World’s Fastest Electric Car to Be Made in China

(Image courtesy of NextEV.)

The Chinese electric vehicle (EV) company NextEV has officially launched its EV brand, NIO. The company also unveiled its electric supercar, the NIO EP9, which it states achieved a new lap record at the Nürburgring Nordschliefe.

On October 12^th2016, the EP9 lapped the 20.8km ‘Green Hell’ in 7m 05.12s, beating the previous EV lap record held, marking it out as the fastest electric car in the world, according to NextEV. The company also stated that on November 4^th, the EP9 beat the EV record at Circuit Paul Ricard in France, recording a time of 1m 52.78s, surpassing the previous record of 2m 40s.

With four high-performance inboard motors and four individual gearboxes, the EP9 is designed to deliver 1MW of power, equivalent to 1,360PS. The EP9 accelerates from 0-200kph in 7.1 seconds and has a top speed of 313kph (194mph). With an interchangeable battery system, the EP9 is designed to be charged in 45 minutes and has a range of 427 kilometres.

The carbon cockpit and chassis are intended to handle the physical demands of a car with 3G cornering capabilities, with added structural solidity and aero efficiency. The EP9 is capable of achieving 24,000 Newtons of downforce at 240kph (149mph).

(Image courtesy of NextEV.)

The EP9 features an integrated e-control structure and sensor system layout, which NextEV claims is compatible with the latest autonomous driving technology. Additionally, the vehicle features an intelligent interactional design concept, which, according to NextEV, “provides a joyful experience for users with digital interaction and instant sharing.”

For more information, visit the NIO website.

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