How Online Game Studios Design Racing Games for Electric Cars

For decades, racing games were built around the sound and feel of combustion engines: the rising howl through the gears, the downshift before a corner, the turbo whistle and the backfire. Electric cars change almost all of that. They accelerate instantly, have no gears to shift, make very little noise and carry heavy batteries low in the chassis. Online game studios building racing titles with electric cars have had to rethink how a car should feel.

I review in-car technology, and I play a lot of racing games, often to compare how they model the cars I drive. Here is how studios approach electric cars in online racing games.

Instant torque changes the driving model

The defining trait of an electric motor is that it delivers maximum torque from a standstill. In a racing game, that means launches are brutally quick and power is available at any speed without waiting for revs to build. Studios model this with torque curves that are flat at low speed and taper off at higher speed, quite different from the rising curves of petrol engines.

That instant torque also makes wheelspin and traction control more important. Games simulate electronic traction systems that limit power when tyres start to slip, and the best titles let players turn them down to feel the raw response. The physics behind this is covered in more depth in how online game physics models electric car acceleration.

No gears, new strategy

Most electric cars have a single-speed transmission. In a racing game, that removes gear shifting as a skill, which was a big part of the challenge in classic racers. Studios replace it with other strategic layers: energy management, regenerative braking strength and boost systems.

In electric racing series such as Formula E, energy management is central to race strategy. Games based on these series ask players to save energy on some laps to use it later, choose when to activate temporary power boosts and use braking to recover energy. That turns races into tactical puzzles as much as tests of speed.

Weight and handling

Batteries are heavy, and they sit low in the car. That gives electric cars a low centre of gravity but a high overall mass. In games, this translates into cars that feel planted and stable in steady corners but harder to stop and slower to change direction quickly. Good simulations model weight transfer carefully, so players feel the mass shifting under braking and turning.

Online racing games add another dimension: balancing electric cars against combustion cars in mixed classes. Developers adjust power, weight and energy limits so that both types are competitive, which is a constant tuning challenge.

Designing sound for near-silent cars

Sound was the biggest challenge. A real electric car at full acceleration makes a high-pitched whine from the motor and inverter, plus tyre and wind noise. That is accurate, but on its own it can feel underwhelming to players used to roaring engines. Studios record real electric cars and then design layered soundscapes that emphasise the motor whine, add texture and give players audio feedback about speed and load.

Some real electric cars now use artificial sounds too, both for pedestrian safety at low speed and for driver enjoyment, and game sound designers are often involved. We explore this in why online game sound designers now build electric car sounds.

Are electric racing games less exciting?

Some players argue that electric cars make racing games boring: no engine roar, no gear changes, no drama. I understand the nostalgia, but I think the argument underestimates what electric cars bring.

The instant acceleration produces dramatic launches and overtakes. Energy management adds a strategic layer missing from many traditional racers. And the challenge of controlling a heavy, very powerful car on the limit of grip is genuinely demanding. Electric racing games are different, not lesser. Players who give them a fair chance often find a new kind of skill to master.

Licensing and real data

Studios increasingly work with manufacturers to model real electric cars accurately, using data on power output, weight distribution and battery performance. Some manufacturers use racing games as marketing, launching new electric models in popular online racing titles before they reach showrooms. That gives players a first taste of a car they might later buy.

Online play and electric classes

In online racing games, electric car classes often create the closest racing, because single-speed transmissions and similar power delivery reduce differences between cars. Skill in braking, line choice and energy management decides results. Many online leagues now run dedicated electric series alongside traditional classes.

For players who also drive electric cars, these games are a safe place to explore how heavy, torque-rich cars behave at the limit, something you should never try on a public road. More in our Games section.