BMW Group has become the first car manufacturer to lap the legendary Nürburging with an electric car. The MINI E Race, a modified race-spec version of the standard MINI E, completed a lap of the 20.8 km “Green Hell” in a time of 09:51.45 minutes. The MINI E Race hit a top speed of 187 km/h.
At the wheel of the electric racer for the hot lap was former DTM racing driver Thomas Jäger who won the MINI Challenge champion in 2006.
MINI E Race does have the same 204 hp electric motor as the regular MINI E, but to handle the extreme Nürburgring, it was fitted with a special lightweight body and a roll cage in order to ensure optimum performance and safety on the track.
And various other components, such as the suspension, brakes and tyres, are also race specification. The power from the emission-free motor is channelled to the front wheels via a single-stage helical gearbox with a lengthened gear ratio.
