'Nemesis' breaks electric car land speed record

'Nemesis' breaks electric car land speed record

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nosuchuser

Original Poster:

837 posts

231 months

Thursday 27th September 2012
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VeeDub Geezer

461 posts

169 months

Thursday 27th September 2012
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Shame. I heard them talking if 170-180mph realistically.

What's this trying to prove though? Electric works in lightweight cars?

k-ink

9,070 posts

194 months

Thursday 27th September 2012
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That is only 8mph more than my 111R would manage years ago (on a long driveway). I thought electric cars would be way faster.

RicksAlfas

14,052 posts

259 months

Thursday 27th September 2012
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This was on BBC breakfast this morning, but I left before they ran it.

Upatdawn

2,188 posts

163 months

Thursday 27th September 2012
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The major manufacturers are holding back on us, they build millions of IC engines annually and cant afford to introduce a viable family sized electeric car with reasonable speed and range, theyve probably all got 1, and it doesnt look like the clowns cars that are available

when the oil runs out they will release the leccy cars they want you - the customer - to buy

inman999

31,741 posts

188 months

Thursday 27th September 2012
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Surely more downforce is detrimental to top speed and what's the regency to wind power in the article.

Otispunkmeyer

13,350 posts

170 months

Thursday 27th September 2012
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this was on the BBC this morning. They seemed quite over joyed at the electric car that has no horrible noises and as they put it "putrid" smell of fuel or exhaust. I think it was putrid, it was a word to that effect anyway.

Granted diesel isn't the best smell in the world and those little particles are bad for you.... but petrol has a lovely aroma!

Upatdawn

2,188 posts

163 months

Thursday 27th September 2012
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Upatdawn

2,188 posts

163 months

Thursday 27th September 2012
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I dont want speed, my average is only 32mph, i want range (550 miles on a tank of diesel) and fast charging

VeeDub Geezer

461 posts

169 months

Thursday 27th September 2012
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TheLastPost said:
VeeDub Geezer said:
What's this trying to prove though? Electric works in lightweight cars?
The article said:
it's a battery-powered car designed to "smash the boring, Noddy stereotype of the green car"
I'm not sure there has to be a point to breaking records though. Realisically, what's the point of Bloodhound? To promote British engineering talent? To research extreme high speed ground effect aerodynamics?

Or just to make a few bucks and a few headlines for Richard Noble and the rest of the team whilst having a bit of an adventure?
Thing is, this is a bit of a niche record though. The Worldwide electric land speed record is something like 290mph but was achieved using a "cigar shaped" car (according to the radio this morning).

This is (now) the fastest UK built "normal" electric car.

I'm more impressed with the Leaf being a production car and available (theoretically) to everyone.

I can only assume this is a publicity stunt for Ecotricity?

Otispunkmeyer

13,350 posts

170 months

Thursday 27th September 2012
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Upatdawn said:
Its not the brick wall of sound that smashes you in the face at top fuel drag events, but it's still a cool noise and just weird to see something going so quickly without sound. The electric bike is even more ridiculous.

Engineer1

10,486 posts

224 months

Thursday 27th September 2012
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The wind bit is because the manufacturers have interests in wind power and have built an electric car. It seems like we could be in for some interesting vehicles again, in the early days of cars there were Steam, Electric, Gas and "conventionally" fuelled vehicles, the choice of alternative will come down to availability of fuel, fuel price and availability.

R300will

3,799 posts

166 months

Thursday 27th September 2012
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It's going to be hard to make an electric sports car. Soft tyres for grip also create drag, batteries weigh a st load although you wouldn't need an engine or fuel tank so perhaps the weight isn't much of a difference, motors need to be powerful, range needs to be good when cruising about (around 400 miles per charge would be about right)and fast charge time. Lights/heaters/aircon/heated seats etc drains the st out of the batteries.

It's a tall order.

MrFrodo

21,548 posts

257 months

Thursday 27th September 2012
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I'm missing something here - either that or the Guardian was.

As far as I can see, the battery electric speed record currently stands at a far more healthy 307.66mph with the Buckeye Bullet 2.5:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buckeye_Bullet#Buckey...

ETA Okay, sorry they were talking about a UK domestic record. It's a bit pathetic that we're that far behind...

kambites

69,455 posts

236 months

Thursday 27th September 2012
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MrFrodo said:
It's a bit pathetic that we're that far behind...
You could argue that it just shows we haven't been daft enough to try. hehe

P4T

221 posts

158 months

Thursday 27th September 2012
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Hello everyone!

Just a quick note on this subject!...

The car in question was mine!.. It started as a 2005 Lotus Exige which I sold to Ecotricity in March 2008.

Personally I prefer it how it was and I wish I had never sold it!.. Naff picture below.


Dogwatch

6,320 posts

237 months

Thursday 27th September 2012
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RicksAlfas said:
This was on BBC breakfast this morning, but I left before they ran it.
They didn't - the man with the stopwatch hadn't turned up so when he did they were going to film it and show it tomorrow

Upatdawn said:
I dont want speed, my average is only 32mph, i want range (550 miles on a tank of diesel) and fast charging
Agreed - seems far more relevant to most than out-and-out speed.

Upatdawn

2,188 posts

163 months

Thursday 27th September 2012
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A JCB hit 328.767mph

no front bucket though...lol

PanzerCommander

5,026 posts

233 months

Thursday 27th September 2012
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Some of the comments on the thread make me laugh, apparently making a two seat luxury electric sports car isn't part of the green program - that’s it were doomed to drive fully electric versions of Piouses and Hindsight’s forever hippy

On a more realistic note, it is nice to see stuff like this imho (though the stock body work does look better) I’m sure there was a video in you tube with Robert Llewellyn (Kriten in Red Dwarf).

I could live with an electric car/truck for day to day use and keep the Mustang for weekends, longer distances and racing as my commute is only 11 miles each way or there abouts.

Captain Muppet

8,540 posts

280 months

Thursday 27th September 2012
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R300will said:
It's going to be hard to make an electric sports car. Soft tyres for grip also create drag, batteries weigh a st load although you wouldn't need an engine or fuel tank so perhaps the weight isn't much of a difference, motors need to be powerful, range needs to be good when cruising about (around 400 miles per charge would be about right)and fast charge time. Lights/heaters/aircon/heated seats etc drains the st out of the batteries.

It's a tall order.
So other than the range, the Tesla was pretty good for something launched in 2008.