Porsche Taycan Turbo GT sets a blistering new record for electric cars

Porsche is sending a loud message to the rest of the automotive world. The company driver Lars Kern took the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT around the famous Nürburgring Nordschleife race track in Germany, and he finished the 20.82-km lap in only 6 minutes and 55.553 seconds. This time makes the car the fastest "production" electric vehicle to ever go around the circuit. It beat the previous record for its category by more than nine seconds.

Lars Kern is a development driver for Porsche, and he knows this track very well. Even so, this new time is a massive leap forward. He was 12 seconds faster than his own record run from late 2023. In the world of high-speed racing, a 12-second gap is huge. The car achieved the new result using a new set of parts called the Manthey Kit - the most complete upgrade package Porsche has ever offered for one of its EVs.

The biggest reason for the faster speed is how the car moves through the air. The Manthey Kit focuses heavily on aerodynamics. Engineers added a new rear wing with larger plates on the ends and a special front diffuser that drivers can adjust. At a speed of 124 mph, these parts push the car down onto the road with 683 lb of force. That is more than three times the 209 lb of downforce the standard car makes. At the car's top speed of 192 mph, that force grows to 1,631 lb. This keeps the car glued to the road and helps it take turns at much higher speeds.

Speed also comes from the way the car uses electricity. Porsche updated the high-voltage battery and the parts that control the power. They increased the electrical current from 1,100 to 1,300 amps. Because of this, the power output jumped from 580 kW to 600 kW, which is about 804 horsepower. When the driver needs a boost, they can use "Attack Mode." This gives the car 730 kW, or 978 horsepower, for ten seconds. If the driver starts from a dead stop using launch control, the car can reach 760 kW, which is 1,019 horsepower.

To handle all that power, the car needs to be light and have a lot of grip. The Manthey Kit includes 21-inch wheels made of forged aluminum. These wheels are bigger than the standard ones, but they actually weigh less. By using titanium bolts, Porsche shaved about 6 lb off the moving parts of the car. The tires are also very wide. Porsche chose Pirelli P Zero Trofeo RS tires that are 4 cm wider in the front and 3 cm wider in the back compared to the normal model. This extra rubber helps the car stay stable when going fast.

The car also needs to stop quickly before sharp corners. Porsche fitted this Taycan Turbo GT with massive brakes. The front discs are 17.3 inches wide, while the rears are 16.1 inches. Because the car stayed so stable, Kern was able to carry much more speed through the fastest sections of the track. In one specific left-hand turn, he was going 9 mph faster than he did during his previous record run.

Porsche is not the only company fighting for the Nürburgring crown. Other EVs are also trying to be the fastest. A Chinese hypercar called the Yangwang U9 Xtreme recently did a lap in 6 minutes and 59.157 seconds. That car has more than 3,000 horsepower, yet it was still slower than the Porsche. Another Chinese car, the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra, recorded a time of 7 minutes and 4.957 seconds. Tesla held the record for a while in the past, but the company hasn't tried to break it again since 2023. Everyone is waiting to see if the new Tesla Roadster will eventually show up to join the fight.

There is a curious side to these records, though. Many people argue about what a "production car" really is. Porsche says this car counts because any customer can buy the Manthey Kit from the factory. However, most people would never need racing tires and giant wings just to drive to the shops. Some other companies use prototype cars that are not even for sale to set their records. It seems like the rules are a bit blurry, but it is still amazing to see a heavy sedan that weighs over 5,000 lb move as fast as a race car.

Even with the confusing rules, this record proves that technology is moving at a breakneck speed. Ten years ago, only the most expensive supercars could finish a lap in under seven minutes. Now, a four-door electric car can do it while carrying passengers. The battle between brands like Porsche, BYD, and Xiaomi is great for the industry. It forces engineers to find new ways to make batteries better and cars safer. As long as these companies keep trying to beat each other, electric vehicle performance will continue to reach new heights.

If you ever wondered what it is like to drive a car around the Nürburgring under 7 minutes, here's a video from Porsche - you might wanna sit down for this one:

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