Electric car Land Speed Record?

[4-barrel Mike]

http://gizmodo.com/a-uk-minister-just-broke-the-electric-car-land-speed-re-613121273

Submitted without comment 

Mike

[Malcolm UK]

Submitted without comment 
Mike

I got the feeling that you would like to comment!

World Record because all records on the FIA list are that, or they are absolute or outright.  World Record because no one had challenged the FIA Electric Class 2 (501kg to 1000kg) record since the speed of 175 mph had been set. World Record set on 1.9 miles of runway by reaching over 200 mph on both passes (with no chute fitted on a former LMP car).

When ratified, this will also be the fastest mile land speed record (mile - as in the total timed distance just as you have at Bonneville) ever set by an automobile (wheel driven vehicle) in the UK.

A World Record speed that demonstrates that the Drayson Racing Technologies power system will be a force to reckon with in Formula E city centre racing in 2014 and onwards.

Malcolm UK, Derby, England     

[TrickyDicky]

For those (like me) who revel in the detail, my understanding is that the record set (Subject to FIA homologation) is in FIA Category A, Group VIII, Class 2 for the 1 mile distance with a flying start.  Presumably the runs were also fast enough to set the kilometre record, but there is no indication whether this distance was timed.

The "Class 2" part signifies a vehicle weight of 500kg to 1,000kg.  The FIA has recently introduced additional weight classes so that the previous Classes 1, 2 and 3 (equivalent to SCTA classes E/I, E/II and E/III) now run to Class 11 for vehicles that are over 5,500kg (i.e. there are effectively eight new classes).

A side effect of this is that Pat Rummerfield/White Lightning becomes the current FIA record holder for A-VIII-3, whilst Buckeye Bullet 2.5 becomes the first record holder for the new A-VIII-4 class.

All of which sets me thinking ...  If I obtain a milk float (I may by now have lost the attention of most non-UK readers), load it up with ballast to weigh 2,001kg, persuade Mike Cook to let me run at the Shootout, and drive it up and down at top speed (let's say 10 mph - yes, ten), then I too could set an FIA world record at Bonneville.  Possibly a dream come true!     

[TrickyDicky]

Perhaps I should have said that would be in class A-VIII-5 (2,000kg to 2,500kg), with there being no current record holder.

Alternatively, if the students at Ohio State University can devise a way of adding ballast to Buckeye Bullet in 500kg increments, there are anything up to 7 new records (14 if you count mile and km) there for the taking.

[Malcolm UK]

I have been told that the kilometre records were set by a different driver of the Lola Drayson B12/69 EV on the second day of the attempt.

For those in the USA, the electric milk float is a delivery flat bed vehicle with walk through driver compartment up front, that was used when milk deliveries to domestic households in towns/cities in England was popular.  The plastic crates stacked on the flat bed contained glass bottles of 1 pint capacity.

I organised the only 'shootout' for milk floats on the runway at Bruntingthorpe Airfield, England which was filmed and then shown on UK television. As the Guinness organisation was not interested in sanctioning the attempt, because the vehicles only exist in use in two countries in the world, I worked with the film production company to write the rules for making a record bid. The main one was that there could be no reduction in frontal area.  For safety no crates of milk could be loaded onto the vehicle as ballast.

I think Mike C and the timekeepers would be able to take a very long comfort break whilst a record was being established, because the milk float has the frontal area of a barn door!  The FIA technical personnel may take a dim view on safety with large side doors to the driving compartment.

Weight engineering is what electric record breaking is all about at this moment in time.  Some 'easy' records to be established.

Malcolm UK, Derby, England
 

[Dean Los Angeles]

I think Mike C and the timekeepers would be able to take a very long comfort break whilst a record was being established, because the milk float has the frontal area of a barn door!

If the milk float was loaded with beer and delivered to Mike C and the timekeepers at the end of the run . . .

[Milwaukee Midget]

I think Mike C and the timekeepers would be able to take a very long comfort break whilst a record was being established, because the milk float has the frontal area of a barn door!

If the milk float was loaded with beer and delivered to Mike C and the timekeepers at the end of the run . . .

. . . it would be as warm as if it came out of a Lucas refrigerator. 

[4-barrel Mike]

I got the feeling that you would like to comment!

Malcolm UK, Derby, England     

Actually, sir, it was intended to be a wry comment on the SOURCE where I would not typically expect to find LSR information rather than on the content.

Mike

[SteveM]

To satisfy my own curiosity, I had to look at the existing Special Construction Category / Electric Vehicle at Bonneville. 

The 2013 Rulebook/ Record Book shows that the Buckeye Bullet set the current record of 314.958 mph in October 2004.  That's  fast. 

[dw230]

There are three weight classes for electric, now extended by FIA to 7. I don't know if the SCTA will adopt the new classes at this time.

Buckeye runs in the current heavy, Drayson in a lighter class.

DW

[Rex Schimmer]

So British, never a mention that the "real" absolute electric car land speed record is held by a bunch of US students from Ohio State, no the "New world land speed record for electric cars was set by an English car". No mention that the Brit record is for a different weight class and that the "real" absoluet speed record is 110mph faster!! No wonder the Irish, the Scots and almost all of the old colonies despise Britain.

Rex

[wobblywalrus]

The article mentions a bio-ethanol engine.  This might be a hybrid.

[Malcolm UK]

So British, never a mention that the "real" absolute electric car land speed record is held by a bunch of US students from Ohio State, no the "New world land speed record for electric cars was set by an English car". No mention that the Brit record is for a different weight class and that the "real" absoluet speed record is 110mph faster!! No wonder the Irish, the Scots and almost all of the old colonies despise Britain. Rex

The reporting on the succesful attempt is by the individual magazines, newspapers, webforums, etc.  If they choose to ignore the details then there is nothing the team can do. By all means damn the press, but try to avoid generalisations arising from a few press reports. Unless the colony over that big pond has people upset by 'losing' a 29 year old speed record.

[The FIA World record of the Ohio State University - Venturi Automobile team car driven by Roger Schroer was achieved in 2010 at 307.905 mph. The students and their industry supporters build very fast cars.]

Malcolm. Derby, England

[TrickyDicky]

There are three weight classes for electric, now extended by FIA to 7. I don't know if the SCTA will adopt the new classes at this time.

Buckeye runs in the current heavy, Drayson in a lighter class.

DW

I hesitate to contradict Dan, but ...

My understanding is that there are now eleven FIA weight classes for electric powered vehicles.  Can anyone confirm the correct number?  I'm not interested in who's correct; just want the truth!

Also, AFAIK the same weight classes apply for turbine and steam powered cars.

[TrickyDicky]

The article mentions a bio-ethanol engine.  This might be a hybrid.

Wobbly,

The same chassis has been fitted with more than one power train over the last few years.  The current set-up is "pure" electric, i.e. not a hybrid.