All-electric car

Volkswagen: Pikes Peak Hill Climb Record Holder

Over the weekend, Volkswagen sent out their all-electric prototype to crush the Pikes Peak Hill Climb record. A century-old race that has 12 miles and 156 curves, Pikes Peak has been setting laps and letting cars chew up miles for greatness up top.

Jalopnik reports that the 670-horsepower Volkswagen I.D. R prototype set a climbing record in under eight minutes (7:57.148, to be exact),

The goal was to beat the EV record set by Rhys Millen in a 1,595-HP car in 2016, which was 8 minutes and 57 seconds. The I.D. R, instead, became the first car to run Pikes Peak in under eight minutes, beating the all-time record for any car set by Sébastien Loeb in 2013. The I.D. R ran a 7:57.148 with prior Pikes Peak champion Romain Dumas at the wheel, compared to the 8:13.878 Loeb ran in an 875-HP Peugeot 208 T16 Pikes Peak car.

For something that was developed in 9 months, Volkswagen worked with Porsche to create an efficient hill-climbing monster. There are some amazing engineering involved in this record-breaking attempt which included:

Two electric motors producing 670 horsepower; one in each axle
Aerodynamic design to produce more downforce because the air becomes less dense as you climb up in altitude
Charging stations powered by glycerol, which is a bio-diesel byproduct (More on that here)

Kudos to Volkswagen in pursuing electric technology for racing and pushing the limits on what it can do. It’s amazing because they’re paving the way for the future.

June 25, 2018 / Comments Off

570

Electric Lamborghini? Maybe Next Time

So just when we thought we’d have a competitor to the Tesla Model S, we get terrible news. Auto News reports that Lamborghini has no plans to go full electric because battery technology today can’t provide the power that Lamborghini customers expect. Maurizio Reggiani, Director Research and Development, says,

“Our target is to deliver a super sports car, and these specifications don’t exist with a battery package in terms of energy and power”

Right now, Lamborghini is waiting on vast improvements in electric technology before going down the path of producing a full-electric supercar. The hard part is that roaring V10 and V12s provide something that electric cars don’t: sound which can convert to a supercar’s ‘soul’.

Is this nonsense or do you feel that a supercar should emote something to the driver to be connected? Is brute force enough to provide that emotion?

Let us know!

June 7, 2018 / Comments Off

533

Rimac Concept Two Reveal

Another reveal in Geneva Motor Show is the updated iteration of Rimac’s ‘Tesla-Slayer’, called the Concept Two. Still powered by four electric motors per wheel, it will make 1,888 horsepower and 1,696 lb/ft of torque. It almost has a 1:1 ratio of torque to horsepower, which is a tall feat to achieve. Just ask the Koenigsegg team with their 1:one concept.

With a full-electric setup, the Concept Two can provide 404 miles of driving range, through their 120-kWh battery pack. This sports coupe can reach 0-60mph in 1.85 seconds. That’s right; less than 2(!) seconds. That’s absurd and very promising for what the future holds for automobiles!

The neat part is that there are multiple gearboxes controlling the four electric motors to keep all four wheels producing power at the helm. That’s next-level technology, for you. On top of that, it has an active rear wing, which is also the air brake.

This is a new car, with no parts shared from the Concept One and they’re out to be the best electric car company around.

The Rimac still looks dashing, both inside and out and has active aerodynamics to keep most of us planted. Rimac is slated to produce limited examples of the Concept Two, so if something caught your eye, better put your deposit down: it’s expected to cost over $1 million.

March 7, 2018 / Comments Off

645

All posts in “All-electric car”

Volkswagen: Pikes Peak Hill Climb Record Holder

Electric Lamborghini? Maybe Next Time

Rimac Concept Two Reveal