Automotive

Drayson Racing sets world electric land speed record

Drayson Racing sets world electric land speed record
The B12 69/EV shattered the world electric land speed record set almost 40 years ago
The B12 69/EV shattered the world electric land speed record set almost 40 years ago
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Interior of the B12 69/EV
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Interior of the B12 69/EV
Inside the engineering of the B12 69/EV
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Inside the engineering of the B12 69/EV
The B12 69/EV shattered the world electric land speed record set almost 40 years ago
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The B12 69/EV shattered the world electric land speed record set almost 40 years ago
The B12 69/EV uses the Drayson 4X2-640 drivetrain
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The B12 69/EV uses the Drayson 4X2-640 drivetrain
The record attempt was made at RAF Elvington in Yorkshire
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The record attempt was made at RAF Elvington in Yorkshire
The Drayson 4X2-640 drivetrain
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The Drayson 4X2-640 drivetrain
Engineering detail of the B12 69/EV's electrics
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Engineering detail of the B12 69/EV's electrics
The B12 69/EV was driven by Lord Drayson
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The B12 69/EV was driven by Lord Drayson
View gallery - 8 images

The old world electric land speed record was shattered on Tuesday when the Drayson B12 69/EV electric Le-Mans Prototype hit 204.185 mph (328.603 km/h) on a racetrack at RAF Elvington in Yorkshire, UK. Driven by former science minister and Drayson Racing chief executive Lord Drayson, the converted Lola LMP1 Le Mans racer easily ticked past the previous record of 175 mph (281.6 km/h) set in 1974 by Battery Box Electric in the US.

Built by the Oxford-based Drayson Racing electric motorsport company, the Drayson B12 69/EV electric Le-Mans Prototype has been under development since 2011. It made its debut at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, where it was judged fastest electric car and the 11st fastest car overall.

In order to qualify for the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile's (FIA) world electric land speed record, the B12 69/EV had to weigh less than 1,000 kg (2,204 lb) without the driver. The chassis is a composite monocoque LMP1 with natural and recycled body panels and the car is driven by the Drayson Racing Technologies 4X2-640 drivetrain, which consists of four electric motors with an integrated transmission.

Power comes from an A123 lithium-ion phosphate structural battery punching 850 bhp (640 kW) with acceleration topping out at 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in three seconds. Total run time in racing modes is under 15 minutes, but it does have regenerative braking, torque vectoring and traction control.

“I’m delighted we beat the record last night and can show the world EVs can be fast and reliable,” says Lord Drayson. “Drayson Racing is a laboratory for EV technology, testing it to the most extreme level, as we’ve seen today. It is not the outright speed of 204.185 mph that is most impressive about this record, but the engineering challenge of accelerating a 1,000 kg electric vehicle on a short runway over a measured mile.”

According to Drayson Racing, the record’s official recognition is subject to FIA approval.

The video below shows the record-breaking run.

Source: Drayson Racing

The Drayson Racing FIA World Land Speed Record

View gallery - 8 images
3 comments
3 comments
socalboomer
now think how fast it could have gone if it wasn't a high-downforce body meant for maneuvering AROUND a track instead of in a straight line. . .
Slowburn
I wonder how far it can go at speed.
warren52nz
@ Slowburn. They'd be nuts to carry any more battery than they need to set the record. If it was an internal combustion engine they wouldn't carry more fuel than they needed to do the same. Why would they? It's just added weight.