There’s now a whole bunch of companies working on
electric car concepts. Some are sports cars, some are commuters and some appear
dependent on technology not even yet developed. It’s a fair bet to say that most
will never be successful – not in terms of the tens of millions of internal
combustion engine cars produced annually.
But, that said, let’s take a look at what’s in the
wind.
Tesla
About the sexiest electric car concept going into
production is the Tesla. It’s attracted a huge amount of publicity and some very
high profile promoters.
Tech specs of the driveline, licensed from AC
Propulsion (see below), include an 185kW 3-phase 4-pole electric motor that revs
to 13,500 rpm and a 2-speed electrically-actuated manual transmission.
The battery is lithium ion and is made up of 6,831
cells.
The Lotus-developed chassis uses double unequal
length wishbone suspension and AP racing brakes. Kerb weight is proposed to be
1225kg and performance includes a 0- 60 mph (97 km/h) time of “about 4 seconds”.
Top speed is over 210 km/h and range is quoted as a high 320 kilometres.
Tesla is taking orders with a base price of
US$98,000.
Tesla
www.teslamotors.com
T-Zero
AC Propulsion is a California corporation founded
by Alan Cocconi in 1992 to develop, manufacture, and license technology for
electric propulsion.
The company’s best known electric vehicle is the
T-Zero concept. AC Propulsion built three prototype T-Zeros, and considered
selling T-Zeros to the public, but production plans were dropped in
mid-2003.
The design, which was able to accelerate to 60 mph
(97 km/h) in 4.1 seconds, used a 160kW, 4-pole, 3-phase electric motor driving
the wheels through a fixed ratio gearbox. The initial battery pack comprised
fifty 7.4-volt lead acid modules weighing 90kg. The complete car weighed just
1140kg. The battery pack was later changed to lithium ion, increasing range from
130 to 480 kilometres and dropping the 60 mph time to an incredible 3.6 seconds.
T-Zero
www.acpropulsion.com
eBox
AC Propulsion is now marketing the eBox, a Toyota
Scion XB converted to electric power.
The eBox uses an AC induction motor developing a
peak power of 120kW and a continuous power of 50kW. The battery pack, which
weighs 270kg, is lithium ion and has a 35 kW/h capacity. Independent testing
shows that 0-100 km/h comes up in 7.54 seconds and the standing quarter mile is
completed in 15.75 seconds. Kerb weight is 1350kg and the vehicle has a range of
190 – 240 kilometres.
The conversion costs a considerable US$55,000.
eBox
www.acpropulsion.com
Obvio
Brazil isn’t normally seen as the home of
automotive innovation but the Obvio electric cars look extremely impressive –
on-screen at least. Developed in conjunction with Lotus Engineering, the Obvios
have front and side airbags and a patented 3-ring structural safety system.
The 828E has a mass of 600kg, a length of 2650mm,
height of 1500mm and a width of 1650mm. Body panels are plastic with an interior
(aluminium?) monocoque chassis.
The 828E uses a 120kW 13,0000 rpm electric motor.
The battery is lithium ion and has a 39kWh rating; it weighs 260kg. Range is
listed at 320 – 390 kilometres and acceleration is said to be 0-60 mph (97 km/h)
in a stunning 4.5 seconds – which would make it easily the fastest tiny car in
the world.
Estimated retail price is US$49,000
The 012E has the same driveline but uses a more
sporting body. Wheels are 19 inch and kerb weight is 750kg. Top speed is
variably listed at 190 or 260 km/h – rather a difference! Estimated retail price
is US$59,000
In fact, to be frank, the Obvio website is pretty
weird – but some of that might be the language translation.
Obvio
www.obvio.ind
Zap-X
Another electric car with input from Lotus
Engineering, the Zap-X looks a real stunner.
The driveline uses four hub motors with a total
power of 480kW. Nought to 60 mph (97 km/h) is said to be achieved in 4.8 seconds
with a top speed of 250 km/h.
Based on the Lotus APX concept car first displayed
in 2006 at the Geneva Motor Show, the all-aluminium car uses lithium ion
batteries said to give 560 kilometres per charge. Re-charge time is claimed to
be just 10 minutes and super-capacitors are used to provide short-term energy
supply peaks.
No proposed price is available.
Zap-X www.zapworld.com
Xebra
The Zap Xebra might not be to everyone’s taste
(although note it’s available in colour schemes other than the one pictured!)
but it has one killer advantage: you can buy it right now. A three-wheeled
city-only car, the Xebra uses lead-acid batteries and has a range of only 40
kilometres.
Top speed is 65 km/h and motor power isn’t quoted
– but it’s not going to be much. Weight is 820kg and the price is US$10,500.
Solar powered and delivery truck versions are also available.
Xebra
www.zapworld.com
Chevrolet Volt
Not a pure electric car but capable of
substantially greater electric range than current hybrids, the Volt uses a
constant speed, E85-fuelled, 1-litre 3-cylinder turbo engine and an electric
motor. The maximum electric power is “130 – 140kW” and the maximum mechanical
power is 120kW. (However, rather confusingly, the continuous maxima are listed
at 45 and 40kW, respectively.)
The lithium ion battery pack has a recharge time
of about six hours and the electric-only range is 64 kilometres. Top speed is
193 km/h. Wheels are no less than 21 inches in diameter. However, General Motors
says that commercialisation of the Volt is predicated on developments in lithium
ion battery technology.
Volt
www.chevrolet.com
Wrightspeed X1
The Wrightspeed X1 concept takes the best of
current technology and combines it into one car. AC Propulsion provides the
3-phase AC induction motor and converter, while Ariel provides the Atom-based
chassis. The result is a weight of just 698kg and a tested performance that
includes 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 3.07 seconds, 0-100 mph (161 km/h) in 6.87
seconds and a 1.3g maximum lateral acceleration.
The motor is rated at 176kW and 250Nm of torque is
available from 0 – 6000 rpm. A single gear ratio (8.25:1) is used and rear diff is a
Quaife LSD. The lithium ion battery pack is rated at 25 kWh and range is about
160 kilometres.
The company says that production cars will use
much the same technology – and be as fast – but will meet the safety regulations
the prototype does not. No proposed price is listed.
Wrightspeed
www.wrightspeed.com
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