Any time someone sets a Nürburgring lap time, the Internet will want to see the receipts. Electric vehicle startup NIO claimed that their EP9 supercar set a new electric vehicle lap record at the Nürburgring, so they released the whole, uncut lap in its eerily quiet future-whirring glory to back that claim up.
The most noticeable thing about this car is its noise—or how little high-pitched noise it actually emits. For this car to move that fast with just a little whirring is completely insane, particularly on long straights where it almost sounds more like a jet than a car. It’s easy to tell when the car’s tires are sliding, as that’s when it makes the most noise.
The EP9 lapped the Nürburgring’s Nordschleife course in 7 minutes and 5.12 seconds—nearly 17 seconds faster than the previous electric vehicle record.
Perhaps NIO was clever not to show the screens in the car, as that’s why Lamborghini keeps having to defend their Huracán Performante from lap time truthers. Either way, we’re glad to see more uncut ‘ring laps and data about them making the rounds as a result of Lambo’s mess.
Some will inevitably cry foul at NIO’s use of the racing slicks that are sold with the car to set this lap time, however, it’s still cool to an electric car startup actually building cars, setting lap times and pushing the boundaries of what you can do with new car technology.
Lap records seem to be NIO’s entire marketing strategy for the EP9 at the moment, having set both an autonomous as well as an electric lap record at Circuit of the Americas earlier this year, and recently claiming to set a 2:1.11 record lap time of Shanghai International Circuit with Formula E driver Oliver Turvey behind the wheel.
We’d love to see the full onboards of those, too. This car is so quick, it is actually crazy.