Peugeot EX1 smashes ‘Ring record

Good news! The Peugeot EX1 has set a new lap record at the Nurburgring for electric cars.

Batman's weekend car smashed the previous electric record of 9:51.45 seconds set last year - by a Mini E, admittedly - by clocking a time of 9:01.338 seconds at an average speed of 86mph. This, despite weather conditions being ‘far from favourable'.

See more pics of the EX1 at the Nurburgring

Peugeot say the run was recognised by WIGE Performance, the official time-keeping body for the Nordschleife, while behind the wheel was a man called Stephane Caillet: driver and tuner-technician, and someone about to be given a mostly golden handshake.

Put into perspective, it's quite a way off the Radical's 6:48 seconds, but it is faster than a Lupo GTI. Don't forget, the EX1 packs 340bhp from two electric motors - one on each axle - and will hit 0-62mph in 2.5 seconds. It also sounds like a very happy tube line.

What's more important is that electric cars are getting faster. And that is good news indeed.

Short circuit: Peugeot's Bugatti beater?