Sponsored - Tales from the call centre, part IV

A different story from Adrian Flux this time, as we get a behind the scenes view of Jonny Smith's record breaking Enfield

As you will probably be aware PistonHeads has signed up with Adrian Flux as an official insurance partner, with deals for PHers on policies specially tailored to the kind of cars we drive. In a series of sponsored articles called 'Tales from the call centre' we've been looking at some of the insights, stories and trends Flux's team pick up in their daily business of preparing quotes and policies. In a slight break from the norm this instalment takes a look at something rather different, namely Adrian Flux's sponsorship of Jonny Smith's typically quirky electric drag car. The Flux Capacitor may well be known to you already - it's been doing the rounds for some time now - but it's a constantly evolving story and here, in Jonny's own words, is both the background behind it and the latest on where he's at with it.

Way back in 2012, we received a strange approach from motoring journalist and Fifth Gear presenter Jonny Smith - he wanted to turn an old, forgotten electric car from the 1970s into the world's fastest accelerating EV.

Given that the car in question was an 8hp Enfield 8000, capable of about 40mph, we were intrigued. Could it be done? Could this "silly little car" - Jonny's own words - really outpace a Tesla, let alone the record holding Zombie EV from the USA?

Given that the car was originally designed by John Ackroyd (who went on to help Richard Noble smash records with Thrust 2) and had a drag co-efficient of just 0.28, we thought - just maybe - it could.

The car was named the Flux Capacitor - a nod to going Back to the Future of EV technology and in recognition of our help - and, four years later, we have our answer.

On the weekend of 16/17 July at Santa Pod the tiny Enfield, just 2.8 metres long, demolished the quarter-mile in just 9.86 seconds, beating the previous best of 10.25 with ease. To put that in perspective, it outpaces modern supercars like the Lamborghini Aventador, McLaren 650S, Porsche 911 Turbo S, Nissan GT-R and, yes, Tesla's incredible Model S P90D. All those cars may have a higher top speed - the Enfield has so far peaked at 129mph - but none would be able to live with the little car on the drag strip.

Originally built on the Isle of Wight in the oil crisis era, the Flux Capacitor now packs more than 800hp, 1,200lb ft of torque and quietly rockets to 113mph in six seconds.

"I'm in awe of what this little yellow thing can cope with," said Jonny, who has presented TV's Fifth Gear since 2006 and is a serial car modifier. "Despite so many racers telling me that a 68-inch wheelbase car could never safely go as fast as we wanted, the Enfield has proved them wrong. Originally the car was designed to drive up to speeds of 40mph. Now it triples the speed within quarter of a mile without any aerodynamic alterations - which is testament to the original design.

"The car never feels like it is out of its comfort zone. To be honest I have disconnected the speedo, and just drive it by feel. You quickly forget how small it is when the lights go green. The instant electric torque delivery is something I have never experienced in over 15 years of driving and testing sports cars.

"I set out to build a British electric hot rod. I hope I've achieved something leftfield enough to prove that David certainly can beat Goliath.

"I'm deeply thankful to all of the positive support from my sponsors, without which I couldn't have achieved this at all - Adrian Flux insurance, Hyperdrive, Gas It, Vintage VDB watches, Castor Vali global risk management and Andriaki Shipping company."

Jonny rescued the Enfield, then a flood-damaged write-off, and restored the car before adding 21st century electric technology.

The car is powered by 188 lithium-ion battery cells built into enclosures under the bonnet and boot, generating 2000 amps and 400 volts to a pair of DC nine-inch motors to drive the back wheels.

These batteries are normally seen running the miniguns and starting the engines of a Bell Super Cobra attack helicopter, and can only be bought by those with a military account. Thankfully, a company called Hyperdrive Innovations in Sunderland has just that.

Despite reaching 100mph in under six seconds and only being 2.8 metres long, Jonny's Enfield is still road legal, tax exempt and London congestion charge exempt.

As part of the drag racing series he competes in, the Street Eliminator entrants must prove their roadworthiness as part of the qualifying process by way of a mandatory 26-mile cruise around Northamptonshire. Being road legal means the car has to run treaded tyres and go without wheelie bars too, which would probably help the car track straighter under full acceleration.

But even without them, the Flux Capacitor runs straight and true - and very, very fast!

Read more on the Flux Capacitor here.

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