The BYU applied technology students have made some good runs with their EV1
at the Las Vegas Electric Nationals. They (along with something like 40
other schools) were given the car by GM minus a motor or controller. The CD
on the car is something like .17 and they were going to try it on the salt
but tires are not available so they drag race it. Their own motor ... they
even wound the armature, their controller and instead of batteries they run
a capacitor pack. Went through the quarter at something like 73 mph,
coasting after the capacitors are all gone. With that they will be able to
accelerate through the quarter. The new set up will be a two speed
transmission and a double capacitor pack. Their time so far isn't as fast
as the Brent and Kent Singleton electric Jr. Dragster. They were DQ'd for
running over 85 in 1/8 mile ... faster time than a new Corvette for the
distance. Once the performance and durability problems are solved we may
see lots of "green" vehicles. They're getting closer all the time.
Obviously it isn't typical but the Ohio State "Buckeye Bullet" category III
electric streamliner went something like 317 on one pass.
The Ecotec engine is a direct descendant of the Oldsmobile Quad 4. Those
were so efficient that they didn't require a catalytic converter to pass
emissions standards in California. They put up some big numbers on the
salt. When you have the Cadillac 32 valve Northstar V8 efficient enough to
put a 4 door, big GM bodied car down the road at 32 mpg highway ... you can
be sure there's lots of surprises in store for us in the future.
Wes
on 10/30/04 8:53 PM, bobbyhotrods@comcast.net at bobbyhotrods@comcast.net
wrote:
> Something happened today that never happened to me before, I was passed at
> speed by a Honda Insight! I looked twice, thinking it might be Wanner coming
> up to wave to Pedro in today's Red Sox parade, but no.....
> Usually piloted by accountants I think, it occurred to me that if more folks
> drove fast in these econo- cars, their image might improve such that it might
> be hip to be fuel efficient and aero slick....
> Maybe it's part of the reason GM made the big Ecotec effort on the salt...
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