The Westfield iRacer is the World's First Racing EV Kit Car
Michael Hines — March 13, 2013 — Autos
The Westfield iRacer is the world's first EV kit race car. (A kit car is a type of car that ships in pieces and is assembled by the buyer). The speedy eco car was created by England's Birmingham City University and Westfield Sportscars. It is designed solely for racing and can hit an electronically limited top speed of 115 mph and can also do 130-to-145 mph when not limited.
The Westfield iRacer weighs in at 1,700 pounds and is powered by two 132 horsepower motors mounted to each of the rear wheels. A unique feature of the iRacer is its boost button. This button allows the motors to work at nearly full strength at the cost of a kilowatt-hour of battery life for every 18 seconds of boost. The Westfield iRacer sells for $20,850 sans powetrain and batteries, both of which should drive the EV's price up considerably when added to the final total.
The Westfield iRacer weighs in at 1,700 pounds and is powered by two 132 horsepower motors mounted to each of the rear wheels. A unique feature of the iRacer is its boost button. This button allows the motors to work at nearly full strength at the cost of a kilowatt-hour of battery life for every 18 seconds of boost. The Westfield iRacer sells for $20,850 sans powetrain and batteries, both of which should drive the EV's price up considerably when added to the final total.
Trend Themes
1. EV Kit Race Cars - The creation of the world's first EV kit race car presents an opportunity to explore the design and development of more customizable and sustainable racing vehicles.
2. Boost Technologies - The unique boost button in the Westfield iRacer presents opportunities for innovating energy optimization and storage technologies to support high-performance electric vehicles.
3. Racing-oriented Evs - The Westfield iRacer's specialization in racing applications highlights the potential of creating more electric vehicles designed specifically for racing and sporting events.
Industry Implications
1. Electric Vehicles - The rise of EVs is creating opportunities for new and improved designs, like the Westfield iRacer, for a variety of applications and markets.
2. Automotive Manufacturing - Incorporating EV kit race cars into existing manufacturing processes could provide new business opportunities for companies to produce and distribute customized and sustainable racing vehicles.
3. Green Technology - The Westfield iRacer's eco-conscious design presents avenues for further research and development in sustainable and energy-efficient technologies supporting high-performance EVs.
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