EVs with the cheapest horsepower in Singapore , Lifestyle News

PUBLISHED ONOctober 15, 2023 10:15 AMByGoh Zhi Xuan

Among the flurry of information on a car's spec sheet, a few prominent numbers stand out from the others. These include the price, fuel economy, acceleration, and of course, the most important one — Horsepower.

While high horsepower doesn't guarantee performance (many other factors such as the weight of the vehicle, handling dynamics, torque and others affect the overall performance of a car), it is a widely accepted metric to determine a car's ability to go fast — at least in a straight line.

We have reached an era where simple electric motors are capable of matching the performance of complex engines with power adders...
PHOTO: sgCarMart

In the past, horsepower was difficult to come by — you'll need a large-capacity engine with a supercharger, or turbocharger, or multiple of them in order to produce large amounts of horsepower. However, attending the recent launch of the BYD Seal made one thing very clear: At a sub $300,000 price point, you can get an EV that produces over 500bhp — it seems like horsepower is much easier to come by these days.

However, no thanks to the insane COE prices, cars are much costlier as well — while the Octavia RS 245 topped the list as the car with the cheapest horsepower back in 2018, a brand new Octavia RS will cost you $264,900 while producing 241bhp, resulting in a cost per bhp of $1,099.

So, with this as a point of comparison, I've come up with a list of EVs that offer the cheapest horsepower (below $1,000/bhp) that you can buy today — remember, these 16 EVs offer horsepower at a lower cost than the Octavia RS, which is quite the value champion when it comes to performance cars!

1. BYD Seal Electric Performance

The dual motor Performance variant of the BYD Seal offers incredible performance at a truly attractive price, allowing it to top this list as the cheapest horsepower EV.
PHOTO: sgCarMart

Cost per bhp: $537
Price: $280,888
Power: 523bhp
Torque: 670Nm
0-100km/h: 3.8s
Drivetrain: Dual motor, all-wheel drive

2. Tesla Model 3 Electric Performance AWD

The dual motor Tesla Model 3 variant made huge waves on the internet with its supercar-beating acceleration when it was first introduced, and it also offers horsepower at an attractive price point!
PHOTO: sgCarMart

Cost per bhp: $595
Price: $301,258 (Cat B COE of $146,002)
Power: 506bhp
Torque: 660Nm
0-100km/h: 3.3s
Drivetrain: Dual motor, all-wheel drive

3. Tesla Model Y Electric Performance AWD

The Model Y is the SUV Tesla that was launched quite recently — with 527bhp of electric power, this is one quick SUV!
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Cost per bhp: $628
Price: $331,101 (Cat B COE of $146,002)
Power: 527bhp
0-100km/h: 3.7s
Drivetrain: Dual motor, all-wheel drive

4. Polestar 2 Electric Long Range Dual Motor Performance Pack

The dual motor Polestar 2 with Performance Pack isn't only fast, it has a set of adjustable Ohlins coilovers and monoblock Brembo brakes for incredible handling as well.
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Cost per bhp: $733
Price: $344,000
Power: 469bhp
Torque: 740Nm
0-100km/h: 4.2s
Drivetrain: Dual motor, all-wheel drive

5. Volvo C40 Electric Recharge Twin Ultimate

The C40 Electric is powered by the same powertrain that was found in the pre-facelift dual motor Polestar 2 — which design do you prefer, the Volvo, or the Polestar?
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Cost per bhp: $799
Price: $321,000
Power: 402bhp
Torque: 660Nm
0-100km/h: 4.7s
Drivetrain: Dual motor, all-wheel drive

6. BYD Seal Electric Premium

The single motor Premium BYD Seal is 200kg lighter than its dual motor brethren, thus allowing it to offer an even more agile performance, albeit with less power.
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Cost per bhp: $808
Price: $248,888
Power: 308bhp
Torque: 360Nm
0-100km/h: 5.9s
Drivetrain: Single motor, rear-wheel drive

7. Hyundai Ioniq 5 Electric Inspiration

The cool boxy looks of the Ioniq 5 has charmed many — this dual motor variant packs quite a punch as well!
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Cost per bhp: $884
Price: $283,800
Power: 321bhp
Torque: 605Nm
0-100km/h: 5.1s
Drivetrain: Dual motor, all-wheel drive

