New 1 Hour Electrathon Record - 62 MPH for an hour!

[www.recumbents.com]

C. Michael Lewis drove his Electrathon racer at a speed of 62.054 MPH for one hour at the recent Ford Electrathon Challenge. This pretty amazing considering the Electrathon racing organizations strict rule that the vehicles must use lead acid batteries weighing 67 pounds or less.

Three other racers competed with speeds between 50 and 57 MPH for the hour.

More information and pictures here: http://www.recumbents.com/home.asp?URL=wisil/FordChallenge2009

C. Michael Lewis in his racer

Driver Steve Nash looks down on the Cloud Electric racer

-Warren.
http://www.recumbents.com

 

[lawsonuw]

I wonder what the winners power draw at cruse speed was?

Lawson

 

[liveforphysics]

With another $800 in LiPo in a backpack, my E-bike could hold faster than 62mph for an hour, and that would be with me sitting upright on a knobby tire downhill bicycle with zero aerodynamic improvements. As it sits now, I can do 64mph on my 40Ah 84v pack for for over half an hour. Less battery weight than these vehicles as well, but of course using LiPo is a massive advantage over lead acid. I would be crushed by the battery weight if I tried to carry enough lead to do that challenge. lol

Very cool challenge, and cool event. Seems like a shame they made an event that doesn't encourage solving the only problem that needs solving for EVs, which of course is energy storage.

 

[carbon.nanotube.capacitor]

They only allow Lead Acid. How fitting that Ford would be competing.

 

[johnrobholmes]

It it an aerodynamic competition. A local HPV race group told me that 250w would sustain their bike at 50 to 55mph. Those little slipstreams would probably be pretty low.

 

[dnmun]

i saw 3 of the cloud racers at the memorial day electrathon in portland at the portland international raceway PIR the same day as OHPV had their time trials and electric bike races.

all 3 of the cloud racing trikes were so smooth, a girl piloted one with a super smooth touch, i think she may have won since they were lapping all the other electrathon trikes constantly, speed never seemed to drop, quiet and so fast, seemed 55-60mph for sure. 2" off the asphalt

 

[www.recumbents.com]

Ford was not competing, we were using their super-smooth test track. The Electrathon rules specify the battery, rider weight and a bunch of other stuff in an effort to even the playing field.

-Warren.

 

[lawsonuw]

Well if we assume the electrathon cars are cruising on ~500watts a piddly little 5000Wh battery would push the car 500-600 miles on a charge. That kind of range is about as far as I want to drive in a day. (even assuming a 1000watt cruising power the winning car could go an impressive distance on 5KWh)

Now, I doubt this is the most practical car in the world. Still, it does demonstrate that current battery tech can be plenty "good enough" if the car is first optimized for maximum efficiency.

Lawson

 

[LI-ghtcycle]

I can understand making a unified battery type to make the aerodynamics and efficiency king, but forcing lead acid on them would be like making cars in a race all use coal fired steam engines! :lol:

At least get one company to supply the batteries so they all have the same, decent lithium based battery.

I still appreciate the purpose, just think it would be better to have someone like A123 or Turnigy supplying/sponsoring these racer's batteries instead of "Die hard". :wink:

 

[Hillhater]

It depends what you what to encourage development of.
If its motors, power controllers, etc then the type of battery doesnt matter if they all have the same .
Lead is cheap and easily available.
If you want to force battery development...then that would be a completely different set of rules.

 

[neptronix]

That's a very efficient motorized tampon ya got there.