DeLaSalle EV Aims for World Record, Superefficient electric car

26 August 2010 - The big automotive producers aren't the only ones shaking the world of electric vehicles. A number of universities from around the world are also contributing to the EV development.The latest project of this kind comes from a team of students from the DeLaSalle School in Kansas city, and has been developed together with engineers from Bridgestone America’s Technical Center in Akron, Ohio.

The vehicle uses an interesting combination as it has been built on a 2000 Lola Indy Car chassis and features a transparent body shell. The car could achieve 307 miles per gallon (130km/litre) equivalent, as demonstrated at the Bridgestone's Texas Proving Ground earlier this month.

The team of students, led by class instructor Steve Rees, created the vehicle’s electric powertrain and the aerodynamic body, which keeps the weight down thanks to ingenious solutions. The project uses Bridgestone Ecopia EP100 tires.

However, the project isn’t your average university project. Oh, no. The car was taken to the Bridgestone Texas Proving Grounds for a series of tests with the aim of setting a new world record for efficiency.

Following a series of tests, the vehicle managed to reach a high level of efficiency, which can be translated to the equivalent of 300 mpg.

Now that they have achieved this level of efficiency performance, the students have sent a request to the Guinness World Records for the registration of a new world record.

The EV market has really started to take off, as the world’s governments are offering subsidies for this type of cars. These are offered in two forms. The first type is received by the automotive producers for development purposes, while the customers also get their share of subsidies when acquiring an EV.

According to a blog entry on the project, "the goal is to show how simplicity and lightweight construction can impact performance and energy efficiency.

"The vehicle will weigh less than 1,500 pounds (680kg), which is half the weight of 98% of most electric vehicles on the road today. The results from their testing should be an interesting comparison to other electric cars."

 
Share this page
Back to articles list
Loading...