Ever wondered if the Kia EV6 GT is faster than the Tesla Model 3 Performance in the quarter mile? Wonder no more because TFL raced them both for our amusement.
First and foremost, Tesla doesn’t publicly state the power and torque figures of the Model 3 Performance. Tommy Mica of The Fast Lane understands that somewhere in the ballpark of 475 horsepower is the most you can expect from this variant of the all-electric sedan, which weighs a couple of hundred pounds (90 kilograms) less than the South Korean e-utility vehicle.
With both cars showing an 83 percent state of charge, the quarter-mile sprint kicks off with a clearly better launch for the Model 3 Performance despite its narrower tires. The race concludes after 11.9 seconds at 117 miles per hour (188 kilometers per hour), with the Kia EV6 GT finishing second at a slightly higher speed. More specifically, 12.01 seconds at 119.7 miles per hour (192.6 kilometers per hour) according to the GPS timer.
The boys then compare these vehicles from a rolling start. From 30 miles per hour (just over 50 kilometers per hour) to the finish line, it couldn’t be closer between the Kia and Tesla. The EV6 GT ultimately wins by the smallest of margins, which is reassuring considering that it cranks out 576 horsepower and 545 pound-feet (739 Nm) of full song for the princely starting price of $61k.
The final test comes in the guise of a braking test on the unprepped surface of a runway in Colorado. From 60 miles per hour (97 kilometers per hour) to naught, the Kia comes to a halt in circa 94 feet (28.6 meters) compared to 99 feet (30.1 meters) for the lighter Tesla.
That’s 2:1 for the Kia, which is why the EV6 GT is offered the opportunity to drag race a sports car from the 1990s. The fifth-generation Corvette, to be more precise, driven by Tommy’s father. Even with a 2.5-second head start, the C5 is obliterated by the South Korean crossover. As opposed to low 12s and a higher quarter-mile trap speed, the Corvette had to settle for 15.63 seconds at 98 miles per hour (157.7 kilometers per hour). Shocking? For sure, but also rather predictable.
EVs by their very nature produce maximum torque pretty much instantly. The ‘Vette needs to build up some revs for that small-block V8 to come alive. What’s more, racing at one mile above sea level is detrimental to the free-breathing engine due to reduced oxygen in the air.
We also have to remember that General Motors used a four-speed automatic transmission back then, not a dual-clutch transaxle with eight forward ratios like the C8 has. A bit of a bargain on the used market, the C5 is the final ‘Vette to feature pop-up headlights. It, the Lotus Esprit, and De Tomaso Guara were all discontinued in 2004.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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