Last year, Drayson Racing and Lola announced they would partner on an all-electric race car and now, at the 6th MIA International Low Carbon Racing Conference, the very impressive result of their collaboration has been revealed. The Lola-Drayson B12/69EV is an 850-horsepower (640-kW) monster that will seek to destroy many an electric vehicle speed record this year, while simultaneously serving as a development platform for a different design Drayson Racing will bring to the 2013 FIA Forumula E series.
If, however, a racing series is announced that will accept the Lemans-style prototype as is, they might very well campaign it. It should be interesting to see then, if the just-announced ALMS-IMSA-Quimera initiative might be a viable option for them. With projected acceleration numbers of 0-to-60 miles per hour in 3 seconds, 0-to-100 mph in 5.1 seconds, and a top speed somewhere north of 200 mph, it should be pretty competitive.
The B12/69EV gets all that motive power from four YASA-750 axial flux motors running on a 700-volt system. The 60-kWh battery setup that provides the asphalt-sizzling energy consists of three separate packs of A123 cells – cylindrical ANR26650M1-B's sourced through Mavizen, to be exact – that are structurally integrated into the Lola carbon fiber chassis. Charging is also appropriately high tech, using an inductive system from Qualcomm Halo.
Besides an incredible amount of power and torque, the racer weighs in at about 1000 kg (2205 lbs), which is within 100 kg of a typical internal combustion LMP1, so handling should be pretty similar. Of course, the proof of the racecar pudding is in the driving and we look forward to seeing this machine in action once video is dished out.
If, however, a racing series is announced that will accept the Lemans-style prototype as is, they might very well campaign it. It should be interesting to see then, if the just-announced ALMS-IMSA-Quimera initiative might be a viable option for them. With projected acceleration numbers of 0-to-60 miles per hour in 3 seconds, 0-to-100 mph in 5.1 seconds, and a top speed somewhere north of 200 mph, it should be pretty competitive.
The B12/69EV gets all that motive power from four YASA-750 axial flux motors running on a 700-volt system. The 60-kWh battery setup that provides the asphalt-sizzling energy consists of three separate packs of A123 cells – cylindrical ANR26650M1-B's sourced through Mavizen, to be exact – that are structurally integrated into the Lola carbon fiber chassis. Charging is also appropriately high tech, using an inductive system from Qualcomm Halo.
Besides an incredible amount of power and torque, the racer weighs in at about 1000 kg (2205 lbs), which is within 100 kg of a typical internal combustion LMP1, so handling should be pretty similar. Of course, the proof of the racecar pudding is in the driving and we look forward to seeing this machine in action once video is dished out.
Featured Gallery Lola-Drayson B1269EV
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