The World's Fastest Electric Car Isn't a Tesla. It's This Sexy Beast

Jason Siu
by Jason Siu

Say hello to the NIO EP9, what is being touted as the world’s fastest electric car.

NIO is a new global brand from Chinese automaker NextEV, with the EP9 electric supercar helping launch the new nameplate. According to NIO, the “visionary electric car brand will help users rediscover the ‘joyful lifestyle’ of car ownership by creating inspiring vehicles that deliver superior performance, a new benchmark for aesthetic design and unique user experiences.”

So far it’s hard to argue that the NIO EP9 doesn’t hit high marks in all those categories, having set a Nurburgring lap record for electric vehicles, turning in a time of 7:05.12. If you want to put that into persepective, that’s faster than a Nissan GT-R NISMO that has documented 7:08.679 lap time. In addition, the EP9 smashed the EV record at Circuit Paul Ricard in France, recording a time of 1:57.78, besting the previous record by 2:40.

SEE ALSO: What Is This Crazy Supercar and When Can We Have It?

The two-seater, fully-electric supercar has four-wheel drive and delivers the equivalent of 1,341 horsepower while tipping the scales at 3,825 pounds (1,735 kilograms). All of this combines for a zero-to-62 mph (0-100 km/h) time of 2.7 seconds on its way to a top speed of 195 mph (313 km/h). Its quarter-mile time is nothing to glance over either, turning in an impressive 10.1 at 155 mph.

The supercar boasts four inboard motors and four individual gear boxes along with torque vectoring. It even has a 265-mile (427 kilometer) range and has been built to FIA LMP1 safety standards.

“Today we launched our electric supercar that broke the record at the Nordschliefe. The NIO EP9 was born to push limits and is the first stage of automotive production for NIO,” said NextEV founder and chairman, William Li. “It is a statement of our vision and technical and manufacturing capabilities. It is a best-in-class product that showcases what is possible with electric vehicles. We believe that when the car ownership experience exceeds expectations, electric vehicles will become the natural choice for everyone, leading to a more sustainable tomorrow. And with that, our vision of a blue sky will come true.”

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Jason Siu
Jason Siu

Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.

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  • Jonny_Vancouver Jonny_Vancouver on Nov 22, 2016

    I think it's really cool that other companies are making electric cars that push the limits and this one certainly looks sexy, but I feel the need to address the title of the article by stating that yes, it may be faster than a Tesla, but it's no where near as practical or affordable, and it's made in China -no offense, but they don't have the best track record for quality or reliability, yet.

  • Mariano Palmero Mariano Palmero on Nov 22, 2016

    Now I will go into my bathroom and FAP to this...

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