Electric vehicle hits 495kph, breaks speed record

Buckeye Bullet 2.5

A team from Ohio State University, USA, has set a new speed record for a battery powered vehicle by achieving maximum velocity of 495kph.

The electric vehicle (EV), called the Buckeye Bullet 2.5, was designed by the university’s auto research division along with EV maker Venturi. It was powered by lithium-ion batteries and piloted by Roger Schroer at the at the famous Bonneville Salt Flats.

The record is waiting for certification by the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) according to the New York Times. If confirmed, it would shatter the previous record of 395kph set in 1999.