The Rimac Nevera Has Broken the Production EV Nurburgring Lap Record
With an absurd 7:05.298 lap time, the Nevera decimated the previous EV Nürburgring lap record.
Nürburgring laps are often contentious as data points and hinge on a lot of variables that can ultimately make comparing two laps irrelevant. But there are laps that you watch and know were totally on the limit, pushing physics, and incredibly brave. The new EV lap record from the Rimac Nevera is one of those laps.
A 7:05.298 is seriously quick for any car. While a few of the modern, downforce-laden production sports cars and supercars of today have broken the seven-minute barrier, even getting close to that is a real achievement. The Nevera is no hardcore sports car, but a hyper-powerful GT car with sports car handling. Downforce is relatively minimal on the Nevera, though low drag certainly helps too. The record lap was done on the ultra-sticky Michelin Cup 2R.
The lap is breathtaking, especially for anyone familiar with the ‘Ring. In the data, it may look like Croatian racing driver Martin Kodrić was being ginger with the throttle but he was anything but. The moments where he could accelerate fully were brief and ferocious, with an indicated 1,853 horsepower used on the burst to Flugplatz, then on the 194 mph run toward Schwedenkreuz. Normally, the straightaway toward Schwedenkreuz is flat, but the Nevera generates so much power that it turned the series of long bends into a set of harrowing kinks. In the video, the car was clearly yawing and at its grip limit, even with Kodrić using steady steering.
The Nevera is clearly grip limited, otherwise it could go much faster. The horsepower is the dominant dynamic force, with the car braking for much more time than accelerating. With some downforce, the car could brake later and hook up more in the corners. As is, it moves around a lot, and takes serious commitment to get the lap out of it. It makes for a spectacular video of a ‘Ring lap and makes me excited to see if Rimac will put some downforce on the Nevera and move it away from a luxury GT to a combustion record-destroying weapon.
So yes, ‘Ring laps are of dubious relevance. But this one is a must-watch.
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