Video: KleenSpeed EV-X11 wins ReFuel SportElectric TT, breaks own record

Kleenspeed EV-X11 – Click above to watch video after the jump

Kleenspeed Technologies has turned up the volume on its electric race car efforts by producing the EV-X11 and another win at the Refuel SportElectric TT. Piloted by company head Tim Collins, the prototype average 81.5 miles per hour around Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, hacking almost four seconds off last year's winning run with a hot lap of 1:38.858.

The company puts the improvement down to the new liquid-cooled UQM PowerPhase 145 motor that puts out 200 horsepower and is good for 300 pound-feet of torque. It's also sporting a lighter 15.4-kWh lithium polymer battery pack from GP Batteries. That power gets to the wheels via a belt drive setup with gear reduction that should get the racer up to 140 miles per hour.

Kleenspeed also took topped the conversion class with their Eiata – a Mazda Miata it has electrified for R&D. It managed a lap time of 2:22.972. Hit the jump to get on board the EV-X11 for the fastest electric-driven ride around Laguna Seca so far and check out the official press release.

[Source: Kleenspeed]



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PRESS RELEASE

KleenSpeed EV-X11 Shatters EV Prototype Lap Record At ReFuel 2011

On a sunny and cool Sunday the sound of the future whistled through the rolling hills of Laguna Seca as the sleek KleenSpeed Technologies EV-X11 shattered the lap record for Electric Vehicles on the Mazda Raceway circuit. This legendary race track - offering 2.238 sinuous miles, 11 unique turns and considerable elevation changes - is regarded as one of the world's most challenging circuits for man and machine. KleenSpeed Technologies president, Tim Collins, piloted the racecar of tomorrow, the EV-X11, to a new lap record for electric vehicles of 1:38.858, breaking last year's record - 1:42.5, set by KleenSpeed's prior model, the WX-10, at ReFuel in 2010 - by almost 4 seconds per lap, a remarkable step forward. Second fastest EV this year was the Mission Motorcycles entry, ridden by professional MC racer Steve Rapp to a best lap of 1:43.7.

The changing of the guard in racing technology was not accompanied by the roar of internal combustion race engines, and not a single drop of gasoline was converted to noise and air pollution, as the EV-X11 flashed down the front straight at over 120 MPH accompanied by an eerie high tech whistle, reminiscent of the coolest imaginable UFO, bringing the message of powerful new technology. The message arrived, not from a distant universe, but from KleenSpeed's HQ at NASA AMES Research Park in northern California.

The KleenSpeed EV-X11 is the world's fastest EV prototype race car, and this epic record run reasserts KleenSpeed's position as a leader in EV R&D.
EV-X11 World's Fastest EV Racecar
Tim Collins KleenSpeed President / EV-X11 Record Driver :
"The KleenSpeed EV-X11 was considerably faster than last year's car, with much better acceleration and overall speed due to the completely new KleenSpeed electric power system incorporating a more powerful UQM PowerPhase 145 electric motor and controller. This new system is not only more powerful and sophisticated, it is also much lighter, which offers many additional benefits. The car was more responsive, had improved braking control, and created more G force in the corners adding grip."

"The EV-X11 is a unique thrill to drive and is truly the fastest electric track racing car in the world. This car is the result of three years of R&D and tireless effort of our KleenSpeed engineers, advisers and component sponsors. We have made incredible progress in that time. The car runs at full throttle and full braking with no heat or power limiting problems and no performance degradation until it runs out of energy, which is about 7 laps or 12 minutes with our patent-pending 15.4 kWh KleenSpeed ESS battery pack. "

"We are just beginning to assess its potential, as we were only running at 65% of maximum torque to set this new record. We look forward to taking the EV-X11 to many other famous venues to establish new EV lap records and demonstrate the viability and incredible performance of KleenSpeed's EV technology."
Dante Zeviar & Tim Collins of KleenSpeed
Dante Zeviar, KleenSpeed CTO :
"The new UQM PowerPhase 145 gave us more power, less weight, complete programmability and better power management. The new KleenSpeed BMS (battery management system) is the brain of our electric storage solution featuring our patent-pending KleenSpeed Electric Storage Interface and KleenSpeed battery containers."

"We powered the new car with lithium polymer cells which reduced weight substantially, gave us more energy density and increased total energy to 15.4 kWh. Our power train incorporated a Gates carbon fiber belt within a KleenSpeed drive system. Our KleenSpeed telemetry technology gave our engineers 20 streams of data, which could be monitored while the car was in motion from our KleenSpeed BMS and the UQM Technologies controller."

"Thanks to our patent-pending Energy Storage System and proprietary Battery Management System, with built-in telemetry capability, we know exactly what is going on with our race car - in real time - as things happen. The information we have collected under a variety of driving cycles played a crucial role in gaining invaluable understanding of our system. Such an approach allows us to make correct decisions and helps us transform our R&D efforts into real-world products for the commercial Electric Vehicle sector."

"The most significant changes to this year's race car, the EV-X11, include a liquid cooled permanent magnet motor and controller from UQM Technologies, a belt drive system with better gear reduction and lower inertial loses from Gates, lighter and more efficient cables from Champlain, lithium polymer batteries, and GoodYear Eagle racing tires.

"We thank our sponsors - GP Batteries, Patriot Memory, UQM Technologies, Gates, Champlain Cable, Vicor, West Race Cars, Swift Metal Finishing - and our entire KleenSpeed team, who, together, made our record run possible."

KleenSpeed is driving the practical realization of the potential of electric vehicle technology.

About the KleenSpeed EV-X11 EV Race Car
KleenSpeed has built the Fastest Electric Track Racing Car in the World.

The EV-X11 has just set a new lap record at ReFuel 2011 and is an evolution of the KleenSpeed prototype racers that won the ReFuel EV Challenge in 2009 and 2010. Competition has always been the crucible that forged the greatest advances in vehicle technology, and KleenSpeed has embraced the challenge of developing the world's fastest EV race car as the most suitable means of accelerating EV technology. KleenSpeed has chosen to develop an electric race car for track events, as this type of racing offers challenges that meet their definition of overall EV performance - to optimize all relevant EV system factors - acceleration, top speed, range and power management.

KleenSpeed's EV-X11 race car features a complete proprietary drivetrain and power system, which has been continually developed and improved since they began development in 2008. Racing success validates the technologies, which KleenSpeed will transfer to practical, real-world EV solutions.

The EV-X11 is the latest generation of KleenSpeed race technology and the company looks forward to establishing new EV lap records at many major race venues in the US and Europe in the coming year.

SPECIFICATIONS KLEENSPEED EV-X11
EPS ; KLEENSPEED Power & Drivetrain / UQM Technologies Motor Controller
ESS : KLEENSPEED Energy Storage System & Control Interface
4 KLEENSPEED Battery Packs
430 Volts
15.4 kW/hrs
BMS : KLEENSPEED Battery Management System
EVI : KLEENSPEED Electric Vehicle Integration Systems
Motor ; UQM PowerPhase 145 : 200 HP / 300 lb ft torque
Weight : 1.395 lbs
Weight Distribution 40/60 front/rear
Wheelbase : 96"
Track : 52"
Wheels : 13"
Tires : Goodyear Eagle Racing Slicks
Gearing : 140 mph max race track speed

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