The NIO EP9 is a 1-megawatt (1,360 PS), four-motor electric hypercar that reached 0 to 100 km/h in 2.7 seconds and a 313 km/h top speed, but it no longer holds the electric speed records. Unveiled in November 2016 and built until 2019, it took the Nürburgring Nordschleife lap record for electric cars in 2017. Here are 15 facts and where it stands in 2026.
| Spec | NIO EP9 |
|---|---|
| Power | 1 MW (1,360 PS), 250 kW per wheel |
| 0 to 100 km/h | 2.7 s |
| 0 to 200 km/h | 7.1 s |
| 0 to 300 km/h | 15.9 s |
| Top speed | 313 km/h |
| Range | 427 km |
| Weight | 1,735 kg, including a 635 kg battery |
| Production | 2016 to 2019, six sold to investors, ten more announced |
15. Who built the NIO EP9?
NIO, then called NextEV, launched the EP9 at the Saatchi Gallery in London on November 21, 2016. The car was built with the British engineering firm RML Group.
It was a track-focused two-seat coupé, designed to show what NIO’s engineers could do before the company sold regular road cars.
14. What was NIO’s racing background?
NIO entered Formula E early. The team that became NextEV TCR took part from the series’ first seasons, and Nelson Piquet Jr. won the inaugural 2014 to 2015 drivers’ title with the squad’s predecessor, China Racing.
That experience fed directly into the EP9’s powertrain and cooling design.
13. How much power does the EP9 make?
Four motors, one at each wheel, deliver 250 kW each, which adds up to 1 MW or 1,341 hp. Each wheel has its own single-ratio gearbox, and the car uses torque vectoring to split power between wheels.
12. How fast is it?
NIO quotes 2.7 seconds to 100 km/h, 7.1 seconds to 200 km/h and 15.9 seconds to 300 km/h. Top speed is 313 km/h.
Today those numbers sit below the quickest road-legal electric cars, but the 0 to 300 km/h figure was exceptional for 2016.
11. How does the battery work?
The EP9 uses a lithium-ion battery pack that can be swapped in about 8 minutes or charged in about 45 minutes. NIO later built its consumer business around battery swapping.
The claimed range is 427 km.
10. What is the car made from?
The chassis, body and interior are carbon fiber. The car weighs 1,735 kg, of which 635 kg is the battery pack.
It follows Le Mans prototype rules, with an adjustable rear wing and active suspension that controls ride height.
9. How much downforce does it make?
The EP9 produces about 24,000 N of downforce at 240 km/h. NIO reported cornering loads of around 3 G.
8. What are its brakes and tires?
The car uses Alcon brakes. For the record attempts the team fitted racing slicks, which is why the lap times are not road-tire figures.
7. What is inside?
The cockpit has four screens, including one on the steering wheel. Chief designer David Hilton led the exterior and interior design.
6. What are its track records?
NIO reported 1:52.78 at Circuit Paul Ricard, 2:01.11 at Shanghai International Circuit and 2:11.30 at Circuit of the Americas. At Austin it also ran an autonomous lap, in 2:40.33.
5. What did it do at the Nürburgring?
In March 2017 the EP9 lapped the Nordschleife in 7:05.12, a record for an electric car at the time. NIO later reported a faster 6:45.90 run in October 2017 with driver Peter Dumbreck.
Volkswagen’s ID.R then took the electric record with a 6:05.336 lap in June 2019.
4. How many were built?
Six cars were sold to NIO investors at £2.5 million each. NIO announced ten more for public sale, and production is listed as 2016 to 2019.
3. Is it still the fastest electric car?
No. BYD's Yangwang U9 Xtreme was unveiled on September 14, 2025 with a reported one-way run of 496.22 km/h at a test track in Germany, the highest electric top speed claimed, though that run was not a two-way record by Guinness rules. The Rimac Nevera R has reportedly topped 430 km/h.
Production electric cars have also gone under seven minutes at the Nordschleife, including the Yangwang U9 Xtreme at 6:59.157 in August 2025 and a Porsche Taycan Turbo GT with the Manthey kit at 6:55.533 in April 2026.
2. What happened to NIO?
NIO listed on the New York Stock Exchange in September 2018. It now sells electric SUVs and sedans, runs a large battery-swap network and has added the ONVO and Firefly brands.
1. Where does the EP9 rank in 2026?
Our view: the EP9 is historically important rather than the fastest. It proved a Chinese start-up could beat established makers on a famous track and helped set the speed benchmark that Chinese rivals have since passed.
FAQ
How fast is the NIO EP9?
It reaches 100 km/h in 2.7 seconds and has a top speed of 313 km/h.
How much power does the NIO EP9 have?
1 megawatt, which equals about 1,360 PS or 1,341 hp, from four electric motors.
How many NIO EP9 cars were built?
Six were sold to investors, and ten more were announced for public sale. Production ran from 2016 to 2019.
Is the NIO EP9 street legal?
No. It is a track-use car.
What is the fastest electric car in 2026?
The Yangwang U9 Xtreme claimed the highest electric top speed, 496.22 km/h, in a one-way run unveiled in September 2025.
Did the NIO EP9 break the Nürburgring record?
Yes, in 2017 with 7:05.12 and, according to NIO, 6:45.90 later that year. Volkswagen’s ID.R later beat both times.
How we put this list together
We checked each specification against manufacturer figures and recorded lap times, and we updated the records section with results from 2025 and 2026. Where sources gave different numbers we used the more conservative one.
Last updated: October 2026.
