Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Electric Drive breaks Nurburgring EV record

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).

Watch more on the record run below including the full lap.