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the world’s fastest conventionally-powered car, the Speed
Demon, which averaged 437 mph over two runs in 2013.
Interestingly, with an estimated 0-60 time of 3 seconds,
the VBB- 3 is slightly slower off the line than a Ludicrous
P100.
BEV Participation in Other Competitive Arenas
Where else are BEVs making their mark?
Drag Racing: BEVs aren’t ready to challenge Top
Fuel dragsters yet, but there’s a thriving electric drag
race community under the auspices of NEDRA, the
EV version of the NHRA. The best EV dragster run to
date has been 185.60 mph in 7.274 seconds by NHRA
legend Don “Big Daddy” Garlits in his Swamp Rat 37
dragster (Figure 4), claimed to produce around 2,000
horsepower. Garlits made his first electric dragster run
in 2014, hoping to eventually reach a terminal speed of
200 mph over the standard quarter-mile.
In contrast to every other EV application discussed,
electric dragsters don’t use BLDC or induction motors
with electronic commutation: they prefer series-wound brushed DC motors due to their extremely
high starting torque from zero RPM. The Swamp Rat
37 uses six such modified GE 7. 5” motors controlled
by three 2,000-amp Manzanita Micro “Zilla” speed
controllers, paired with a 1,500 k W High Tech Systems
lithium battery pack.
Open-Wheel Racing: The all-electric Formula-E
series is now in its third season, with 10 teams and 12
races. In the inaugural season, all cars were identical:
a typical Formula E car had a power of at least 250
horsepower (190 k W): it could accelerate from 0–62
mph (0–100 km/h) in 3 seconds, and had a maximum
speed of 140 mph (225 km/h).
Beginning in Season Two, the regulations change each
year to allow successively greater experimentation
by individual teams. The goal is to help expedite the
development of BEV technology, both on and off-track.
The big change for Season Two was the freedom of
transitioning to a different powertrain (motor, inverter,
cooling system, and gearbox): ten teams raced with
eight different setups. Season Three changes include a
new front wing, extra energy regeneration, and a new
tire design. With a maximum power of 200 k W, the
battery can’t last for a whole race, forcing the teams
to change cars mid-stream. Having said that, a new
battery under development from sole supplier McLaren
Applied Technologies will allow the cars to run a
complete race in Season Five (2018/2019).
Hill Climb: Electric vehicles are also competing in
the Pike’s Peak International Hill Climb in Colorado,
a grueling 12.42-mile race with 156 turns that ends at
the 14,115-foot summit. After capturing the top two
places in 2015 and finishing second and third in 2016,
EVs stumbled in this year’s race: the top EV entrant
finished in 40th place.
Conclusion
With the exception of acceleration, pure electric vehicles
aren’t yet a match for their conventionally-powered
counterparts in many competitive events, but the gap
is closing, and many observers expect that the BEV will
become the car to beat over the next few years. ECN
Figure 4: The Swamp Rat 37 powertrain showing the motors
and the three Zilla speed controllers. The battery packs
(not installed) are mounted on the aluminum trays on each
side of the powertrain assemble. (Image Source: Electric
Vehicle News)
