Students from the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands have broken the 0–100 kph (62 mph) world record for an electric vehicle with a blistering time of just 2.15 seconds, beating the previous record of 2.68 seconds. To put these numbers into perspective, consider that our best efforts in a Tesla Roadster Sport yielded a time of four-seconds flat, and 4.6 seconds for the Tesla Model S. Even more impressive, the time beats the 2.3-second time of the 475-hp Ariel Atom V8, widely considered to be one of the quickest gasoline-powered production cars available. “We thought that under these conditions we’d be happy with 2.30, but we really didn’t expect 2.15,” says team manager Tim de Moree.
- Comparison Test: 2012 Chevrolet Volt vs. 2012 Fisker Karma EcoSport
- Instrumented Test: 2013 Fiat 500E EV
- Prototype Drive: 2015 BMW i8
The tiny single-seat car, dubbed the DUT12, is built around a carbon-fiber-reinforced-plastic monocoque, weighing in at a flyweight 319 pounds. Four wheel-mounted, 33-hp electric motors draw juice from a 4.2-kW lithium-ion battery for a total output of 135 horsepower—a setup that works out to more than 2.3 ponies per pound. Driving honors went to Marly Kuijpers, who—surprise!—was the lightest member of the team.
No comments:
Post a Comment