The Wrightspeed X1 is a one-off
Ariel Atom heavily modified to use an all-electric
powertrain. The Atom was chosen for its light weight and efficient design. The electric motor and inverter are sourced from
AC Propulsion
AC Propulsion is a San Dimas, California, USA company founded in 1992 by Alan Cocconi, Wally Rippel, and Paul Carosa, that specializes in alternating current-based drivetrain systems for electric vehicles. It offers AC-induction traction motors ...
, makers of the
TZero
The tzero is a handmade electric sports car designed and built in very limited numbers by the U.S. company AC Propulsion in the early 2000s. It was the direct predecessor of the Tesla line of electric cars. The tzero was based on the Piontek Spor ...
concept car, while the batteries are low weight, high energy density
lithium ion provided from
A123 Systems. As with the ''Atom'' the transmission is a
Honda unit, but stripped of its shifting mechanism and other parts to provide only the second gear speed, allowed by the wide speed and torque range available from the electric motor.
Built by
San Francisco-based New Zealand engineer
Ian Wright, the X1 created a stir when it bested several sports cars in a
drag race
Drag racing is a type of motor racing in which automobiles or motorcycles compete, usually two at a time, to be first to cross a set finish line. The race follows a short, straight course from a standing start over a measured distance, most c ...
, including a
Carrera GT (even with a rolling start, an advantage for the gas burning vehicles), all while being filmed by local news station
KRON 4
KRON-TV (channel 4) is a television station licensed to San Francisco, California, United States, serving the San Francisco Bay Area as an affiliate of MyNetworkTV. Owned by Nexstar Media Group, KRON-TV maintains studios on Front Street in the c ...
. Despite the impressive performance, the vehicle is intended only as a proof of concept. Future production is planned; however, according to the website, "... the production car will be quite different, since it will meet the safety standards, which the prototype does not. It will, however, be at least as quick as the prototype.". Mr. Wright was a co-founder of electric-car company
Tesla Motors, but has since left to pursue his own ideas.
Performance
* 2.9 seconds
* Standing 11.6 seconds
* Top speed (electronically limited)
* Range greater than in urban use
* Charger: onboard conductive. Input 100–250 V 50 or 60 Hz
* Current: user adjustable up to 80 A
* Energy consumption in urban use, equivalent to or
The X1 prototype (various technical images)
''Most of these images are applicable to the Ariel Atom''
File:WrightspeedFrontBrake4889.JPG, Front wheel and brake
File:WrightspeedSpring4882.JPG, Spring
Spring(s) may refer to:
Common uses
* Spring (season), a season of the year
* Spring (device), a mechanical device that stores energy
* Spring (hydrology), a natural source of water
* Spring (mathematics), a geometric surface in the shape of a ...
s and shock absorber
A shock absorber or damper is a mechanical or hydraulic device designed to absorb and damp shock impulses. It does this by converting the kinetic energy of the shock into another form of energy (typically heat) which is then dissipated. Most sh ...
File:WrightspeedStearingRack4888.JPG, Steering rack
File:WrightspeedCockpit4883.JPG, Cockpit
File:WrightspeedRearSusp4884.JPG, Rear suspension
File:WrightspeedRear4885.JPG, Rear view
See also
*
Ariel Atom
*
La Jamais Contente
*
AC Propulsion tzero
The tzero is a handmade battery electric vehicle, electric sports car designed and built in very limited numbers by the U.S. company AC Propulsion in the early 2000s. It was the direct predecessor of the Tesla, Inc., Tesla line of electric cars. Th ...
*
Keio University Eliica
The Eliica (or the Electric Lithium-Ion Car) is a battery electric vehicle prototype or concept car first shown in 2004 and designed by a team at Keio University in Tokyo, led by Professor Hiroshi Shimizu. The car runs on a lithium-ion battery ...
*
Lightning GT
The Lightning GT is a battery-electric sports car under development by the Lightning Car Company, a London-based privately owned and funded business.
The project was initially unveiled to the public in July 2008 at the British International Mo ...
*
Tesla Roadster (2008)
*
Think Global AS
Think Global was an electric car company located in Bærum, Norway, which manufactured cars under the ''TH!NK'' brand. Production of the Think City was stopped in March 2011 and the company filed for bankruptcy on June 22, 2011, for the fourth ti ...
*
Venturi Fétish
The Venturi Fétish was an early-2000s two-seat limited-production electric sports car. It was built by Venturi in Monaco, and the design of the car was done by the Parisian designers Sacha Lakic. It holds the title of being the first electric s ...
References
External links
{{Commons category, Wrightspeed X1
Wrightspeed*
ttp://www.pluginamerica.com/media/Wrightspeed.wmv Video of Wrightspeed X1 electric car beating a Ferrari 360 Spider and a Porsche Carrera GT Video of Wrightspeed X1' test-drive in San Francisco Video of X1 vs. a Lamborghini and a NASCAR race car with technological review Video: Wrightspeed's X1 electric prototype zips around the race track and blows past a Tesla Roadster
Roadsters
Concept cars
Electric sports cars
Electric concept cars