Raphael ThysRimac Nevera, the new Nurburgring EV lap record holder — Rimac
The EV revolution is well on its way. Over the past few years, their range has increased massively, their charging times have plummeted, and they have got far more affordable. As such, range anxiety and usability concerns are waning, making EVs some of the best-selling and most desired cars worldwide, helping to propel brands like Tesla and Rivian to astronomical heights. But there is still one significant source of pushback to these planet-friendly vehicles. Performance. Almost all red-blooded petrol heads shun electric cars. You see, despite EVs tending to have far better acceleration than their combustion cousins, their heft and lower top speed make them way slower on track. So, if you want a raw driving experience or want to win, you still need to turn to dino-juice. But this is about to change. Let me explain.
Let’s get something out of the way first. EVs already offer a better performance-to-price ratio than combustion. The BMW M3 has been the benchmark car for affordable performance for decades now. You can pick up a new one today for $74,300 that will do 0–60 mph in 3.9 seconds and demolish the Nürburgring in only 7 minutes and 35 seconds. It has been praised across the board as a significant leap forward for the M3. On the other hand, Tesla’s Model 3 Performance costs only $53,990, will do 0–60 mph in 3.1 seconds and complete the Nürburgring in 8 minutes 10 seconds. The BMW and Tesla are incredible machines, but while the BMW is quicker on track, it isn’t fast enough to compensate for the vast price difference, at least in my opinion.
However, combustion has ruled the roost at the top end for years.
Back in 2015, Tesla sent its Model S P85D onto the Nürburgring to show the world just how fast it was and posted a record time for an EV of 8 minutes 50 seconds. At the time, the Porsche 918 held the outright road car lap record with a time of 6 minutes 57 seconds, which it set back in 2013. That is a massive difference of 2 minutes and 20 seconds between the fastest combustion car and the fastest EV.
In 2022, Tesla had another go with their Model S Plaid. This 1,020-horse power monster smashed the EV record with a time of 7 minutes 35 seconds. A few months beforehand…