http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-yG1WFcakU

dp1e on track. Looks fun!

always in the right gear!

wonder what the range is?

I am really interested in electric motorsport - it WILL be the future, tracks could pop up all over the show, motorcycle, car, kart, MX, trials, whatever - if its silent, or near silent it becomes so much more accessable and easier to open and stay open.

Currently even established tracks are closing due to noise - its sad but true.

The limiting factor is the battery technology limiting the range.

BUT combine electric vehicles with remote charging via a wireless power tansfer, and the range grows significantly, and maybe even drops the weight due to needing less batteries.

A closed circuit would be ideal for some of the wireless power technology which will be on the way soon - some will charge at up to 2 meters!, so a car 3 inches from the track will be no problem.

I would love to build something like an Aptera hybrid using a small diesel engine driving a generator, better than 2 tonnes of batteries in the boot

I was wondering about this over Christmas.

two 15hp motors, one driving each wheel. A small number of batteries to provide extra capacity for acceleration. I was reading how little power you need to maintain a streamlined vehicle at a reasonable speed. You needs lots of HP to increase the speed.

(i settled on 30hp using the assumption an old style mini was fast enough for city mooching, i stopped dreaming about it when i saw how much two 15hp motors cost!)

Lol, "Wireless Power Transfer"?

I dont know if you ever studies physics, but thats pretty much impossible - in this application at least.

You can get an arc or induced power through magnetism (in laymans terms), but the hazards associated with these make it unfeasible.

[Edited on 6-7-10 by MakeEverything]

I have not studied anything formally. I listen to lots of technology podcasts though, and Phillips are about to release this exact product but with a very short range on approx 30cm.

It may be duff info, and if it is then sorry, but if it isn't and I'm right then
You dot need to say sorry... :p

One way to keep ample power going to them would be to 'slot' the track, then line said slot with a conductor, and cunningly attach sort of 'guides' to the underside of the cars.

If then the cars ran in the guides, they could derive all their power needs from the track being 'plugged in'

The best part being they would be more controllable, resulting in 4-5 year olds being able to participate.

Then, when everyones bored, pack it all up in a cardboard box, and throw it up the loft, to be forgotten about for ever, which is the best thing for electric cars. IMHO.