Electric vehicle tops 328km/h
There's a new world speed record for purely electric cars – but what about single-charge travel distance records?Everybody knows electric motors have massive torque – and therefore accelerative – potential, but despite the rapid development of electric cars over recent years it has taken nearly 40 years to set a new outright EV speed record.
Indeed, given that former British government minister and peer, Paul Drayson, just bumped the highest officially recorded speed for an electrically powered vehicle from 282km/h to a not-inconsiderable 328km/h, you might be tempted to ask why it has taken so long.
Lord Drayson, who is the CEO of Drayson Racing Technologies, a UK company focussing on sustainable technology that promotes its cause via the racing team of the same name, was happy to help promote the corporate cause by modifying an existing Lola B12 69/EV hybrid prototype, removing the bio-ethanol engine and 625kW electric motor, then installing four electric motors developing a total of 828kW.
The team also brought the total weight of the Lola under 1000kg so it could qualify for the FIA (Federation Internationale de l’Automobile) record.
According to a report on an American technology website, Lord Drayson is working on the introduction of a new FIA formula for electric cars for the 2014 season. It is said the races will last just 45 minutes and drivers will pit not to change batteries or recharge, but to swap into fully-charged vehicles before continuing.
All very well, in terms of promoting the zero-emissions cause, but we suspect the public would be even more interested in hearing about records being set for single-charge electric car travel distances.
At present, real world maximum single-charge distances of not much more than 100km are common in pure-electric cars currently available in Australia. Some electric car-makers are saying travel distances comparable to conventionally engined cars could be closer than we think, with one UK based company claiming ranges as high as 1600km could be achieved as early as 2014.
Such an increase in such a short time frame seems unlikely.
Although a purpose-built electric car dubbed "Schluckspecht" (colloquial German for heavy drinker) covered an impressive 1013.76km on a single charge during a record breaking run in 2011, the light weight, aerodynamic single-seater was hardly a practical family conveyance and the speed, at an average 45km/h for the journey, was hardly supersonic.
Achieving the same in a vehicle capable of carrying four or five people at a more realistic average speed just seems out of the realms of possibility for the near future.
The Drayson Racing FIA World Land Speed Record from Drayson Racing on Vimeo.
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