> Electric is unmatched for instant torque, but the current battery technology makes electric unsuitable for sustained high speed. Well, not really (see Formul

> Electric is unmatched for instant torque, but the current battery technology makes electric unsuitable for sustained high speed. Well, not really (see Formula-E). If you want a battery that can sustain high power output (high specific power, e.g. LiFePO4), you have to go to a different chemistry than what Tesla uses (high specific energy, LiNiCoAlO2). Tesla could make a Model S that went fast around a racetrack, but it would mean sacrificing range. Since the 0-60 is mainly a gimmick, it's not worth sacrifising usability for. > The lack of transmission gives a distinct advantage in surprise-passing a gasoline sports car. Not sure if the advantage is that great: in the case of a modern >250 hp gasoline sports car with the de rigueur dual-clutch semiautomatic gearbox, the person in the sports car would plant their foot and be in the engine's optimal torque band within ~0.3 seconds. So I doubt there is a disadvantage of the equivalently-powered gasoline sportscar in this situation that is not dwarfed by the noise of human reaction times.