The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Electric Drive has lapped Germany's Nurburgring in 7min 56.234sec, making it the first electrically powered series production vehicle to complete the legendary circuit in under eight minutes.
The world's most powerful all-electric vehicle, the 552kW/1000Nm Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Electric Drive, covered the 20.8km Nurburgring Nordschleife circuit in the sub-8min time with the help of its four electric motors, liquid-cooled 60kWh lithium-ion battery and permanent all-wheel-drive system.
Claimed to accelerate from 0-100km/h in 3.9 seconds and reach an electronically limited top speed of 250km/h, the EV supercar due to launch in June also has a zero-emission range of 250km.
The SLS AMG Electric Drive's time is 45 seconds off the current combustion-engined production car record of 7:11.57 set by the 515kW V8 petrol-powered Gumpert Apollo Sport in 2009 and more than 13 seconds faster than the world record 8min 09.099sec time set by the all-electric Audi R8 e-tron in July 2012.
While the latest spy shots indicate the Audi R8 e-tron appears back on track for a 2014 release after initially being scheduled for a 2013 launch, Mercedes-Benz has already installed a dedicated hand-finishing section for the final assembly of the SLS AMG Electric Drive at its headquarters in Affalterbach.
The German manufacturer has also announced a price tag for the car inside its home market of 416,500 euros ($586,500).
