Electric Cars Are Fun...?

When we think about electric cars, we don’t necessarily imagine them to be all that much fun. Yes, there’s plenty of talk about emissions, economy and efficiency but never much chat about cornering, speed or performance. There are exceptions, including the obvious Tesla cars and a few other electric exotica, but the mainstay electric car isn’t what most would call exciting.

Why? With sports like Formula E, things are set to change but it will take time before a title of ‘sporty’ will be applied to regular EVs. However, it is important not to ignore the effect sports cars and racing have on the public mindset. Indeed, sports cars have played a hugely important role in shaping the perception of fast cars, cornering ability and exhaust note.

SOME HISTORY

In the early days of motoring, horse and cart was the dominant transport. It wasn’t until many decades later that they would all but disappear from our streets. Even in the 1960’s horse and cart continued for some rudimentary deliveries. Although ‘horse and cart’ racing still exists in the form of harness races, it never quite caught fans’ imagination like automobile racing did. In the early days of petrol engines, distance or track racing played a huge role in spreading awareness that these machines were capable of more than the humble horse they replaced. The exciting speeds they achieved, the heart stopping thunderous noise and the bravery of drivers all captured the hearts and minds of nations across the world. More than one hundred years on, millions still tune in to watch a Formula One race, ready to watch some of the fastest cars on the planet, laden with cutting edge technology. They’re then ready to go out and purchase a car with the vague hope some of that technology has filtered down to their humble hatchback. And it works, too. Throughout history manufacturers have clambered over each other to prove their worth in racing and subsequently use their track wins to promote their road vehicles. Subaru put themselves onto the automotive map by entering into rally and winning. Audi has been the all-wheel drive hero, also in rally but more recently in the World Endurance Challenge races including the famed Le Mans 24 Hours.

THE EV ISSUE