Porsche smashes Tesla’s Nurburgring electric-car lap time, quicker than most 911s

Porsche’s updated Taycan is the fastest electric sedan to lap the Nürburgring – beating the Tesla Model S Plaid by 17 seconds. But it’s not quite the quickest electric production car of any form around the race track.

The upcoming Porsche Taycan has obliterated the electric sedan lap record around Germany’s famed Nürburgring Nordschleife race circuit, beating the Tesla Model S Plaid by more than 17 seconds.

While it is not quite the new fastest electric production car around the iconic race track, it is within two seconds of the benchmark – which was set by a 2000kW, $3.2 million hypercar.

In a media statement, Porsche announced the ‘pre-series’ Taycan – which reports suggest may be powered by three electric motors, up from two in the flagship model today – completed a lap of the 20.832km layout in seven minutes and 7.55 seconds.

It is almost 20 seconds faster than the previous electric sedan record holder, the Tesla Model S Plaid – with an optional ‘Track Pack’ – which completed a seven-minute, 25.231-second lap in June 2023.

The current Porsche Taycan Turbo S – with an optional “performance kit” – set a benchmark of seven minutes and 33.350 seconds in August 2022.

Porsche’s upcoming electric super sedan also came within almost two seconds of the overall electric production car lap record, currently held by the €2 million ($AU3.23 million) Rimac Nevera hypercar which set a time of seven-minutes and 5.298 seconds in August 2023.

The Taycan’s time was quicker than the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS – a mid-engined version of the Cayman with 911 GT3 power – by nearly two seconds, likely attributed to its higher power outputs.

It is also faster than all but the two hardcore, track-focused GT versions – the GT3 and GT3 RS – of the latest Porsche 911 petrol sports car, despite the four-door Taycan likely weighing more than two tonnes.

As previously reported, the updated Porsche Taycan’s as-yet-unnamed flagship variant has been photographed testing at the Nürburgring across the last 12 months, with European publications speculating it has improved aerodynamics and up to 735kW (1000hp) from three electric motors.

Porsche confirmed the Taycan used to set the latest hot lap was equipped with an approved roll cage and racing seat, though a full video of the seven-minute lap with test driver Lars Kern behind the steering wheel won’t be released until mid-March 2024. 

More details of the 2024 Porsche Taycan facelift are due to be confirmed in the coming weeks, it is understood.

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