Quote:
Originally Posted by Dumpling
Has no one adapted a Tesla's drivetrain to a Cobra (or other) kit car? Ludicrous power anyone?
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There is nothing new about electric motors. They can be designed for any power rpm combo your heart desires. They got them up to 92% efficiency around 30 years ago. About 25 yrs ago they developed the frequency drives to the point they could outperform the DC motor in variable speed and torque applications. They are heavy pigs on a Hp/lb scale.
Batteries always existed to power them. We had electric fork trucks that could run for a 12 hr shift, 40 years ago. The problem was it was a 4500 lb battery that took 8 hrs to charge, pulling 150 amps on 460 volt 3 phase power. Nothing like changing batteries with a 2.5 ton chain hoist. EDIT: oh I forgot to mention the 12" wide solid filled block blast walls with no roof that form the battery recharging station. These batteries have enough power stored in them to be powerful bombs, and they have exploded on rare occasions. Usually operator error.
Today the motors are better, the drives are better, and someone finally figured out how to make a lighter battery. A cry for we have to save the planet, government subsidies, and we have a nice electric car that might survive.
I'm guessing you would end up with at least a 3500 lb Cobra. Bias fully admitted, and I pulled that out of my a$$. It's just that I am not going to waste my time getting real numbers for something that would make a Cobra everything that it is not, and undo everything that it is. Then it is going to sound like a Singer sowing machine going down the road.
To each their own, but if this idea excites you, you may want to reevaluate what do you see in a Cobra. I suspect looks only.