What's the best EV for drifting?

Seems like a bit of an obvious point to make, but cars look much like they always did these days – wheels, check, windows, check, roof, check. A bit of swoopy styling here, a bold new interpretation of a familiar family face there. It’s under the skin that the revolution has happened, what with the switch to EV technology and that. 

It’s amazing what they can do with it all, electric motors all over the place simulating four-wheel drive, pretending to be little limited slip differentials or masquerading as brakes and recharging the batteries as you slow. It’s the same for us all, you can’t just do one thing anymore, you have to be multiskilled. 

The engineers who slaved over such trivialities as driving feel or roadholding ability have been made redundant in favour of armies of software specialists hunched over laptops eagerly replicating the feel of the mechanical things that went before.

You want an electric car that offers a cheeky bit of lift-off oversteer on track? No need to actually build one, just give those software teams a couple of weeks and they’ll add the setting four menus deep on the infotainment via your next over the air update.

The Genesis GV60 is a classic case in point. On the one hand, Genesis heralded the launch of its new electric SUV by highlighting design changes to the company grille that somehow showcase the firm’s “transition to the sustainable era”, and it drew attention to its judicious use of eco-friendly interior materials such as plant-based leather and recycled plastic bottles. Then it breathlessly detailed the Drift Mode that “provides athletic driving by optimising distribution of the driving power and braking system”. 

Baby steps towards saving the planet, obviously. That’s before we mention the Boost Mode that happens when you press a special button on the steering wheel, releasing extra power for 10 seconds like you’re in Mario Kart or something. No one needs to know that you're sat inside the car mashing the X button, mind. From the outside you'll look like a driving god.

It’s easy to forget that this is a two-tonne SUV. No, a two-tonne electric SUV. It has a 74kWh battery and an official range of 290 miles that however high it is you’ll still want to look after. Because that’s the EV driving mentality. Spunking it all on some tyre smoking antics? Unthinkable. Every time you show off the car’s 4.0secs 0–62mph time you can watch another 30 miles knocked off the remaining range readout.

At least you’ve got the option – that’s one nice thing about this new technology driven reality we find ourselves in, at least the car can rise or fall to the occasion depending on taste. What we’d really like alongside the Boost Mode button is some sort of OAP Mode that immediately puts the car into the most range-tastic, electricity sipping format possible. Because that’s all you need at 64mph in the inside lane. Vive la revolution.

Best EV for drifting – Genesis GV60 Sport Plus
Price: £67,505
Range: Up to 290 miles
Engine: 483bhp e-motors
Battery: 74kWh
Top speed: 146mph
0–62mph: 4.0secs
Boot space: 432 litres