A running performance control apparatus suitable for use in an electric vehicle, which is capable of restricting the running performance of the vehicle when the capacity of a battery of the vehicle is reduced to the preset residual capacity. The battery capacity reduced to the preset residual capacity is detected and a vehicle running state including the speed of a running vehicle and the acceleration of the vehicle, is detected. An operating state, including shift positions of a transmission of the vehicle and the degree of opening of a vehicle accelerator is detected. When the battery capacity is reduced to the preset residual capacity, it is determined whether the vehicle running state should be restricted. If the answer is determined to be Yes, then information indicative of the contents of a desired restriction datum of the running performance can be read from a storing device storing a plurality of restriction data each used to restrict the running performance of the vehicle on the basis of information indicative of the running state detected by a running state detecting device, and of information indicative of the operating state detected by an operating state detecting device, thereby making it possible to restrict the running performance of the vehicle.