many competitors. It’s a glimpse into Volvo’s electrified future too.
In this epic series of races, we think the days of internal combustion hot hatches may be numbered.
