Record lap time set by electric supercar at Nurburgring
Chinese automaker NIO has taken its 1,342bhp all-electric EP9 supercar round the Nurburgring. Watch as it breaks the electric car lap record
The Chinese car manufacturer NIO’s EP9 all-electric supercar has set a world record lap time at the Nurburgring Nordschleife.
It completed the 13-mile track in six minutes and 45.9 seconds, which makes it the fastest electric car ever to go round the track.
The EP9 is powered by a one-megawatt electric motor, which produces the equivalent of 1,342bhp and can travel from a standstill to 124mph in an eye-watering 7.1 seconds.
The top speed is 194mph, putting the EP9 in direct rivalry with the Pagani Huayera, McLaren P1 and LaFerrari.
It costs from £1.15 million, with plans to build just 10 cars – each one being produced to individual specification.
Another car currently in NIO’s pipeline is a seven-seat SUV, which will be launched later this year for the Chinese market.
NIO also claims that by 2020 it will have unveiled a fully autonomous vehicle in the USA, with a programme of autonomous cars called ‘NIO EVE’ also being announced.
The EP9 had previously set a lap time of seven minutes and five seconds, but beat this by 19.22 seconds during a second attempt.
Gerry Hughes, head of performance programme and FE team principal for NIO, said: “The EP9’s new lap record is 19.22 seconds faster than its previous lap time.
“This is a fabulous achievement for NIO and I am very proud of the team that has worked tirelessly to achieve this accolade.”
NIO is a relatively new car company, founded just three years ago with a focus on purely electric-powered vehicles.
It employs more than 2,000 people in 12 different cities across the world, including San Jose, London, Munich and Shanghai.
By Aidan Rennie-Jones
