Meet NIO EP9, world's fastest electric car

NextEV, a Chinese automobile company that designs and develops high-performance electric vehicles, launched its NIO brand on November 21, 2016. Along with that, the company also unveiled the world’s fastest electric car, called the NIO EP9. The company already has its own motor racing team that has been participating in the FIA Formula E Championship since 2004.

Here’s what makes this all-electric supercar jaw-dropping. It boasts four electric motors and four gearboxes – one for each wheel. The total power output is 1 MegaWatt, which in standard automotive language translates to 1,360PS. The EP9 catapults to the 100kmph mark from a standstill in a mere 2.7 seconds and hits 200kmph in 7.1 seconds. The top speed is 313kmph and, when the car runs out of juice, it can be recharged in 45 minutes to deliver a range of 427km, though only if you drive sensibly.

With such insane numbers underneath that gorgeous outer body, the NIO EP9 has also broken some records around the world. On October 29, 2016, it lapped the famous Nürburgring Nordschliefe in Germany – which has 154 corners and stretches to 20.8km – in 7m 05.12s. That is just over 17 seconds faster than the Toyota TMG EV P002, which the EP9 replaced to claim the world’s fastest electric car title. Apart from that, on November 4, 2016, it broke the lap record at the Circuit Paul Ricard in France, covering it in just 1m 52.78s. This lap time was over 41 seconds faster than the previous world record.

At the launch event, William Li, founder and chairman, NextEV, said, “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. 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.”

It seems that companies around the world are not just working on electric powertrains in order to have a cleaner and greener future. They are also working to ensure that fast cars don’t fade away into the history books. The NIO EP9 is a prime example of how an all-electric car can be faster than almost all other cars that have an internal combustion engine.