EVs are changing the rules of power
When a high-horsepower vehicle comes to mind, the typical association made by most is “that must be expensive,” which is true. However, in our modern age of cars, especially EVs, the landscape has changed entirely.
In the 1990s and 2000s, car manufacturers fought each other over who produced the most power and who had the highest top speed.
In 2005, the Bugatti Veyron shocked the whole world by breaking the production car top speed record at 253 miles per hour, with a 0-60 time of 2.4 seconds from a quad turbocharged W16 engine producing 1,001 horsepower and approximately 922 pound-feet of torque.
This was a super car that cost over $1.23 million in 2005, which adjusted for inflation in 2025, is a little over $2 million.
Of course other factors added to its uniqueness, such as the resurrection of the brand, materials, production number and so forth. But the center of attention was how much power it delivered, along with its top speed, and most importantly, that a road-legal production car was capable of such things.
Fast forward to 2025 to a brand new top trim level Rivian R1S Quad SUV that is capable of holding seven occupants and cargo while producing 1,025 horsepower and 1,198 lb.-ft. of torque, with a 0-60 MPH in 2.6 seconds. It only costs $121,990.
Since the adoption of EVs, gone is the image of a slow toaster with wheels. Straight-line speed has become an expected by-product of EVs these days and along with it, introduced a new playing field to the market.
This is the first time true high-horsepower vehicles have become democratized for the masses.
Even common commuter entry base model EVs have more than enough horsepower, ranging from 250 to 500 depending on the brand. Because the torque from the electric motor is instant off the line, there is no lag as there is with an internal combustion engine.
On the used market, many of these cars can be had for a significantly lower price, which is mind-boggling considering the amount of power accessible for a common person to use on the road.
As the performance bar has risen over the years, even internal combustion vehicles have progressed to have more power at a lower price. But nothing compares to the price-to-horsepower ratio of an EV.
Accessible horsepower in the form of average commuter vehicles has become a norm for those driving around us. Regardless of how it looks, power is power and demands responsibility when using it, and democratizing it should not alter how we all perceive it.