Video: X-Prize foundation shows off RaceAbout electric vehicle

We reported on the Finnish RaceAbout X-Prize contender during its unveiling in April. Since then, the RaceAbout went on to earn second place in the Progressive Automotive X-Prize side-by-side tandem class – not bad for some college students. Arguably, the sporty coupe was one of the better looking entrants in the competition, and for those of you who would like to see more, the X-Prize Foundation has released a video with interviews as well as shots from the competition itself.

The RaceAbout was developed entirely from scratch at Helsinki Metropolia University of Applied Sciences. It uses four in-wheel motors (so has all-wheel-drive capability) and power comes from 1,213 lbs (32 kWh) of lithium-titanate batteries, known for their fast-charging capabilities, that allow the electric vehicle to recharge in as little as 10 minutes. No mention is made as to whether that is a full charge or partial, but if it is anything like Toshiba's SCiB batteries, they probably mean a 90 percent charge in 10 minutes, which is very impressive. Rounding out the package is a monocoque carbon fiber body to keep the overall weight to a minimum. This is all well and good, but the real treat come in the video after the break.

[Source: TreeHugger]

The video meant to be presented here is no longer available. Sorry for the inconvenience.