--- title: "Watch a Tesla Model S Set a World Record on a Racetrack" description: "Tesla has shared a video of its Model S Plaid supercar ripping around the Nürburgring racecar track in Germany, setting an official full lap time of 7:35." date: "2021-09-10" modified: "2021-09-10" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/tesla-model-s-world-record-racetrack" categories: - "Advanced Transport" - "Tesla" tags: - "elon musk" - "model s" - "tesla" - "the digest" --- # Watch a Tesla Model S Set a World Record on a Racetrack ![Tesla has shared a video of its Model S Plaid supercar ripping around the Nürburgring racecar track in Germany, setting an official full lap time of 7:35.]() *\Image: Tesla\* ## New Record Tesla has shared a video of its Model S Plaid supercar ripping around the world-famous Nürburgring racecar track in Germany, setting an official full lap time of 7:35, a world record for a production EV. It's an impressive feat for what was the already [quickest production car]() ever made. "Tesla Model S Plaid just set official world speed record for a production electric car at Nurburgring," Tesla CEO Elon Musk wrote in a [Thursday tweet](). "Completely unmodified, directly from factory." https://youtu.be/Ujp3q_aryRA ## No Yoke The seven minute video shows the driver — [controversial "yoke" steering wheel]() in hand — ripping around tight corners at over 60 mph. The car even crosses the 160 mph (260 km/h) threshold during a straightaway. Since it relies entirely on battery power, noises are limited to an atmospheric whooshing and whining — a far cry from traditional combustion engine-powered track cars. According [to *InsideEVs*](), the next best time was set by the Porsche Taycan Turbo in August 2019, whipping around the track in 7 minutes and 42 seconds — and putting it a full seven seconds behind Tesla's new record. In September 2019, rumors surfaced that a modified Model S had completed a lap in just 7 minutes and 23 seconds. The times were never verified, however, and the car likely featured some heavy modifications, unlike the factory Model S Plaid seen in this week's video. The Plaid variant sports some impressive specs. It can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in [less than 2 seconds](), a truly impressive feat that absolutely crushes some of the fastest gas-powered hypercars in existence. It also has an impressive EPA-rated range of 348 miles. The Taycan Turbo, in contrast, can only go 200 miles. It's an impressive feat that sets a new benchmark for modern consumer cars. It's now up to Tesla's competitors to take that even further. **READ MORE:** [Tesla Model S Plaid Sets New Nürburgring Record For Production EVs]() \[*InsideEVs*\] **More on the Plaid:** *[Tesla Model S Plaid Fastest Production Car Ever Made]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()