Top 5 fastest EVs to lap the ‘Ring
You don’t need an internal combustion engine to set a Nürburgring record
Just as their internal combustion engine (ICE) brethren have been doing for some time now, electric vehicles (EVs) have also been tearing up the full Nürburgring Nordschleife circuit. As battery technology advances, there have been several EVs with both the power and endurance to competitively complete the required full 20.8 km lap with a flying start.
While these EVs have not yet reached the times of their fastest ICE counterparts, they are getting closer. You can compare them in our previous story, “Top five fastest road cars to lap the Nürburgring.” All times are correct as of the date of publication.
1. Xiamo SU7 Ultra Prototype - 6:46.87
Here’s a surprise - a high-performance EV from a Chinese smartphone maker came to the ‘Ring and set a new record for electric vehicles! But there are several asterisks that should be affixed to this particular car’s record attempt. First, it is a prototype of a vehicle that is not yet available for sale. This SU7 Ultra prototype, piloted by David Pittard, was built for the fastest possible time at the Nürburgring Nordschleife, with a stripped-out interior, a carbon-fiber body, and Pirelli racing tires. The total output of its three-motor setup is 1,526 horsepower (1,548 PS).
Still, this is an excellent achievement for a company that has only been making EVs for three years. Xiaomi promises to rerun its record attempt with a production version sometime in 2025, making for a fairer comparison with the other street-legal cars on our list.
2. Rimac Nevera - 7:05.298
The Rimac Nevera hypercar broke the EV production car record on August 18, 2023. It was driven by Croatian racing driver Martin Kodrić, running on Michelin Cup2R tires. The Nevera, classified by the 'Ring as a super sports car, puts down 1,914 horsepower through all four wheels. The car has also broken many other EV speed records since, including 0-60 mph, 0-100 mph, and 0-186 mph at the Papenburg, Germany testing facility, where it had previously set the title of highest verified top speed for an EV of 256 mph (412 km/h).
Related: The 5 best driver’s cars you can buy for less than $30,000
Taking a page from Bugatti’s black-and-orange speed-record livery book (Rimac is now part-owner of Bugatti), Rimac is making a limited-edition Time Attack version consisting of 12 Neveras. Each will have a base of either black or bare carbon fiber, with either green, blue, or red highlights. These highlights carry over into the Alcantara interior. The underside of the rear spoiler carries a loaded message: “Dedicated to those coming after us.” If you’re wondering, all 12 Time Attacks have been sold.
3. Porsche Taycan Turbo GT - 7:07.55
The Porsche Taycan Turbo GT, equipped with the Weissach package, set its time on September 12, 2023. Coming in just two seconds behind the Rimac hypercar is an exceptional achievement, especially considering that the Taycan competes in the “executive cars” category. This Taycan Turbo GT also bested the lap time of the fifth-place Taycan Turbo S, set 17 months earlier, by nearly 26 seconds with Lars Kern behind the wheel for both attempts.
The Turbo GT was a pre-production model that has since gone into production as the flagship of the Taycan line. It featured more powerful pulse inverters, which delivered 900 amps compared to the Turbo S’ 600 amps. Carbon fiber components, including full bucket seats, reduced weight by 165 lb (75 kg), while GT-tuned Porsche Active Ride suspension connected it to the road, and lightweight ceramic brakes provided stopping power. New front and rear spoilers added aerodynamic stability. The rear seat, analog clock, and some sound insulation had also been deleted.
4. Tesla Model S Plaid Track Package - 7:25.231
At a whopping 17+ seconds behind the #3 Taycan in today’s order, this Tesla Model S Plaid with the Track Package set its record on June 2, 2023, driven by Tom Schwister. According to Tesla, the Track Pack, a $20,000 option on the Model S Plaid, “...delivers high-speed stability, maximum cornering force, and repeatable stopping power during high-performance driving while unlocking a top speed of 200 mph.” This car was classified as a modified vehicle, a separate category from the executive cars.
The Tesla Track Pack includes carbon ceramic brakes, updated performance-tuned firmware, track-ready brake fluid, and 20” forged aluminum wheels with Goodyear Supercar 3R tires. It obviously made a big difference, improving Tesla’s previous time, set on September 9, 2021, with a Model S Plaid, by just over ten seconds. 
5. Porsche Taycan Turbo S - 7:33.35
The fifth-place Porsche was once first on the list, setting its executive car class record on April 11, 2022, with Lars Kern driving. It was a standard production vehicle equipped with the performance kit and Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC), with racing seats and a roll bar installed. The weight was identical to the production version.
The performance kit, only available in Germany for this model Taycan, consists of 21-inch wheels, road-legal Pirelli tires using a racing-tire compound, and a software update to integrate the wheel/tire package into the PDCC system. The price of the kit was €13,377 including VAT (that’s $14,064 in today’s dollars).
Final thoughts
The Nürburgring Nordschleife has become the world’s test track. It is a place where all vehicles can run against the clock and be evaluated for acceleration, speed, and handling - producing a lap time that can be compared to other vehicles that have made their own attempts. As EVs evolve, they are steadily working their way toward the top of the overall standings, a few seconds at a time.
