New posts from Gas 2.0! |
- Video: All Electric 1981 Camaro Runs 11′s at Drag Strip
- This is Jack Nicholson’s Hydrogen-powered Chevy Celebrity (video)
- Lasers Could Replace Spark Plugs, Reduce Auto Emissions
- Mazda Unveils Impressive New All-Gasoline SkyActiv Engine
- Amarok P1: Mavizen Killer or Yet Another Fantasy Concept?
| Video: All Electric 1981 Camaro Runs 11′s at Drag Strip Posted: 29 Apr 2011 01:27 PM PDT
I first profiled Ron’s electric Camaro, the Team Hayin Warp Factor II EV Camaro, right before his first run down the drag strip. Since then, he’s been to three different drag strips, working out the kinks and problems that come with any drag car, never mind an all-electric Camaro. This past weekend Ron, the President of the East Coast Electric Drag Racing Association, made his best run to-date at Palm Beach International Raceway, taking down the quarter-mile in 11.25 seconds, reaching a top speed of 107 mph. He did this using just one of the two 11″ Warp motors (one of them kept disengaging, so obviously there are still some of kinks to work out.) Ron has his eyes set on being the fastest street-boded electric dragster in the world, and he is well on his way to fulfilling that goal with this low-11′s run. For comparison’s sake, a 2011, 430 horsepower Camaro can run the quarter mile in close to 13 seconds. A 550 horsepower 2011 Shelby GT500 Mustang runs the quarter-mile in the mid-to-low 12-seconds range. The million-dollar Bugatti Veyron takes about 10.5 seconds. The current world-record holding electric dragster, the Black Current, which went the same distance in a scant 9.5 seconds (and of which there is now video), so Ron still has some work ahead of him. But turning an old American muscle car into an electric dragster? Sorry Beetle fans, but that is way, way cooler, and hopefully will serve as a bridge to bring more gearheads on board with the electric car crowd. At the very least, it will be a lighting rod for controversy, and dare I say, intelligent debate? What you can’t debate is that Ron and Team Hayin have built an impressive drag machine and earned respectable numbers on one of his first tries out. He’s serious, and so is his electric Camaro. I’ll always love the loud raucous sounds of a big-displacement, fuel guzzling V8 race engine, but there’s something unsettling-yet-awesome about this fast-and-quiet Camaro blizting down the 1,320. With a little more tweaking, single digits aren’t all that far away. EV drag racing is really starting to heat up, and there’s plenty of competitors with projects in the works. This is the next level of hot rodding, and it’s only going to get better from here. Chris DeMorro is a writer and gearhead who loves all things automotive, from hybrids to HEMIs. You can read about his slow descent into madness at Sublime Burnout or follow his non-nonsensical ramblings on Twitter @harshcougar.
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| This is Jack Nicholson’s Hydrogen-powered Chevy Celebrity (video) Posted: 29 Apr 2011 12:00 PM PDT
Here’s some green-tech trivia for you: back in 1978, Jack Nicholson appeared on Candian television show “Marketplace” to promote a hydrogen-fueled Chevrolet Celebrity, which he hoped would revolutionize the car industry. Anticipating the green-car revolution (and Chevy’s Volt!) by nearly 30 years, Nicholson’s Celebrity was (per the video) “a standard Chev’, with a standard Chev’ motor,” but used a specially-designed carburetor which allowed the car to burn hydrogen gas instead of vaporized gasoline. Nicholson had realistic hopes for his car’s success, and alludes to the project following Tucker’s footsteps into obscurity (this was 1978, after all, ten years before Preston Tucker’s automotive efforts were romanticized and popularized by Oliver Stone). Still, Jack was still a Hollywood bad-boy, and had a few choice gems for the camera in his brief interview. My favorite line? “If nothing else, this will revolutionize suicide. Instead of carbon-monoxide poisoning, you’ll just get a steam bath.” I love this guy! Check out the full video – which shows the car in action and includes one of the project’s engineers explaining the conversion – below. Enjoy! Source: CBC RetroBites.
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| Lasers Could Replace Spark Plugs, Reduce Auto Emissions Posted: 29 Apr 2011 09:30 AM PDT
Spark plugs have been around for well over a century, while lasers are a relatively new invention. While we know lasers are capable of focusing intense energy at a single point, the problem has been the size of the laser. They are too big to be practical under many circumstances, including as a replacement for the pint-sized sparkplug that all automobiles still use. But Takunori Taira from Japan's National Institutes of Natural Sciences unveiled a new advancement in laser technology that could change all of that. These durable lasers are made from ceramic powders heated into optically transparent solids that are infused with metal ions. These lasers are compact (measuring just over a half-inch in length, or 11 millimeters) durable, and most importantly, can be mass produced cheaply. Lasers can deliver more energy more precisely, igniting the air-fuel mixture in the center of the combustion chamber and allowing the explosion to fully expand, compared to today's spark plugs that ignite the mixture closest to the plug. This results in lost power, a less-complete burn, and thus more emissions. But using lasers will allow engines to combine more air, and less fuel, which will reduce NoX emissions and greatly improve fuel economy. While the lasers haven't been tested in cars yet, they've managed to project about 100 Hz with a dual-laser setup. The aveage commercial automotive engine only requires about 60 Hz. Laser technology as spark plugs has been bandied about for years now by both U.S. researchers and Ford Motor Company, so this advancement could have huge ramifications for the auto industry. While I am usually an advocate for the simplifying of automotive technology, I can make an exception in the case of lasers. Besides the huge power and environmental benefits, we're talking about lasers in our cars. That's some James Bond stuff right there. Hugo Drax, eat your heart out (Moonraker anyone??) Source: PhysOrg Chris DeMorro is a writer and gearhead who loves all things automotive, from hybrids to HEMIs. You can read about his slow descent into madness at Sublime Burnout or follow his non-nonsensical ramblings on Twitter @harshcougar.
