Rimac Nevera Shatters Tesla’s EV Lap Record At Nürburgring By 20 Seconds

The Rimac Nevera has obliterated the time set by the Tesla Model S Plaid Track Pack at the Nürburgring. The Croatian carmaker just revealed that the electric hypercar has set a new production electric car lap record at the legendary racetrack, with a blistering time of 7:05:298 (7 minutes and 5.298 seconds), relegating the Tesla to second place in its category.

Around the shorter track configuration that measures 20.6 kilometers (12.8 miles) in length, the Nevera set a time of 7:00:928. Croatian racing driver Martin Kodrić drove the record-breaking lap using Michelin Cup2R tires. Independent timing data, TÜV SÜD, and on-board telemetry confirmed the set time, stated Rimac (pronounced ree-muhts).

The Tesla Model S Track Pack had set a time of 7:25.231, snatching the title from the previous record holder Porsche Taycan Turbo S. The Nevera’s time is about 20 seconds quicker than the Tesla. In the video below, you can see how the Nevera slingshots from corner to corner with its instant torque, while the wind and tire noises overpower the electric motors’ whine.

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It goes without saying that the record-setting was no easy feat. Kodrić said, “We had challenging weather conditions during our practice sessions this week and have chosen what seems like one of the hottest days on the track this summer to set a lap time.” He added that the Nevera, which is supposed to be a comfortable hyper GT, is “devastatingly fast” on the track.

On setting the electric production car lap record, CEO Mate Rimac said, “In many ways the Nevera has reinvented the world of the hypercar, bringing new technologies, new abilities, and new levels of performance. But the simplest way we can demonstrate its capabilities is to go out and break records. And that’s exactly what we’ve done in 2023 time and again.”

The electric hypercar’s on-paper performance is absurd. Its motors generate 1.4 megawatts of power, or 1914 horsepower, and 1740 pound-feet of torque (2360 Newton-meters), deriving energy from a 120-kilowatt-hour battery. It accelerates from 0-60 miles per hour in just 1.74 seconds, flaunts a quarter mile time of 8.25 seconds, and has a top speed of 258 mph (412 kmph).

While it’s a remarkable feat worth celebrating, the fastest production vehicle around Nürburgring is the Mercedes-AMG One, which set a time of 6:35.183 in November 2022. Interestingly, the all-electric Nio EP9 had set a time of 6:45:90 in 2017 around the ‘ring, faster than any production car at the time, but it’s unclear if it was considered official.

That said, the record coincides with Rimac revealing the Nevera Time Attack at The Quail, which is part of the ongoing Monterey Car Week in California. The special edition will be limited to just 12 models and is named after the Nevera’s numerous record runs this year, including a record at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, among several others.

Rimac says the Nevera Time Attack’s Squadron Black paint and Lightning Green racing stripes are inspired by a weather phenomenon that occurs after a storm, when charged ionized particles add a vivid green hue to the sky. The color is also inspired by the CEO’s converted electric BMW 3 Series.