A new 0-100km/h electric car world record has been set by German university students who managed the sprint in 1.7 seconds flat.
A new V8 Supercar can do 0-100 in a bit over 3 seconds. A Formula 1 car manages it in two seconds. And everybody’s favourite benchmark, the Bugatti Veryon does the job in a little over two seconds. The more affordable rocketship from Nissan, the GT-R, is good for around 3.3 seconds.
All slow compared to this little vehicle which has an electric motor at each wheel that rockets it to 100km/h in 1.7 seconds.
How does it manage this feat? Light weight and power, same as always. The car weighs a mere 160kg, as it’s not hampered by heavy drivetrains, differentials or internal combustion engines. The motors total 100kW powered by 6.62kWh battery package, there’s all-wheel-drive grip and the beautifully bountiful and controllable electric motor torque. The result is a power-to-weight ratio that is the envy of a modern supercar, and hence the record.
In related news Telsa’s Model S sedan now has an optional “Ludicrous Mode” which means it can do the 0-100 sprint in 2.8 seconds. Now this is quick, but when you consider the S is a luxury four-door sedan not a supercar like a Ferrari 458, Nissan GT-R or the like you can begin to appreciate just how good electric power is at acceleration. Electric vehicles are also very good at offroading and other low-speed control tasks.
Still, there’s range problems yet to be fully solved, but motorsports and achievements like this tend to pave the way for wider, daily-use acceptance.
Electric cars. Coming to a power socket near you soon.
