Electric Car vs Viper (0-60)

[2tall]

??

There has to be some downside (like a dead battery at the end or something).

It does top out at 90 mph, but it seems like if this were widely known, the guys in Detroit would have better production vehicles... The GM EV1 is 0-60 in 9 seconds. Maybe the other car doesn't have any safety features or something, or is light as a feather...

-B

 

[phiebert]

That thing is amazing. I've always been a fan of electric cars but these guys have really made an electric car that would be fun to drive. The explanation for how it does it is simple enough...

How can the tzero be so fast with 'only' 200 hp?

For a given power to weight ratio, electric vehicles usually acccelerate faster than conventional cars. This is because the peak power rating of an electric vehicle is available over a broad speed range, and there is no time lost to shifting gears. GM's 2950-lb EV1 gets to 60 mph in 8 seconds with only 125 hp. The tzero, with 200 hp and only 2450 lb, gets to 60 mph in 4.1 seconds. But the tzero really shines in midrange acceleration - it scoots from 30 to 50 mph in only 1.4 seconds - faster than just about anything on the road. This level of performance is very accessible, with no gears to shift, highly-effective traction control, and virtually no noise other than a light 'squeaking' of the rear tires as they claw for traction.

 

[RECOIL]

Great idea, ugly car.

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Sorry, just my opinion.

Steve

 

[jcochran]

As for the 0-60 times, remember that electric motors have a flat torque curve - i.e.: all of their torque is available immediately at the start. From that point, I have to believe everything is a matter of gearing.

We have electric car drag races in Seattle every year. Local Viper guy Tom Friend has participated in these contests in previous years.

If memory serves, he told me that the Vipers get whipped every year, too. He'll have to post the gory details, but his stories were interesting to read (like the ZERO engine sound when the cars sped off the line, and cars loaded to the hilt with batteries).

James

FYI: Here's a link to an electric dragster that broke into the high 8's (there's also an electric drag racing association, but I don't recall what it is at the moment):
http://www.wurts.net/electrifiedmotorsports/index.htm

 

[Tom Friend]

James is partially correct. I <u>was</u> scheduled to go last summer, as I was one of few who did not go to VOI. I had to cancel out at the last minute due to sick kids. The descriptions came from JonB, and I am sure they are accurate. (Year-depending

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)

 

[Tom Friend]

http://www.nedra.com

 

[SapphireGTS]

LET US REMEMBER THAT ELECTRIC MOTORS HAVE LINEAR TORQUE CURVES. IF BATTERY POWER WAS NOT AN ISSUE ELECTRIC WOULD BE SUPERIOR REGARDLESS OF ITS ECNOMICAL BENEFITS.

 

[JonB]

For the first time in 5 annual attepmts, the VIPERs won at the NEDRA World Championships! [ Ripley's spent $8k for nuthin!}