Tesla Model Y, Kia EV6 GT and the other top 5 new electrics cars that offer the most power for your dollar

Look down at your feet. You're standing on the threshold of a new age where an electric Hyundai SUV can have Lamborghini power and acceleration without the supercar price.

Hyundai's new electric Ioniq 5 N Performance arrives in Australia next year packed with 478kW or 640 horsepower. Just to put that in perspective, the current Lamborghini Huracan Evo with its V10 petrol engine makes 470kW.

So that had us thinking: which electric vehicle offers the most power for the price?

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We set a price limit of $100,000 and sifted through every new electric car on the market and worked out which offered the most kilowatts per dollar, which we've called the power-price rate (kW/$).

We've also done a separate top five for petrol cars and it revealed some big surprises from the Kia Carnival to the Ford Mustang.

Hyundai’s new electric Ioniq 5 N Performance arrives in Australia next year packed with 478kW or 640 horsepower.

We've kept this top five EV-only because as we step forward into the future, we'll see how the colossal outputs of electric motors can put our combustion engine heroes to shame, even if they fall short in the sound and soul in this petrol head's eyes.

So behold! Here's the top-five list of Australia's best power-for-your-dollar new electric cars.

The Model Y Performance with all-wheel drive has two electric motors with a combined output of 393kW and 660Nm.

5. 2023 Tesla Model Y Performance AWD

Price: $92,020
Power: 393kW
Power-price rate: 0.00427kW/$

Regardless of what you think of Elon Musk, the Tesla CEO has arguably done more for EVs than electricity itself with his sexy and fast accelerating cars becoming more and more affordable.

The Tesla Model Y has been a global hit. This mid-sized electric SUV is the most popular car in Europe and is constantly in Australia's monthly top five best-selling vehicles.

The Model Y Performance with all-wheel drive has two electric motors with a combined output of 393kW and 660Nm. The price is a lot higher than the entry-grade Model Y at $92K but still the power-to-dollar ratio is excellent. The 0-100km/h time is 3.7 seconds.

It’s the EV6 and more specifically the GT version which makes it into our power-for-you-dollar top five.

4. 2023 Kia EV6 GT Auto AWD

Price: $99,590
Power: 430kW
Power-price rate: 0.004317kW/$

Kia has made us all do a double take with the pace at which it's rolling out electric cars, from the little Niro to the large EV9. But it's the EV6 and more specifically the GT version which makes it into our power-for-you-dollar top five.

Well, at $99,590 the EV6 GT just scrapes into our top five, but with a whopping 430kW and 740Nm this mid-sized family SUV has more power than any of the entrants in our petrol car top five. With a 0-100km/h time of 3.5 seconds it's also faster accelerating than any our top 5 combustion cars, too.

The EX30 Twin Performance Ultra all-wheel drive is a small SUV with an enormous 315kW and 543Nm.

3. Volvo EX30 Twin Performance Ultra AWD

Price: $69,990
Power: 315kW
Power-price rate: 0.0045kW/$

In further proof that the EV world is a topsy-turvy place, the Kia in our top five is the most expensive and the Volvo is actually the most affordable. In this case we're talking about the EX30 Twin Performance Ultra.

The EX30 Twin Performance Ultra all-wheel drive is a small SUV with an enormous 315kW and 543Nm being made from its two electric motors. That's outrageous grunt for something not much longer than a loungeroom couch.

That's enough mumbo to get the little Volvo from 0-100km/h in 3.6 seconds.

The maths doesn’t lie because this more affordable grade of the Model Y still packs a massively meaty punch with 378kW of combined power.

2. 2023 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD

Price: $78,400
Power: 378kW
Power-price rate:  0.004821kW/$

You didn't think there'd be just one Tesla in here, did you? Well, the maths doesn't lie because this more affordable grade of the Model Y still packs a massively meaty punch with 378kW of combined power from both its motors but lists for a relatively low $78,400.

Acceleration is still brisk with 0-100km/h coming in five seconds but in this gang of give it's the slowest car here.

The winner of our top five power-for-your dollar EVs isn’t the most powerful, but it is one of the most affordable.

1. 2023 Tesla Model 3 Long Range AWD

Price: $70,400
Power: 366kW
Power-price rate: 0.005198kW/$

And the winner of our top five power-for-your dollar EVs isn't the most powerful, but it is one of the most affordable while offering a still ridiculous amount of oomph - the Tesla Model 3 Long Range with all-wheel drive.

With two electric motors making 366kW for a list price of $70,400 you're getting tremendously good power for money and acceleration isn't too shabby at 4.4 seconds for the 0-100km/h sprint.