Electric RCR's

[Cliff Beer]

You can't just say that the total carbon footprint of an electric vehicle is less than the equivalent gasoline version - it's not that simple. Here's an example, if the electricity needed to charge the batteries comes from wind or hydroelectric generation then, yes, the total carbon emmission (the "footprint") is going to be materially less. However, if that electricity comes from a coal fired plant in China with no scrubbers on the stacks then it's likely that total carbon emmissions will actually be roughly equal or even higher.

Generalizations in the environmental debate are difficult to make stand up because there are a lot of variables.

What we really need is a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle......zero emissions.....oh, wait, somehow we have to crack off hydrogen from somewhere, and that's not going to be a zero emission process....hhhhmmmm

 

[Fran Hall RCR]

The SL-Ce and its details are not for public release at this time as the owner has some proprietory components/electronics developed for the car.

What I can say is that the batteries are Lithium Polymer from Kokam.
The car has full regen and a rather large Siemens motor.

The all up calculated weight is approx. 2400lbs...very similar to an LS7 car.

 

[Simon M]

An Australian tax comment - I'm not sure what the status is with luxury car tax on kit cars (as a turnkey), but the luxury car tax doesn't apply to fuel efficient vehicles. So this might save quite a bit of coin (assuming luxury car tax applies to the petrol versions)

 

[Roger]

You can't just say that the total carbon footprint of an electric vehicle is less than the equivalent gasoline version - it's not that simple.

Well said. The other thing that I've not seen analysed is the energy and materials used to produce cars (electric and petrol), rare earth metals and nasty chemicals. You then need to make an assumption about the lifetime of each component, so it gets very complicated. I strongly suspect that it's never been done properly.

I tend not to worry about it - I'm reasonable with my carbon footprint most of the time, but I'm happy to splurge on one car

 

[John]

How is the weight distribution front/rear vs. an LS7 car?

 

[Fran Hall RCR]

As we can mount the batteries where we want, weight bias is not an issue...

The new Lithium batteries are pretty easy to package...and we have split them front to rear...

 

We have indeed...
in fact we are putting exactly that together for Robertson Racing...(ALMS Ford GT race team....)
Dave and Andrea Robertson want to have one to use while away at the track as a promo for their team...

That would be great to see an electric car track series, then they could run on Sundays at Lime Rock.

 

I am sure Fran will have a Tape or CD of a GT40 at full noise in the list of options so you can cruise the boulevards at 20mph sounding like 200mph, probably come with solar panel so that your 20mph cruise range does not suffer. Aero drag from the panel @ 20mph should not be factor!

How about a CD of a turbine engine, that would definitely turn heads.