Future of Drag Racing?

[kev_the_mole]

http://www.opb.org/programs/ofg/segments/view/1686

[v8man]

oh yes
was the other day at an event in Cristal palace and the Teslas where going alot quicker than the ferraris, evo 9s and impresas

[unstable load]

WOW! that is truly impressive.

[kev_the_mole]

the Teslas where going alot quicker than the ferraris

Yes the bl00dy Teslas were about 8 seconds faster than me

Not a track for a V8 that could only use two gears, first and second. First was too low and second too high**

I wrote it up here http://healey.hyperboards.com/index.php ... 6&start=16

It's in two parts and the second is on the next page

Cheers,

Ian

**Reason courtesy of the Racer’s Big Book of Excuses, Page 288

[stevieturbo]

The only thing holding back electric vehicles is the fact batteries are a woefully crap and innefficient way of storing electricity.

When they get the power source sorted....electric will go very very fast.


I seen an old Beetle at the Pod a few years ago. The biggest problem they had, was twisting drivesahfts due to the massive instant torque available !!

[topcatcustom]

Exactly my thoughts Stevie, as soon as a REAL new gen of batteries becomes available everything we know will be out the window and electric may actually be the way forewards

[ged]

I think I'd have to play a V8 sound track on my stereo! Good acceleration is one thing, but you need that sound to go with it.

[stevieturbo]

TBH if an electric vehicle was actually to be capable of moving people places reliably without running done after 5 mins. I would jump at the chance of owning one.

Assuming it was of course sensibly priced.

I'd then hook up an overnight charger to a local street light

Or get a wind turbine. Absolutely anything that would offer me free transport, without paying a single penny to the government in taxes.

[kiwicar]

Personally I think there will be little place for pure electric cars outside major cities, the issue is not the range so much the speed of recharging. If you run out of your power on your journey you cannot practically stop for the 2 or 3 hours it takes to recharge, even 30 minutes is really impractical.
However a hybrid based on based on about 30 minutes capacity on the batteries at cruising and a small LPG fuelled gas turbine that was big enough to power the car at 75 mph without draining the batteries would be a highly practical package. Gas turbines are highly efficient if they run at constant speed/ constant load, and in a hybrid you would have the ideal transmission, with the right management algorithms you would have a highly compact efficient set up that you could fill up in 3 minutes or less and go as far as you want.
Best regards
Mike

[CastleMGBV8]

Ian,

Thanks for posting the report on the meeting, wished I'd known you were going as I would have made the effort, as Crystal Palace is only 30 minutes away.

I was there for the last meeting and was surprised it was 10 years ago, Tempus Fugit!

Kevin.

[Ian Anderson]

Personally I think there will be little place for pure electric cars outside major cities, the issue is not the range so much the speed of recharging. If you run out of your power on your journey you cannot practically stop for the 2 or 3 hours it takes to recharge, even 30 minutes is really impractical.
However a hybrid based on based on about 30 minutes capacity on the batteries at cruising and a small LPG fuelled gas turbine that was big enough to power the car at 75 mph without draining the batteries would be a highly practical package. Gas turbines are highly efficient if they run at constant speed/ constant load, and in a hybrid you would have the ideal transmission, with the right management algorithms you would have a highly compact efficient set up that you could fill up in 3 minutes or less and go as far as you want.
Best regards
Mike

Mike

Google Joseph Gamell and his turbine technologies
I met him at the trade show in 1982 and was fasinated by his engine - he had it on display

A thing the size of 2 turbochargers bolted together and then add a generator was good to propel a 3000lb car to 100mph in 7 secs from memory - but it seems some of the gas companies have "bought him out"

His prototype car was an American full size car with 4 in wheel engines and did not use any battery storage (Bloody noisy car though as it ran at about 35000rpm from memory)

Ian

[kev_the_mole]

wished I'd known you were going

See you there next year with me Toyo's on! Still won't beat the Tesla's though!

[kiwicar]

"I always post here first as it's a more discerning clientele "

Nice to know we are less discerning around here, means I can keep posting up my usual cr4p.
Best regards
Mike

[kev_the_mole]

Mike,

I don't post my stuff here because we are a liddle bit drag racing oriented. The 'discerning clientele' bit was not meant for this forum but the Austin Healey Club magazine where some member's idea of motorsport is buying a souvenir tea towel after a 29mph run to the local stately home, but not if there's any chance of rain .

However I shall post my Jersey exploits to see if there's any interest. 110mph down the 5 Mile Road in a 40 limit during the Moonlight Sprints with a policeman monitoring the crowd waving me on to go faster

Cheers,

Ian

[ppyvabw]

This is something I have a bee in my bonnet about. Electric cars are supposed to be environmentally friendly?

Where do they think the electricity comes from to charge them? Thin air? No, it's a big dirty power station that burns oil, gas or coal. So until we have better long term and cleaner energy solutions to provide the juice for said cars, they have little environmental benefit. Wind farms and hydro electric just don't cut it, nuclear has to be the way forward.