How do electric indoor go carts compare to outdoor racing go-carts in terms of top speed and take off acceleration. A friend went to an indoor racing go-cart place and thinks they are way faster than any gasoline powered go-cart, I think gasoline must be faster. Any online comparisons? Thanks for settling our argument.
"Vol 6, Issue 1, 2005 Issue: The Electric Car
The Electric Car: What Does the Future Hold? The electric car is back, with a new lithium-ion battery, 300 mile range, the power to out-accelerate a Ferrari, and the ability to plug in to any power outlet. We look at the achievements in technology from AC Propulsion, and examine the pitfalls of the proposed hydrogen economy of the future."
I have the magazine and the electric car out accelerates the Ferrari, Porche, Corvette, and another car, all in the 1/8th mile.
--Last time I looked folks were powering electric gokarts with Lemco motors; these have fairly awesome power in a small package. The kicker isn't motors anymore but batteries: how much are you willing to spend? NiMH are good but you gotta be careful charging them.. Li-Ion, I'm told, is a superior technology and cheaper to make, but as it's new they still cost more than NiMH. OTOH either one will beat the socks off of NiCads..
Electric motors have way more torque at low RPM than IC engines.
If you know someone who owns a Prius, ask for a demonstration. Quite impressive!
Lane
I looked at a few websites and have seen some 125cc gasoline karts capable of 125+ mph and the fastest electric were only capable of 40+ mph.
A 250cc Super Kart is faster than that. The ones I've seen run at local tracks (Sears and Laguna) typically run times on par with Trans Am cars.
Peter
Go to lower right hand section of this web page to view a movie of the T-Zero 200HP electric car beating a 500HP Dodge Viper in a 1/4 mile race. The link is called "T-Zero Racing Viper"
Lane,
Doesn't look real to me, I've driven a Viper.
If that guy was really on it there'd be so much tire smoke it'd look like the back end was on fire. Even on a tacked up surface you'd still get a ton of smoke with those tires.
Mark
Maybe, you ever see how much smoke a top fuel dragster leaves when it is hooked up and going, not doing a burn-out???
The Viper is geared to run 190+ mph... but only hits 118 - 120 mph in the 1/4 mile. If you geared the Viper down to run fast 1/4 mile times... it would stomp that little golf cart like a narc at a biker ralleye! That thing is a joke (compared to the Viper). Add 5 mph bumpers, air conditioning, and enough batteries to match the Viper's 350 mile cruising range... and it's a super-joke. Charge the batteries with power from a coal or gas-fired powerplant... and it's a mega-joke!!!! LOL Typical media stunt... trying to make "alternative" vehicles appear "competitive" with conventional vehicles.
Cliff,
Yep,,, and that has everything to do with the special tires, surface, and a few other very unique factors.
That Viper had stock tires, It'd smoke like hell.
Mark
You don't want smoke. Smoke means wasted HP! The torque/power isn't getting transfered to the pavement, but rather burning up the tires.
Lane
Lane,
So you run the Viper at half throttle ??? Sorry man, Your gonna get about
100 ft of smoke with that car on plain pavement with stock tires. Besides, it doesn't even look like he's on it. Been der,done dat, it's fake.Mark
Not a media stunt at all. There are those that race electric vehicles all the time. It is just what they like doing, just like people here like metal working.
Look at some of these records;
Lane
OK I see you're going to be hard to convice, try these.
Here is another electic vehicle drag racing another viper. Terrible video quality however.
Electric vs 300HP Mustang:
Lane
Electric motors can and regularly do provide tremendous sustained torque for vehicles. After all, the "diesel" locomotives, "diesel" quarry dump trucks and 'nuclear' submarines are all driven by electric motors. Those applications work because there is a diesel or nuclear genset providing the power for the motors.
The problem is that current battery technology is still crap for power density and cost so an "electric" vehicle relying on batteries still has very poor overall performance. An electric vehicle "sprinting" may be amusing, but it would fall flat in a "marathon".
Pete C.
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