SRI's electric Baja buggy is not merely awesome

[ruimegas]

SRI's electric Baja buggy is not merely awesome

[IMG]http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.c ... ne-628.jpg[/IMG]

"We often throw the word "awesome" around when talking about certain electric vehicles with extraordinary capabilities. In the case of the EV1 desert race buggy from Strategic Recovery Institute (SRI) however, the descriptor seems somewhat inadequate. Fabricated by Strategic Racing Designs (SRD) using a Pikes Peak-proven drivetrain from EV West, this thing knocks your everyday "awesome" to the ground with a Chuck Norris reverse roundhouse kick, then chews it up beneath its BF Goodrich Baja T/A KR tires, kicking up a pair of rowdy rooster tails sparkling with tiny bits of awesome in the process. Seriously.

Created with the intention of competing in the SCORE Baja 1000, this beast of a machine carries a pair of swappable 41-kWh battery packs. Each of those sends power to its own Warp 9 DC motor via a dedicated Soliton 1 controller. The parallel power systems allows for mission-critical forward motion if a component happens to fail in flight.

The 400 kW (535 horsepower) from the twin motors is channeled through a four-speed sequential transmission causing mini sand storms to spontaneously erupt whenever the electrons are unleashed. Top speed is said to be 125 miles per hour and it should be able crush its competitors for about 100 miles before needing fresh packs.

While its racing aspirations have not yet been realized, the team is continuing to test and further refine the EV1 with hopes of competing in the NOORA Mexican 1000 this April. You don't have to wait until then to see it in action, however; just scroll on down to watch it play in the giant sand box that is the Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area. You can also see lots of pics and follow their progress on the SRI Facebook page.



Em: http://green.autoblog.com/2013/01/06/sr ... y-awesome/