Move over Tesla: NIO Electric supercar posts shock Nurburgring time

A common observation of electric cars is that they are either silent or just a little too clinical in comparison to the roaring petrol-powered motors used by conventional cars.

But the emerging trend for all-electric supercars looks set to change that with a soundtrack that mixes Formula E with a little bit of Le Mans and general race car goodness.

NIO, a Chinese electric car company, has seized headlines with its new EP9, an all-electric model to rival the world's fastest cars.

And it sounds sensational.

Piloted by ace racing driver Peter Dumbreck, the EP9 recorded an impressive 6m49.0s lap of the famed Nurburgring Nordschleiefe circuit, a marker some six seconds faster than Lamborghini's outrageous Huracan Performante.

The 1000kW, 1480Nm machine has a claimed 0-100km/h time of 2.7 seconds and a 0-200km/h time of 7.1 seconds, making it quicker than supercars such as the new McLaren 720S.

Lamborghini currently holds the production car lap record around the 'ring. NIO can't claim to have taken that crown just yet as the EP9 has not reached production, and it looks as though the team used race-spec tyres that cannot be used on the road.

Still, it is a sign that the future of performance is undoubtedly electric.