According to Tesla, the Model S Plaid accelerates from 0 to 100 in 1.99 seconds, but in everyday driving that doesn't really matter.

Don’t get me wrong. That’s faster than the time it takes to read this sentence. It’s a marvel of engineering. And while that kind of acceleration used to be the preserve of race cars and fighter jets, it’s now available to the masses, thanks to electric motors. They’re excellent torque machines, and if a carmaker has the will, they can build vehicles that accelerate from zero to sixty times faster than drivers.

But they shouldn’t. The desire to hit that 60 mph faster and faster makes sense for a race car or a luxury sports car. Just because we can, doesn’t mean we should, and the EV acceleration race is essentially pointless in everyday driving. We’re not going to the racetrack, we’re commuting to work and going to the grocery store to buy groceries. It’s time to focus on handling, suspension and range, before breakneck acceleration.

Everyone thinks they are a great driver. The reality is a bit more sobering. We get better at a task based on repetition, and that is only if we are willing to focus on improving our skills. Driving on the highway and cruising around town does not give you the skills to drive a high-performance vehicle.