If it is true that technology developed for the race track filters its way to the cars we see on the road, then a recent ‘race’ between a Citroën’s Survolt concept supercar and an Agni Z2 electric sports motorcycle may be a sneak preview of the showroom of the not-too-distant future.
No word on which of the two vehicles won the contest, which tool place at Thruxton race track, but with a top speed of 162mph it is likely that the Citroen triumphed over the motorcycle.
A spokesperson for the Environmental Transport Association (ETA), a breakdown company that covers more electric vehicles in Britain than any other provider, said: “Nobody needs a car that can exceed 162mph, but the battery technology on the track may prove useful in smaller, more practical cars.”
| Performance | Citroen Survolt | Agni Z2 |
|---|---|---|
| Power | 62kw 300bhp | 50kw 65bhp |
| Top speed | 162mph | 125mph |
| 0-60mph | <5secs | <4secs |
| The ‘race’ | Electric car vs electric bike |
The man who couldn’t wait for an electric sports car
Car manufacturers promise a big future for alternative-fuelled vehicles and produce concept designs with alarming regularity, but judging by the number actually on the road, you could be forgiven for thinking that battery-powered transport will never amount to more than the electric quadricycles that have found a niche market in London.
One man who was not prepared to wait for a fast electric car to reach the showrooms was John Wayland, an American engineer who has spent the last 15 years quietly developing a street-legal electric car that now regularly outpaces petrol-powered sports cars on the race track.
DIY electric racing car
| A fast electric car that actually works | |
|---|---|
| The White Zombie car is built around an innocuous-looking 1972 Datsun and is powered by 60 batteries driving two motors from forklifts. It takes about 20 minutes to charge the car, and it has a range of 40 miles. Watch the car in action in this short film… |
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