Westfield Sportscars join EV Cup ( w / VIDEO )

Westfield Sportscars join EV Cup with their innovative electric race car, the iRACER.

Westfield’s iRACER is a track focused electric vehicle designed and engineered to support a growing demand for zero emission sports cars. With a target total weight of 600kg, powered by two motors delivering 160 hp (120kW), the final vehicle will have a sub 5 second 0-60mph time, with an electronically limited top speed of 110mph.

Using an intelligent and flexible design, over half (approx. 100kg) of the state of the art Lithium Phosphate batteries will be stored under the floor to lower the centre of gravity. For a greater range and for better weight distribution, additional batteries can also be positioned towards the front of the vehicle. While this flexibility presents a number of practical and financial benefits, it also offers an additional competitive element for optimal vehicle setup for different circuits on the EV Cup calendar.

Westfield’s iRACER joins an already exciting SportsEV class line up. Dr. Paul Faithfull, Technical Director of Westfield Sportscars, “We are excited by the prospect of racing against other electric vehicles at circuits across Europe and beyond. EV Cup represents a great opportunity for us to develop vehicle technology on the back of this direct competition, a way to benchmark and to show that electric racing can be as dramatic and exciting as conventional motorsport.”

Says Managing Director Sylvain Filippi: “Westfield’s iRACER is another example of the excitement behind performance electric vehicles, this time, open top and very lightweight. We look forward to working with Westfield and witnessing the success of their iRACER.”



The iRACER is the result of a collaborative project between Westfield Sportscars, and Niche Vehicle Network partners Potenza Technology, Delta Motorsport, RDM Automotive, and Coventry University. Funded through an Advantage West Midlands programme, the vehicle has been styled by upcoming designer Elliott Hawkins from the Royal College of Arts.

Powered by two motors, that take the place of the differential, delivering 80 hp direct drive to each of the iRACER’s rear wheels via a reduction gear. Using an intelligent and flexible design, over half (approx. 100kg) of the state of the art Lithium Phosphate batteries will be stored under the floor to improve the positioning of the centre of gravity. For a greater range and for better weight distribution, additional batteries can also be positioned towards the front of the vehicle.

The motors are currently being tested at half power, with Westfield describing the car’s early pace as “brisk”. The next stages of development include the creation of new bodywork and artificial engine noise. The motors will also be further developed to provide independent control of the rear wheels.

Audi seem to have set a precedent with their E-Tron for quoting torque at the wheels on EVs with in-board wheel motors. The Tesla Roadster Sport has 400 Nm at the motor shaft. Multiply that by the 8.27:1 final drive ratio and we get 3308 Nm @ the wheels! The 1000 Nm iRacer doesn’t look so ’stump pulling’ by comparison.

It is set to make appearances at several public events throughout the year before the one-make series gets under way next year.



Westfield iRACER Specs

General:

* Kerb Weight – 600kg
* Length – 3600mm
* Width – 1635mm
* Installation – Rear, rear wheel drive
* Bodywork - Lightweight and recyclable

Technical:

* Drive motor – Oxford Yasa Motors, 80hp , 500Nm @ each wheel
* Battery - 170kg, Lithium Phosphate

Performance:

* 0-60mph - under 5 seconds
* Top speed – 110mph (electronically limited)
* Range – 55 race miles on a single charge (extendable)
* Recharge – 2 hours charge time from three phase generator

Auto-pilot cars will follow closely at 70mph

New car technology that allows drivers to switch their cars to automatic pilot and join a fast-moving queue of tailgating vehicles traveling at speeds of up to 70mph may be usual on British motorways within a decade.

The ‘road train’ technology would enable a line of up to eight cars to drive behind a lead vehicle that would do all the braking and navigation.



The engineers behind the idea claim it will decrease each vehicle’s fuel consumption by as much as twenty percent due to the aerodynamic benefit of slipstreaming a few feet behind the vehicle in front.

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Mercedes-Benz plan Plug-In Hybrid S-Class

Due for sale in 2012, the new S-Class sedan will be offered with plug-in hybrid technology, and eventually this option will be offered across the automaker’s fleet.

The information comes from Mercedes-Benz research and development chief Thomas Weber, who explained to Autocar during a recent interview that it “makes a lot of sense to bundle the high-price tech option to the sort of customers willing to pay for this sort of thing.”

The technology has already been previewed by last year’s Vision S500 Plug-In Hybrid Concept, which combined a 3.5-liter V-6 gasoline engine with an electric motor running on lithium-ion batteries.

Dropping this powertrain into the next-generation S-Class, which is also expected to benefit from a weight reduction program and aerodynamic aids, Mercedes-Benz could potentially deliver the promised 70 mpg luxury sedan.

There won’t be a purely electric version, however. Weber ruled such a car out due to concerns over its range. Note, however, that a plug-in hybrid version could potentially drive on all-electric power alone for short distances.

As for the rest of the lineup, expect a new range of “MoVe” modular V-6 and V-8 engines featuring direct-injection and turbocharging technologies.