Honestly, if you told a car enthusiast twenty years ago that we’d have street-legal machines pushing 2,000 horsepower, they’d have laughed you out of the room. Back then, the Bugatti Veyron was the "impossible" car because it hit 1,001. Now? That’s barely an entry-level figure in the hypercar stratosphere.
If you’re looking for the car with the most horsepower in the world, the answer depends entirely on whether you’re talking about a car you can actually buy, a prototype that exists on a track, or "vaporware" that only lives on a glossy website.
Right now, the crown for the most powerful production car you can technically own belongs to the Lotus Evija. Specifically, the Fittipaldi edition. It’s putting down a staggering 2,011 horsepower. That is not a typo. It’s a full-electric beast with four motors—one for each wheel—meaning it has more power in a single wheel than most high-performance sports cars have in their entire engine bay.
The Fight for the Horsepower Crown: 2,000 is the New 1,000
The numbers are getting stupid. There’s no other way to put it. We’ve reached a point where the tires can’t even handle the torque most of these cars produce. While the Lotus Evija currently sits at the top of the "officially in production" list, it’s being chased by some seriously heavy hitters.
Take the Rimac Nevera R, for example. Rimac just bumped the power on this refreshed version to 2,107 horsepower. If you’re keeping score, that technically edges out the Lotus, though deliveries and "production" status for these ultra-limited runs often overlap. The Nevera R isn't just about the raw number, though. It’s a rolling computer. It calculates torque at each wheel 100 times per second. Basically, it’s trying its hardest to keep you from flying off the road the moment you sneeze on the accelerator.
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Then there’s the Aspark Owl. This Japanese electric hypercar claims 1,984 horsepower. It’s so low to the ground you’d struggle to drive it over a flattened soda can, but it’s been clocking record-breaking speeds at testing grounds like Papenburg in Germany.
- Lotus Evija: 2,011 hp (Electric)
- Rimac Nevera R: 2,107 hp (Electric)
- Aspark Owl: 1,984 hp (Electric)
- Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut: 1,603 hp (E85 Gas)
What About the 5,000 Horsepower Myth?
You’ve probably seen the videos. The Devel Sixteen. It’s the car everyone talks about because the claims are literally unbelievable. They promised a V16 engine with 5,007 horsepower.
Is it the car with the most horsepower in the world? On paper, yes. In reality? It’s complicated.
The engine actually exists. Steve Morris Engines in Michigan built it and proved it on a dyno. It spat fire and hit those 5,000+ numbers. But putting that engine into a car that can actually drive on a road without melting its transmission or exploding its tires is a different story. As of 2026, the only "production" versions seen in the wild have been the V8 models with significantly less power. Until a customer actually takes delivery of a 5,000-hp V16 and drives it to a grocery store, most experts treat it as a legend rather than a record-holder.
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Combustion vs. Electric: The Great Power Divide
It’s interesting to see how the car with the most horsepower in the world has shifted from gas to electric. If you want the most power today, you’re almost certainly looking at an EV.
Electric motors provide instant torque. You don't have to wait for turbos to spoil or pistons to move. But there's a trade-off. These cars are heavy. The Rimac Nevera R weighs about 5,000 pounds because of the batteries.
On the flip side, you have the "analog" kings like the Hennessey Venom F5 or the Koenigsegg Jesko. The Jesko Absolut produces 1,603 horsepower when running on E85 biofuel. It’s "weaker" than the electric Lotus, but it’s much lighter and designed for a completely different sensation. It’s the difference between a silent rocket ship and a screaming mechanical monster.
Why Does All This Horsepower Even Matter?
You can't use 2,000 horsepower. Not on the street, anyway. Even on most tracks, you're limited by the grip of the rubber.
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So why do companies keep chasing the title of the car with the most horsepower in the world? It’s marketing, sure. But it’s also about pushing the limits of materials science. To handle 2,000 hp, you need specialized gearboxes, carbon-fiber tubs that won't twist under pressure, and cooling systems that look like they belong on a nuclear reactor.
The tech we see in a $2 million Lotus eventually trickles down. The inverter technology in a Rimac helps make the electric SUV you’ll buy in five years more efficient.
Actionable Insights for the Aspiring Collector (or Dreamer)
If you're actually in the market for one of these, or just want to sound like an expert at the next car meet, keep these points in mind:
- Horsepower isn't Top Speed: The Aspark Owl has nearly 2,000 hp but a lower top speed than the Koenigsegg Jesko, which has 400 hp less. Aerodynamics and gearing matter more than the raw number once you cross 200 mph.
- Check the Fuel: Many gas-powered hypercars only hit their "peak" horsepower on E85. If you put 91 octane in a Jesko, the power drops significantly.
- The 2,000 HP Club is Electric: If you want the absolute highest number on a spec sheet right now, you have to go electric. Internal combustion is hitting a physical wall that only electricity can bypass currently.
The landscape is changing fast. A few years ago, 1,500 hp was the ceiling. Now, we’re looking at 2,100 as the benchmark. Whether it's the Lotus Evija or a future Rimac, the car with the most horsepower in the world is a moving target that shows no signs of slowing down.
To stay ahead of the curve, keep an eye on official Guinness World Record attempts rather than manufacturer press releases. Most "records" are claimed in private sessions, but a true production record requires independent verification and a specific number of units sold to the public. For now, the Lotus and Rimac are the ones actually putting those thousands of horses on the pavement.