Thanks to their instant torque, electric performance cars are faster off the line than their combustion-powered counterparts. To illustrate this, a BMW dealership in the Netherlands staged a drag race between the new G80 BMW M3 Competition and the BMW i4 M50, the first fully-electric BMW M performance model.

Frankly, this drag race was always going to be a forgone conclusion, but we'll remind you of the specifications anyway. Under the hood, the BMW M3 Competition is powered by a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged straight-six pumping out 503 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque. Power is sent to the rear wheels through an eight-speed automatic.

Alternatively, an all-wheel-drive xDrive variant is also available. With AWD, the M3 Competition will accelerate from 0-60 mph in 3.4 seconds while the slower RWD variant will do the same sprint in 3.8 seconds. Top speed is capped at 180 mph with the M Driver's Package installed.

For comparison, the fully electric i4 M50 has dual motors combining to produce 536 hp and 586 lb-ft, with power being sent to all four wheels. With this setup, the i4 M50 will accelerate from 0-60 mph in 3.7 seconds. Pitting the i4 M50 against the M3 Competition xDrive would have made for a more evenly matched duel, but, for some reason, the dealer uses the RWD version in the drag race instead.

Thanks to its superior traction and instant torque, the i4 M50 rockets off the line and leaves the M3 Competition for dust. It's an easy victory for the i40, which gains a huge lead and utterly annihilates the M3 Competition. The combustion-powered sports car never stood a chance, especially on a wet track. The drag race only lasts 0.25 miles too, so it would be interesting to see if the M3 can catch up with the i4 M50 over a quarter-mile.

We would like to see a rematch on a dry track with an AWD M3 Competition and a longer drag race that lasts a quarter of a mile. While the i40 M50 is quicker off the line, it's around 1,200 pounds heavier than the M3, so the M3 Competition is still the car of choice if you want to set the fastest lap times.