First it was diesel, then ethanol, then KERS. Now, if Swedish firm GreenGT have its way, the world of motorsport may turn all-electric. GreenGT has produced an all-electric concept racer designed for the high-speed, long-endurance competition of the Le Mans 24 hour, and its certainly as ambitious as its wild styling suggests.
Based on an FIA-compliant carbon-fibre tub and suspended on the usual arrangement of double wishbones, the GreenGT concept at first looks almost conventional. Beneath the skin however, Green GT has delved into entirely new ground.
A pair of 100kW water-cooled electric motors are hooked up to a proprietary gearbox and differential, and torque output is a collosal 2000Nm. That’s more torque than The Incredible Hulk and Optimus Prime could ever generate, and enough to slow down the earth’s rotation with a simple flex of the ankle.
Power is supplied by two lithium-ion battery packs - each capable of delivering 30kWh of electricity - and an array of flexcell solar panels. Will it have enough juice to run just as long as the fossil-fueled competition? Would the pit crew simply slide in replacement battery packs during refueling stops? Would the FIA even allow such a device to turn its wheels in anger?
Good questions, but entirely irrelevant for the time being. the GreenGT is, for now, a concept, and while electric cars enjoy their own drag racing series in the USA, it may be quite some time before we see battery-powered racers hitting the circuit at Le Mans.
