Is the NextEV NIO EP9 Really the Fastest EV in The World?
Reaching beyond expectations, NextEV set an ambitious plan to create the fastest EV in the world. Did they succeed with the NIO EP9? That is a question worth debate.
NextEV is a superstar of the Formula E circuit. Their driver, Nelson Piquet Jr., took home the trophy in Season 1. It makes sense then, that NextEV would create a superstar among high performance EVs. Their ambitious goal has served them well, but is the NIO really the fastest electric car in the world?
Tests at Nurburgring October 14th, 2016 recorded the NIO’s fastest lap at 7:05.12. Nurburgring, host of the German Grand Prix, is a widely used and respected testing track. This is a significant victory for NextEV. No other EV comes close to this record (though it is of note that the Porsche 918 Spyder hybrid recorded a time of 6:57.00). It would seem that the NIO is the world’s fastest electric car. However, factor in top speed and let the debate begin.
Is the NIO Faster Than the Genovation Corvette?
The NIO EP9 has a top speed of 195mph. This is problematic in NextEV’s claim of the title. On July 28th, 2016 at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a Genovation Corvette set the record as the “Fastest Electric Car in the World” with a top speed of 205.6mph. So technically the NIO is not the fastest car in the world, as NextEV claims. However, some might argue that if Genovation were to compete with the speed record at Nurburgring, they would lose. Perhaps that is correct. Genovation has made no elaborate claims in regard to the vehicle’s handling. If Genovation were to compete, a victory would settle the issue. If Genovation was not able to break the NIO’s record, the debate would still exist.
Obviously, there are two ways of looking at this, with no easy answer. NextEV’s claim to the title is a bold move that has earned international attention. Perhaps Genovation will have an equally galvanizing response to all this, whether in the media or out on the track.
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