The electric car is still in its infancy at the time of writing. Over the years, the efficiency of batteries and motors will grow exponentially. This Volkswagen Beetle-based project demonstrates the potential of electric propulsion.
This latest generation Beetle has been extensively modified to accommodate no less than four three-phase axial-flow AC electric motors with an estimated 565 horsepower per motor, a combination that already guarantees more than 2,000 horsepower at the tip of the driver’s right foot. But the total power output can be increased to about 6,500 horsepower, a staggering increase over the original car’s output.
When it left the factory, this 2013 Beetle was equipped with a TDI engine, which is economical in terms of range, but not very energetic in terms of driving pleasure.
The project assembled by the Current Racing team is also powered by a 22-kWh battery pack with an 800-volt voltage and a 20-kW charging capacity. To control the power delivered to the wheels, but also to convert the battery’s direct current into alternating current, four inverters have been integrated into the car.
In this video from The Late Brake Show with host Jonny Smith, we can see the car doing its first laps around the drag strip, although these first tests are not done at full speed, as the Beetle is still in the testing phase.
The team behind this rather grandiose project expects to record the quarter-mile in around seven seconds or less. Sounds promising!
Source: The Late Brake Show