8. Hyundai Ioniq 6 Electric AWD

Unlike the boxy Ioniq 5, the Ioniq 6 has a sleek and streamlined body, and it is also only available with dual motors.
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Cost per bhp: $884
Price: $283,888
Power: 321bhp
Torque: 605Nm
0-100km/h: 5.1s
Drivetrain: Dual motor, all-wheel drive

9. Tesla Model 3 Electric RWD

Despite packing just one motor, the Tesla Model 3 isn't what you would call slow — it still puts out 279bhp and can complete the century sprint in just 6.1 seconds.
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Cost per bhp: $900
Price: $250,972 (Cat B COE of $146,002)
Power: 279bhp
Torque: 420Nm
0-100km/h: 6.1s
Drivetrain: Single motor, rear-wheel drive

10. Mercedes-Benz EQC Electric EQC400 4MATIC Sport (Parallel Import)

With 402bhp and 760Nm of torque, this is one pretty quick SUV!
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Cost per bhp: $900
Price: $362,000
Power: 402bhp
Torque: 760Nm
0-100km/h: 5.1s
Drivetrain: Dual motor, all-wheel drive

11. BMW i4 M50 Gran Coupe Electric

The i4 M50 isn't a 'full BMW M car', but it might as well be one considering the whopping 536bhp and 795Nm of torque it puts out to all four wheels.
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Cost per bhp: $903
Price: $483,888
Power: 536bhp
Torque: 795Nm
0-100km/h: 3.9s
Drivetrain: Dual motor, all-wheel drive

12. Tesla Model Y Electric RWD

Like the Model 3, the Model Y with single motor isn't a slow ride either, and it's almost $60,000 cheaper than the dual motor variant — that said, its cost per bhp isn't anywhere near as good.
PHOTO: sgCarMart

Cost per bhp: $945
Price: $278,838 (Cat B COE of $146,002)
Power: 295bhp
0-100km/h: 6.9s
Drivetrain: Single motor, rear-wheel drive

13. Mercedes-Benz EQE Electric EQE 53 4MATIC

1,000Nm of torque! Such figures used to be totally unheard of, but the EQE 53 manages to produce it, along with 677bhp.
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Cost per bhp: $950
Price: $642,888
Power: 677bhp
Torque: 1,000Nm
0-100km/h: 3.5s
Drivetrain: Dual motor, all-wheel drive

14. BMW iX1 electric xDrive30 M Sports Package (Parallel Import)

The iX1 is currently only offered by the Parallel Importers, and with 308bhp powering a crossover, you'd expect it to be pretty peppy!
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Cost per bhp: $971
Price: $299,000
Power: 308bhp
0-100km/h: 5.6s
Drivetrain: Dual motor, all-wheel drive

15. MG 4 EV Trophy Sport LR

The MG 4 EV has an unconventional and sleek design — the first time you spot one on the road, you would probably be wondering who made this good-looking car!
PHOTO: sgCarMart

Cost per bhp: $975
Price: $195,888
Power: 201bhp
Torque: 250Nm
0-100km/h: 7.9s
Drivetrain: Single motor, rear-wheel drive

16. Kia EV6 Electric GT-Line

The EV6 is yet another good looking EV with sleek lines — it is also built upon the E-GMP platform like the Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6.
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Cost per bhp: $988
Price: $316,999
Power: 321
Torque: 605Nm
0-100km/h: 5.2s
Drivetrain: Dual motor, all-wheel drive

Not convinced that EVs are the best bang for buck when it comes to power?

When we sought out the cars that offered the cheapest horsepower back in 2018, the star in the article was the Octavia RS 245, which offered a cost per bhp of $539 back then.

Today, even with the increase in car prices, the BYD Seal Performance puts out 523bhp at just $527 each despite the insane COE prices, clearly beating the value champion of the past.

Meanwhile, a typical internal combustion engine car such as the Tucson Hybrid has a cost per bhp of $1,040, and a sportier option that offers great value, such as the Subaru WRX, will still cost you $977 per bhp. It is pretty clear that if horsepower figure is what you seek, EVs are the clear choice in the current climate.

ALSO READ: New Subaru Crosstrek now available in Singapore

This article was first published in sgCarMart.

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