ScottB

A friend was trying to tell me that an electric car is faster than say our S2000 (even using clutch drops) and say a Porsche 911 from 0-30. I've never seen 0-30 stats, however, I find this claim dubious. Yes, the electric motor has that instant on thing going for it, however, it still does not seem to me that it would be quicker 0-30. Anyone have an insights (pardon the Honda pun) into this?

Nside

I've heard that too. It makes sense I think, don't electric motors have their full HP and torque available to them all of the time?

TimTheFoolMan

In theory an electric motor has relatively constant torque from 0 RPM up to its maximum, with no need for a transmission within that range. However, that doesn't mean that any of today's cars are equipped with a powerful enough electric motor (not to mention enough available battery power) to beat a gas car 0-30. Like a gas engine, the HP is a product of torque at a given RPM, so no matter how great the torque, if the engine's not turning--zero HP.

The other factor that will continue to limit electric car quickness is the weight of the batteries. Smart money seems to be on hybrids for the future of electric powered vehicles, including performance cars.

Sadly, the future doesn't appear to be here... yet.

Tim

jzr

Depends on the electric car. My friend has one (the "City" made by a Norweigan company called "Think ", but marketed in the U.S. by Ford) - its rated 0-30 time is 7 seconds. Its 0-60 time is, well, "however long it takes you to find a downhill" since its level-ground top speed is 55.

There's another electric car out there called the T-Zero by AC Propulsion which supposedly does 0-60 in ~4 seconds and can outhandle most sports cars. And it's only $200k!

amartin

Physics suggest that any electric motor, given enough amperage will EASILY out perform any gas car 0-whatever provided current is available. This is a very reasonable assumption... Now, how many times can it do this w/out a major recharge?? Probably not many.

But, yes, in theory, an electric car will out perform a gas car... I've seen them run the quarter in the 8's no problem.

-- Aaron

chroot

Saying 'electric cars' are 'slow' is just like saying 'gasoline cars' are 'fast.' It depends entirely on how the car was built.

All electric motors generate their highest torque at 0 RPM -- when stalled. They draw the most current there, and torque is proportional to current.

I was a member of Virginia Tech's Hybrid Electric Vehicle Team. We tore down stock vehicles and made hydrogen fuel-cell powered hybrid electric vehicles. We stripped some of our older cars of their hybrid systems, though, and used them as pure electrics. We had one, a little Neon, covered nose-to-tail with stickers of our sponsors. It had a GE Hybrid2000 integrated powertrain, and was FWD. I don't think we ever clocked it (its top speed was 80mph, so a quarter mile was not important), but it broke three halfshafts before we reprogrammed the motor's inverter to limit the stall-torque. The lack of a transmission also shaves a good 2 seconds or so off a 0-60, because, well, there's no shifting at all.

It only had a range of about 8 miles, but we'd throw four engineers in it and drive it to a local restaurant after our meetings. We'd pull up to the line beside whatever cars we could find -- a TransAm, several Mustangs, and many other typical collegiate cars -- and they all bit the dust.

- Warren

ScottB

Thanks for the responses. I think my friend was referring to autos that are currently available. This would include the Honda Insight and Toyota Prius as examples. Yes, I realize these are hybrids. Given what is currently on the market today, I did not see anything I thought would beat either the S2000 or a Porsche 0-30. I am guessing, based on what I have read here, that none of the current consumer models could.

chroot

ScottB,

Nope, no production models were designed for speed. They were designed:

1) as proofs-of-concept that such vehicles could be made reliable enough for the automotive market
2) for optimal fuel economy

- Warren

pellisS2k

the TZero:
http://www.acpropulsion.com/tzero_pages/tzero_home.htm
0-60 in 4.1seconds, 1/4 in 13.2, linear acceleration.

it's got a trailer(with a gas generator) as an option if you need more range. It's not yet in production, but EV-type friend's of mine have driven it and seen it, and it's pretty impressive.

dsp

Car and Driver has performed instrumented acceleration tests in an S2000, a Porsche 911, and a GM EV1.

0-30 mph:
GM EV1: 2.9 seconds; march 1997
S2000: 2.4 seconds; august 1999, 2000 model
911: 1.7 seconds; January 1998, 1999 model

The EV1 is pretty damn close to the S2000, and its time is quite respectable given that neither clutch dropping nor brake torquing is necessary. Therefore at least in real-world driving conditions, the EV1's 0-30 acceleration can outperform many gas powered cars. As a point of comparison, C&D also got a 0-30 time of 2.9 seconds for an Accord V-6. In my opinion this proves to me that electric cars are indeed quick to 30mph, and that it's not inconceivable that there will soon be an electric sports car that outperforms the S2000.

What's most surprising to me is the 911's time... perhaps the most "dubious" aspect of this 0-30mph thread is that we dared to assume the S2000 was even in the same league as a 911 in this regard.

Here's C&D's data:

GM EV1
---------
ACCELERATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Seconds
Zero to 30 mph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2.9
40 mph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4.3
50 mph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6.1
60 mph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8.4
70 mph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11.6
80 mph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18.5
Street start, 560 mph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8.5
Top-gear acceleration, 3050 mph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3.2
5070 mph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5.9
Standing 1 /4-mile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16.7 sec @ 79 mph
Top speed (governor limited) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80 mph

HONDA S2000