Automotive

High performance electric vehicle trial starts in the UK

High performance electric vehicle trial starts in the UK
The Westfield Sport E - can go from zero to 60 mph in about seven seconds and has a top speed of 100 mph
The Westfield Sport E - can go from zero to 60 mph in about seven seconds and has a top speed of 100 mph
View 13 Images
The Delta E-4 Coupe - can go from zero to 60 mph in less than five seconds and has a top speed of 139 mph
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The Delta E-4 Coupe - can go from zero to 60 mph in less than five seconds and has a top speed of 139 mph
The Delta E-4 Coupe - can go from zero to 60 mph in less than five seconds and has a top speed of 139 mph
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The Delta E-4 Coupe - can go from zero to 60 mph in less than five seconds and has a top speed of 139 mph
The Delta E-4 Coupe - can go from zero to 60 mph in less than five seconds and has a top speed of 139 mph
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The Delta E-4 Coupe - can go from zero to 60 mph in less than five seconds and has a top speed of 139 mph
The Ecotricity Nemesis - can get from zero to 60 mph in about four seconds, has a top speed of about 135 mph
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The Ecotricity Nemesis - can get from zero to 60 mph in about four seconds, has a top speed of about 135 mph
The Ecotricity Nemesis - can get from zero to 60 mph in about four seconds, has a top speed of about 135 mph
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The Ecotricity Nemesis - can get from zero to 60 mph in about four seconds, has a top speed of about 135 mph
The Ecotricity Nemesis - can get from zero to 60 mph in about four seconds, has a top speed of about 135 mph
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The Ecotricity Nemesis - can get from zero to 60 mph in about four seconds, has a top speed of about 135 mph
The Electric Lightning GT - can go from zero to 60 mph in less than five seconds and has a top speed of 130 mph
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The Electric Lightning GT - can go from zero to 60 mph in less than five seconds and has a top speed of 130 mph
The Electric Lightning GT - can go from zero to 60 mph in less than five seconds and has a top speed of 130 mph
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The Electric Lightning GT - can go from zero to 60 mph in less than five seconds and has a top speed of 130 mph
The Electric Lightning GT - can go from zero to 60 mph in less than five seconds and has a top speed of 130 mph
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The Electric Lightning GT - can go from zero to 60 mph in less than five seconds and has a top speed of 130 mph
The Westfield Sport E - can go from zero to 60 mph in about seven seconds and has a top speed of 100 mph
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The Westfield Sport E - can go from zero to 60 mph in about seven seconds and has a top speed of 100 mph
The Westfield Sport E - can go from zero to 60 mph in about seven seconds and has a top speed of 100 mph
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The Westfield Sport E - can go from zero to 60 mph in about seven seconds and has a top speed of 100 mph
The Westfield Sport E - can go from zero to 60 mph in about seven seconds and has a top speed of 100 mph
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The Westfield Sport E - can go from zero to 60 mph in about seven seconds and has a top speed of 100 mph
A new government-backed electric vehicle road test trial has started in the UK, where the performance of 14 sporty cars will be monitored for the next 12 months
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A new government-backed electric vehicle road test trial has started in the UK, where the performance of 14 sporty cars will be monitored for the next 12 months
View gallery - 13 images

A consortium made up of specialist UK vehicle manufacturers, a green consultancy and an eco-friendly vehicle rental company has just launched a new project to road test 14 high performance electric vehicles (EV) for the next 12 months. Every aspect of performance will be closely monitored as the drivers taking part in the EEMS Accelerate project put the vehicles through the same kind of dynamic driving conditions encountered by users of regular road cars. The gathered data is to be published and used by government officials to help boost green transport manufacture in the UK.

The Energy Efficient Motorsport (EEMS) program was established by the UK government in 2004 to accelerate the development and public acceptance of green automotive technologies. The latest project - called EEMS Accelerate - is one of eight collaborative efforts to be chosen for part-funding by the government's Technology Strategy Board under its Carbon Vehicles Demonstration Program, and aims to showcase high performance, low emission vehicles that have been designed and built in the UK. Led by energy and climate change consultants AEA Technology, the project aims to motivate industry to invest in an electric automotive future while also challenging any misgivings and preconceptions held by the public, motorsport enthusiasts and specialists.