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| Mazda Unveils Impressive New All-Gasoline SkyActiv Engine Posted: 29 Apr 2011 05:41 AM PDT
Those in attendance at the New York Auto Show this past weekend may have spotted this curious banner from Mazda: Not Electric. Not a Hybrid. Not a Drag to Drive. "Veeeery eeenteresting," was my first reaction. If you just read the banner and knew nothing else about what Mazda has been up to, a major auto company pushing their chips all-in against hybrids and EVs might seem to you like a dangerous strategy, what with all the "buzz" about EVs (even if it hasn't translated to actual sales yet) and a 2016 fuel efficiency deadline looming.
I expect this development will put Mazda in great shape in the U.S. market. The Mazda3 was already a popular, well-reviewed consumer car before the SkyActiv engine. What's not to like about it now? Not that Mazda will rest on its laurels and totally eschew EVs and hybrids, even if they pretend otherwise. They're partnering with Toyota on hybrid technology but their basic philosophy is to perfect the gasoline engine before they move on to the next generation of powertrain technology. From Robert Davis, Mazda's Senior Vice President of Quality: "Our strategy has been the same strategy since 2008, which is to advance the base technology first and to allow us to apply that base technology across all of our models…we felt it was more important to have that technology fully developed before we add electrical devices to then improve it as we go forward. He added: "Part of the sensitivity we’re looking at is the amount of hype around electrics and the reality that electric is going to be part of the solution, but internal combustion is a much bigger part of the solution. There are still large gains that can be made in the efficiency of internal combustion that need to be addressed and talked about to move the whole issue of overall efficiency forward." The bottom line? "You can have hybrid-type efficiency and still have cars that are fun to drive," says Davis. Jackpot! So there we have it, the honey-sweet "you can have it both ways!" message we spoiled American consumers have grown so fond of hearing. Kudos to Mazda for finding an untapped niche in the crowded automaker market. You think the SkyActiv engine is impressive now? It could become downright terrifying for rival automakers when it eventually goes hybrid. Sources: Autoblog, Autobloggreen
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| Amarok P1: Mavizen Killer or Yet Another Fantasy Concept? Posted: 28 Apr 2011 08:14 PM PDT
The Amarok comes to the TTXGP 2011 paddock with a fine pedigree- designed by veteran motorcycle designer Michael Uhlarik, whose work has touched many top brands. Uhlarik and his partner/fabricator Kevin O'Neil drew their inspiration from aircraft, designing the P1 to be a "stressed-skin aluminum monocoque motorcycle built around the batteries." What I love about this is that it's yet another example of how this series, TTXGP, has inspired yet another new way of creating a high-performance electric motorcycle. The more brains we have working toward this goal, the sooner I'll be able scare myself as much on an e-bike as I do on my 180hp gas bike. This photo of a Mavizen shows the more traditional motor placement. Most TTXGP teams have opted for as much direct air-cooling as possible, even the eCRP with their in-house wind tunnel. So it will be interesting to see how the Amarok fares under race conditions.
How to Compare Agnis to AgnisUnlike most TTXGP competitors, Uhlarik has designed the Amarok P1 from scratch. Thus, he has been able to whittle it down to 325lbs. For perspective, that's 5lbs lighter than a 4-cylinder MotoGP bike, but with about 125 fewer ponies. Uhlarik's goal is to get the bike down to 275lbs, which will give it power/weight parity with a 250cc 2-stroke Grand Prix bike. OK, so it's progress, and of course this bike won't be on the MotoGP grid. Comparing it to TTXGP competitors also running twin Agni 95 motors (as many of them are), here is where the Amarok stands… I've listed them by battery capacity, separating the 7.5KwH bikes from the larger ones. This is because the 7.5's will compete in the Formula 75, and all larger bikes will compete in the Formula GP, a class whose primary limitation is weight. The maximum weight of 551lbs for each class was decided after consultation with all of the 2010 competitors. Many competitors are also hoping to develop a race bike that can not only win on Sunday, but also sell on Monday. Well, Tuesday actually, since most bike shops are closed on Mondays. Specs of Popular Electric Superbikes
Going The Distance…Some of the bikes listed may not be competing in TTXGP 2011. Swigz will not race TTXGP because their primary focus is on competing directly against gas bikes, as discussed in this interview. Also there are many more, some new, some returning from the 2010 season. The grids promise to be deeper than ever in 2011. This spec graph is just a snapshot of some of the more famous electric superbikes out there right now. Unfortunately, Brammo, Lightning and Mavizen are still in stealth mode about their 2011 race specs, so we'll have to wait and see what they bring to the field come May 15. Interestingly, CRP came in 2nd in the 2010 TTXGP world final against the Münch which had double the power! The fact that Brannetti was barely able to keep the much heavier Himmelmann at bay may seem to be a testament to the value of having two separate classes in the TTXGP this year. Yet in the inaugural e-Power race this month, Brannetti gained the win over Himmelmann. It's bound to be an exciting season, once again pushing the development of high-performance EV's to the limit. The full race schedule is here. I'll be reporting live from Infineon, Portland and VIR, while Christopher DeMorro will be covering New Hampshire.
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