Commercial Electric Vehicles

Speeding EV awareness

There is a perception that eclectic vehicles are slow and not very powerful, and that is wrong, says Mike Willmon, president of the National Electric Drag Racing Association (NEDRA). A chapter of the Electric Auto Association, NEDRA was formed in 1997 to increase public awareness of electric vehicle performance and to encourage, through competition, advances in electric vehicle technology.

Electric vehicle racers have set some impressive speed and distance records, achieving this high performance with the basic concept: volts times amps equals power, Willmon explains. “Much as a guy will add an aftermarket intake and high-flow carburetor to get a few extra horsepower, the electric guys will add a few more volts and a few more amps.”

To put this in perspective, the 1978 Ford Pinto Willmon races at the drag strip uses a motor controller rated at 348 volts and 2,000 amps. “If you just use nameplate specs – ignoring losses and battery sag – you can see that 348 v x 2,000 amps = 696,000 watts, which equates to roughly 920 hp.

“With losses, battery sag and a few other intricacies, in reality what my Pinto puts to the pavement is about 1,500 lb-ft of torque and around 350 hp across the whole rpm range from 0 to 110 mph.”

They key to the range numbers many EV racers are getting is lightening the vehicle so energy is not needlessly wasted accelerating mass, and using some form of the new lithium-ion batteries that both reduce weight and increase energy capacity. In some cases, a racer could convert his lead acid battery-powered EV to lithium and actually decrease weight, increase range and increase power.

Electric motors and battery packs do not have to be substantially modified, he points out. But by using high-power batteries and motors for racing, the vehicle is no less efficient when running lower power for street driving. “You typically wouldn’t see a gas car capable of running 10-second quarter-miles running around as a daily driver or grocery getter. But if you build a street legal 10-second electric car, you can still get over 100 miles per gallon of gas equivalent.”

Along with various regional events, NEDRA holds an annual World Challenge Nationals. All are intended to educate, inform and demonstrate to the public that electric cars can be exhilarating, as well as environmentally responsible.