An Electric Car With Muscle: The 175 MPGe X1 Prototype by Wrightspeed Inc.
The X1 prototype: Faster Than Your Average Ferrari.
Most of the time I like to profile cars we might actually get the chance to drive, but it never hurts take a look at the forefront of technology. Enter the X1 prototype, an open-canopy electric vehicle that meets somewhere between go-cart and Indy-500 race car.
Think electric vehicles can’t hack it? They don’t all look like golf carts, and they sure as hell don’t all poke around under 65 mph: The X1 was just featured in a series of Mythbusters’ tests where it beat a Ferrari in a quarter-mile race (see MythBuster: Why Electric Vehicles Beat Gas in 5 Extreme Tests).
- » See also: Factory Five Electric ‘33 Ford Roadster Debuts at SEMA
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The X1 uses a 3-phase AC induction motor and inverter from AC Propulsion, which catapults it from 0-60 in 3.07 seconds. There’s no clutch, no shifting, and first gear will take you all the way to 112 mph. The electrical system is powered by lithium polymer batteries, which is another variation on lithium-based systems I’ve highlighted before. The X1 has a 100 mile range and reaches an overall equivalent of 175 MPG.
Before you get too excited, note that this is only a concept vehicle, not a production model. The company says the X1 will lead to a production vehicle in the future that will be “better… much better,” but the cost is expected to be somewhere around $200,000. Lithium polymer batteries aren’t cheap either: $40,000 to swap them out.
But man, this car can move, and it’s the kind of game-changing technology that we like to support. As Jamie Hyneman concluded in his article (above): “if you can go electric, you should.” It won’t take you and your family cross-country, but it beats buying gas, and if you mostly drive to and from work (which most of us do), what else do you need?.
Too expensive? Check these two out: An Electric Car You Can Buy Today: The $20K TRIAC EV and Affordable Electric Cars Coming to US in 2009.
Other Posts Related to Electric Cars:
- Inflatable Electric Cars: Surround Your Body in Bliss
- Want to Test Drive a Hydrogen Powered Car? GM’s “Project Driveway” Looking For Drivers
- Nissan to Sell Electric Cars in US by 2010
- Tesla’s First Electric Vehicle, 2008 Roadster, Now Under Production
Source and Image Credit: Wrightspeed Inc., The X1 Prototype
I think you can actually get more torque from electric engines
The torque on electric vehicles is consistent at all speeds. http://www.PimpedOutCars.net
Looks like an Ariel Atom to me
What a cool car, doesn’t it? I like the red and the black color.
This is an Ariel Atom, just modified. However, if I were going to build a car, I’d probably do the same as this company and have the rolling chassis supplied.
Aside from the price, my biggest issue is with the range. 100 miles won’t get me to work and back. I commute about 60 one way, and can’t exactly plug in when I get there.
Okay, I think you are about 5 years behind on this story. The actual current story is the X1’s successor the SR-71 which is spec’d to do 0-60 in 2.5s.
A 60 mile commute?
One way?
That is idiotic.
Perhaps it’s time to look for another job or move closer to work.