Audi just published this animated technical breakdown of the all-electric R8 E-Tron. It shows the frame components, battery, motors, cooling systems, regenerative braking control scheme and torque vectoring. Unfortunately, Audi has also confirmed that the E-Tron will not be making it to production because they have been unhappy with the progress of battery technology.
Network A has been following the adventures of professional Freestyle Motocross rider Ronnie Renner as he travels the world. It turns out Renner is a big electric motorcycle enthusiast. KTM offers him a chance to fly to their headquarters in Austria to check out their Freeride E. The Freeride E is essentially an electric version of a 250cc motocross bike making 30 hp peak and 62 foot-pounds of all rpm torque from its 300 volt AC motor. The dry technical specs aren’t impressive by gasoline engine standards, but the bike definitely moves in the hands of Ronnie:
Brammo has finally started showing the press the production version of their Empulse R electric motorcycle. It’s widely being regarded as the first electric that is on par with a gasoline powered bike in terms of both performance and experience. They key component responsible for the Empulse’s merits is its 6-speed transmission. Electric vehicles generally use a single gear ratio because they take advantage of the fact that electric motors pretty much make maximum torque at all rpm’s. This means that the motors don’t have to be spun up to high rpm to make power but the instant torque can very easily grenade a transmission designed for a gasoline engine that does. Brammo has bought exclusive rights to a 6-speed transmission designed specifically for use on electric motorcycles. The extra gear ratios allows the motor to stay at its most efficient operating point but more importantly it makes the electric motorcycle experience as engaging as what motorcycle riders are used to.
I think Chris Harris may currently be the world’s favorite automotive journalist. What I mean is that many automakers enjoy giving him access to their latest and greatest cars because he always gives an honest and well articulated opinion that excites his readers and subscribers. It works out for us here at Flux Auto because we’re now entering an era of hybrid and electric supercars. McLaren just announced the P1 hybrid and Ferrari was not far behind with the LaFerrari. We already have the Mercedes SLS AMG Electric Drive and Porsche has been working on this 918 Spyder since last year. Journalists have been getting unprecedented rides in the 918’s test mules very early on in the development process probably as a demonstration on just how much work has gone into the controls architecture that blends power from the electric motors and the V8.
This video from Chris Harris is the first that I’ve found where Porsche has allowed outside personnel to drive the cars. They also prepared better finalized technical specifications and some technology demonstrations including a new technique where they are skinning carbon fiber with aluminum. Chris also gets a few minutes to pick the brain of the lead engineer and even discuss the merits and market demand for a hybrid supercar. In the end, the 918 Spyder will sell simply because it’s a technological masterpiece of a halo car. The training of engineers on electric and hybrid performance is also necessary even if the end result is a car that performs only equally as well as current technology. That’s the only way we’ll break through to green cars that perform better than gasoline cars.
Chris Harris issued an interesting challenge at the end of his review of the electric Renault Twizy last year. The Twizy is essentially a beefed up electric golf cart made for city commuting. Harris reviewed the car and found it competent but boring despite of the fact that he was able to get it to drift. He then ended the video with some fast driving in one of Renault’s hot hatchbacks because he felt his viewers expected more excitement. That led him to pose a question/challenge of “The Twizy has slightly put the writing on the wall for me. If I’ve got to test electric cars and generate exciting content for you guys to watch, how the hell do I do it if the thing makes no noise and doesn’t do much? I’m kind of out of a job.” He then asked for people to post suggestions.
It probably didn’t happen this way, but I like picturing somebody at AMG tweeting Harris and telling him to try their 750 horsepower SLS Electric Drive (most powerful AMG built to date) if he wanted help generating exciting electric content. Either way, I’m glad Chris got the chance to drive the car and tell us what it’s like. The SLS Electric Drive looks like the standard SLS AMG (if you don’t count the chrome blue paint job), but the actual body in white has been changed to accommodate the battery pack which lives in the center of the car. The front suspension was also changed to make room for the front drive axles. Each wheel has its own independent drive motor. Electronic control does the job of traditional differentials as well as providing advanced torque vectoring thanks to the ability to generate instant negative torque (like braking) of the electric motors. Harris ends up saying the car’s ability to change chassis balance with the torque vectoring is actually more interesting than the fact that it’s electrically driven. Chris marvels at the car’s ability to apply the tires’ maximum grip on the wet track and then has a blast drifting the car with the torque vectoring shut off.
Thanks to AMG for making a car that proves that electric performance isn’t an impossible concept. If Chris Harris can be convinced of it, then maybe there’s hope for the rest of the gearheads out there, too.