Back in 2011, then-Tesla employee Joe Nuxoll set a new EV lap record at Laguna Seca, clocking a 1:50.888 in a Tesla Roadster. That's rather brisk, but this year, Nuxoll and Tesla were back--this time separately--to take on the record once again.

Nuxoll, an experienced track instructor and racer, managed to trim nearly two seconds from his previous record time, having "begged, borrowed and stole a Roadster" from a friend, according to Green Car Reports. His new lap time: 1:48.935.

The new fast lap was set despite having just one warm-up lap and one timed lap, as seen in the video above.

Unfortunately for Nuxoll, however, Tesla brought a Model S Performance Plus driven by Aaron Bailey. Bailey is a Tesla employee with 15 years racing experience of his own.

Bailey's fast lap was a scant 0.018 seconds quicker than Nuxoll's--and Nuxoll points out that he was impeded by a BMW ActiveE at Turn 10, as you can see around the 2:15 mark in the video above.

It's worth noting that the 1:48 range both achieved is three seconds quicker than a Subaru BRZ in the hands of Randy Pobst. Not too shabby for a couple of EVs.

 

Aaron Bailey and Sean Wheeler of Tesla Motors, at Re:Fuel event, Laguna Seca racetrack, June 2013

Aaron Bailey and Sean Wheeler of Tesla Motors, at Re:Fuel event, Laguna Seca racetrack, June 2013

 

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