There are four British-designed, sporty, two-seater EVs being used in the trial and - being a dedicated Prisoner fan - my vehicle of choice would likely be the Westfield Sport E. It's the slowest of the bunch (with a top speed of 100 mph/160 kph) and its Lithium Ion Phosphate batteries offer the least range (100 miles/160 km), but its classic Lotus Seven charm and beauty more than make up for such considerations. It'll go from zero to 60 mph (96 kph) in about seven seconds, benefits from rear-wheel direct drive motors and has only one drawback for this road trial - as the sky behind the photo above shows only too well, the open-top design is not exactly UK-weather-friendly.

The Ecotricity Nemesis - can get from zero to 60 mph in about four seconds, has a top speed of about 135 mph
The Ecotricity Nemesis - can get from zero to 60 mph in about four seconds, has a top speed of about 135 mph

The Ecotricity Nemesis is probably most people's idea of what a modern road racer should look like. According to the EEMS Accelerate specs, it can get from zero to 60 mph in about four seconds, has a top speed of about 135 mph (217 kph) and benefits from 250kWh Lithium polymer battery technology.

The Delta E-4 Coupe - can go from zero to 60 mph in less than five seconds and has a top speed of 139 mph
The Delta E-4 Coupe - can go from zero to 60 mph in less than five seconds and has a top speed of 139 mph

The four-wheel-drive Delta E-4 Coupe model is said to produce 2000 Nm of torque, with the two-wheel-drive unsurprisingly offering half that. Its 50kWh Lithium Ion Phosphate Batteries give an average range of between 150 and 200 miles (241 - 321 km) per charge and its Oxford Yasa electric motor takes it from zero to 60 mph in less than five seconds and gives it a top speed of 139 mph (223 kph).

The Electric Lightning GT - can go from zero to 60 mph in less than five seconds and has a top speed of 130 mph
The Electric Lightning GT - can go from zero to 60 mph in less than five seconds and has a top speed of 130 mph

The Electric Lightning GT is probably the one James Bond would drive. Its said to produce 4,400 Nm of torque, will run for 180 miles (289 km) on a single charge of its Lithium Titanate batteries, can go from zero to 60 mph in less than five seconds and has a top speed of 130 mph (209 kph).

Operational support for all of the vehicles during the trial is being provided by environmentally-friendly car and van rental company Green Motion.

While we await the first batch of performance data, have a look at a prototype of the Westfield car in action at the Stoneleigh Kit Car Show in 2010:

Westfield Electric Race Car (iRACER) Prototype Drifting at Stoneleigh

View gallery - 13 images
4 comments
4 comments
Griffin
This would be a great program to introduce in LA.
It would just also be nice to offer a comparison program with similar "traditional" vehicles.
I'd especially like to see comparisons between "tadpole" reverse trike 3-wheelers and 4-wheelers so we could have some intelligent dialogue instead of so much mud-slinging!
If we are supposed to be the "intelligent" ones, let's stop behaving like drunk 12 year olds on YouTube, OK?
This is more about the principles of the message than  just the details of the machinery.
As long as we interminably argue the unresolvable OR blindly attack the unorthodox, or we really any different than the  Medeivalists?
"Imagination is more important than knowledge- for knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand,  while imagination embraces the entire world... and all there ever will be to know and understand." -Albert Einstein
mgb
I would have thought that the electric version of the Ariel would be one of those in this group.
BTW, I have not heard anything in gizmag about the new SIM-Drive project started a couple of years ago in Japan by Professor Shimizu, the father of Keio University's amazing ELIICA. I saw a documentary on NHK in Japan about this new car, built on a totally new platform which incorporates motors in each wheel just as the ELIICA did but using normal Li-ion batteries instead of the very expensive especially developed ones used in the ELIICA. Funky looking new body design (fish-inspired, for minimum drag) and a range of 330 kms per charge.
mgb
Further to my last post, information about the SIM-Drive new vehicle can be seen at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mDVmiW4UKE 330km range on one charge due to a body with CD of 0.19. Unfortunately this is the only clip about this car.
Gargamoth
Ecotricity looks alot like the Dodge venom concept. I\'d love to own one. It\'s aesthetically pleasing but hopefully more than that will have a long range capacity and short recharge time, both very important in making a vehicle that will ween people off gasoline powered transportation.