NOKIA, Finland, – Test driver Janne Laitinen from Nokian Tires reached a speed of 252.09 km/h (156.64 mph) in the E-RA electric car on the ice of Lake Ukonjarvi in Inari. The record, achieved on 17 March by the world’s northernmost tyre manufacturer and the Helsinki Metropolia University of Applied Sciences’ high-tech E-RA (Electric RaceAbout) vehicle is unique.
The sports car with a 280-kW electric motor reached over 260 km/h (161.59 mph) in the freezing weather. The relentless grip and stable handling necessary at extreme speeds were ensured by regular production Nokian Hakkapeliitta 7 studded tires (225/40R18).
The test was carried out on a six-kilometre track and it was performed according to the regulations of the Guinness World Records organization. However as a class does not yet exist for this type of record, the Guinness organization was not involved in certifying the test and it is therefore not an “Official Guinness World Record”.
The time and speed for the one-kilometre distance was measured in both directions. The record is an average of these two measurements. The vehicle takes a flying start, and the allowed time frame is one hour. The tires must be commercially available and approved for road traffic in the country in which the record attempt takes place.
The official Guinness World Record for driving on ice is also held by Nokian Tyres and test driver Janne Laitinen. The speed record achieved on the ice of the Gulf of Bothnia in March 2011 with a petrol-powered car is 331.61 km/h (206.05 mph).
The electric car E-RA is a display of skill by Finnish students and the development partners. The car has been built from scratch, using the latest technology in electric power trains and battery systems. At a minimum, the vehicle consumes only 14.5 kWh per 100 km, corresponding to 1.6 litres of fuel.
With the record experiment, we wanted to show that the electric car is reliable both in freezing weather and at high speeds on slippery ice. Breaking these barriers speeds up the technological development, and this ultimately benefits the consumers, says Sami Ruotsalainen, leader of the E-RA team.
NEW WORLD RECORD 252.09 KM/H
