Germany’s Nürburgring is where all manner of performance machines prove what they’re really made of, and Ford showed up at the Green Hell, with not one but two EVs to prove a point. The 1,600-horsepower prototype F-150 Lightning SuperTruck tore through the 13-mile circuit in 6:43.482, the fifth-fastest prototype lap ever recorded. Hot on its heels, the SuperVan 4.2 stopped the clock at 6:48.2, taking seventh. Two record-level runs, one day, both from full-size EVs that weren’t supposed to be this quick.
There’s also some classic Ford-versus-GM rivalry baked into this story. The Lightning SuperTruck’s lap was nearly a second quicker than the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X, which recently went around the ‘Ring in 6:44. Although the ZR1X is a production car and the SuperTruck is a prototype, the timing still matters.
Back in July this year, the ZR1X made headlines by besting the Ford Mustang GTD’s 6:57.685 lap, setting a new American production car record with a 6:49.275. Ford and GM have been trading blows at the Ring, and the Lightning’s run puts Ford back in the conversation.
But context matters when you talk about Nürburgring lap times. The fastest production car ever is the Mercedes-AMG One, which set a verified 6:29.090 in September 2024. On the EV side, the current production benchmark belongs to the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT, which clocked 7:07.55, beating out Tesla’s Model S Plaid.
But more recently, the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra Prototype, in June this year, lapped the Nürburgring in 6:22.091 minutes, rolling into third place on the all-time leaderboard, behind just the Porsche 919 Hybrid Evo (5:19.546) and Volkswagen ID.R (6:05.336). That puts it well ahead of the SuperTruck’s 6:43 and is a sign that Chinese automakers are showing up at the Ring with serious performance ambitions.
The F-150 Lightining SuperTruck also holds a Pikes Peak Record, set in 2024 with a time of 8:53.553. As for the Ford vs GM duel is no longer an American-only battle; it’s going global. Ford also has momentum outside Germany. At the 2025 Goodwood Festival of Speed, the SuperTruck became the fastest vehicle up the hillclimb this year, setting a time of 43.22 seconds. It was part of Ford’s broader EV Demonstrator Program, which channels motorsport-style learnings directly into consumer vehicles.
Now, unlike many one-off concepts, these prototypes are based on platforms you actually recognize. The SuperTruck starts life as an F-150, while the SuperVan as a Transit. What this means is that the lessons learned don’t disappear into marketing slides; they flow straight into trucks and vans that carry your crew, your gear, or your family.
This link between prototype and production is the point Ford keeps hammering. According to the Blue Oval, aerodynamic breakthroughs at 150 mph turn into better highway efficiency for your F-150 Lightning. Battery cooling strategies tested in six minutes of hell keep your pack stable when you’re stuck in summer gridlock. Every lap at the Ring is framed as an investment in everyday usability.
Ford’s argument is simple: if a system holds together here, it’ll handle anything you throw at it on the road. That matters when you’re deciding whether to trust an EV truck for daily use, long hauls, or work duty. Ford wants you to see this as part of its DNA.
So what does 6:43.482 really mean for you? It’s proof that Ford is engineering EVs with the same toughness and capability you’ve expected for decades. So, if you’re skeptical about whether electric trucks can take a beating, Ford just answered that at the Nürburgring.
Images Source: Ford
