How come electric cars can accelerate so fast?

BERLIN: If you're sitting at a red traffic light that then turns green, you might not necessarily expect to be overtaken by an electric car.

That can happen though - as an electric motor's maximum available torque is almost completely available when it's accelerating from a standstill, according to Andreas Richter, an expert at the Electromobility Competence Centre at Dekra, a European vehicle inspection company.

Compared to conventional engines, electrics may have moments of inertia, but they don't have turbo lag or need time for the clutch or shifting gears.

However, many electric vehicles are limited to a certain speed to ensure they can achieve the furthest possible range.

All that means even if the engine is not particularly powerful, you can nip through city traffic pretty fast in an electric.

But if you're wanting to make frequent drives at higher speeds through country roads or on highways, you'd be well advised to take a careful look at the performance data when choosing the car, to make sure you'll still be able to accelerate quickly when you're further out and about, Richter says.