Acceleration to 30 mph

Sports cars are typically compared by their acceleration, handling and braking performance.

Electric cars use their motors for additional braking power, and, EVs don’t exhibit much body roll in fast corners thanks to the weight placed very low in the car (batteries inside the floor). More important than the 0-60 mph acceleration is the 0-30 mph sprint because it can be enjoyed everywhere.

It should be noted that the “0–… mph” times published in the US are often not measured from a standstill. In many cases, a rollout is used, which allows the car to reach 30 mph (and 60 mph) about a quarter of a second faster than it would from rest. The best journalists don't hide it, they write: "The car crosses 1-foot mark and official timing starts. The car is traveling at 5.9 mph" or "we subtract a '1-foot' (about 11.5 inches in reality) rollout". Additionally, Tesla mandated that the Model S Plaid’s acceleration time be measured on blacktop treated with a high-grip surface compound.

For a more consistent comparison, we have also collected data from Germany and other countries where times are measured from a true standstill on normal road surfaces. For reference, see the test results for 0-50 km/h (0-32 mph).