BMW E30 - Electric cars are slow but can be ****** fast | Motoring discussion | Back Room Forum

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Thu 8 Dec 2011 22:53

BMW E30 - Electric cars are slow but can be ****** fast - Trilogy

Just been listening to 702 ABC Sydney Radio and heard about a guy who is developing an E30, electric, capable of 0-100km/h in 5.5 seconds. A quick Aussie google search and hey presto:-

Croatian tuning garage, VST Conversions, has developed a 500 horsepower (373kW) all-electric BMW E30 3 Series. That’s 373kW from a home made EV. Come on Tesla, keep up.

<*** class="alignright size-medium wp-image-88792" style="display: none;" title="BMW E30 VST EV" src="http://www.caradvice.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/BMW-E30-VST-EV-625x358.jpg" alt="" width="625" height="358" />

According to the VST website, the car is capable of doing 0-100km/h in 3.5 seconds, the quarter mile in 12.1 seconds and has a top speed of 280km/h. The only other EV we know of to come close to these figures is the Tesla Roadster. It does the 0-100km/h sprint in 3.7 seconds but has a limited top speed of 201km/h.

The VST BMW uses a 23kWh battery pack which is capable of reaching 180km before it needs a recharge (the Tesla Roadster does 394km per charge). The VST website also claims the car outputs 500kW (680hp) and a whopping 900Nm – maybe the car has been updated since the video below – but all this in a car weighing just 1150kg. It’s pretty special either way

Edited by Trilogy on 08/12/2011 at 23:03

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Thu 8 Dec 2011 23:16

BMW E30 - Electric cars are slow but can be ****** fast - unthrottled

With maximum torque available at zero RPM and few, if any, gear changes, no one claimed that electric cars weren't capable of stunning acceleration.

The problem has always been (and still is) battery performance.

The other problem is that the legislators haven't worked out a taxation regime for them yet. I can understand an initial government subsidy against the purchase price, but fuelling off the national grid is unacceptable.

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Fri 9 Dec 2011 10:22

BMW E30 - Electric cars are slow but can be ****** fast - Bobbin Threadbare

but fuelling off the national grid is unacceptable.

Indeed it is. It hardly solves the 'energy crisis' and cuts down on pollution to have electric cars!

Unthrottled is right - it's the same with anything that uses a battery; you put the power input up, your battery performs admirably until it conks out! I have just been teaching a bunch of 11/12 year olds this.

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Fri 9 Dec 2011 11:33

BMW E30 - Electric cars are slow but can be ****** fast - Ethan Edwards

Not fueled from the Nat Grid? Will you have to have your very own Huhne windy mill installed then? An overnight charge would then take about two months I reckon!

Impressive as this E30 is the problem with EV's has not usually been a lack of speed or accelleration but how much of that you have to trade off against improved range. This E30 probably has enough range to get round the corner and out of sight but thats about it.

IMO it's a dead duck of technology. Steam power..british coal thats the future...no not really. LPG from Shale Gas thats the future.

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Fri 9 Dec 2011 11:37

BMW E30 - Electric cars are slow but can be ****** fast - unthrottled

Yup. With a glut of natural gas, you can make synthetic fuels which will work with existing technology and infracstructure.

There have been a couple of white elephants over the years.

Does anyone remember BMW's Hydrogen seven?

Or those compressed air powered cars?

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Fri 9 Dec 2011 11:55

BMW E30 - Electric cars are slow but can be ****** fast - Trilogy

Ethan, the range is 180 km - probably enough for lots of people. Imagine sitting in that car next to someone in a Ferrari at the lights. :)

When I was listening to the radio the guy in Sydney had a ute, with a home made system. The range was 40km, all he needed. He'd bought all his batteries wholesale from China so it wasn't very costly for him.

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Fri 9 Dec 2011 12:02

BMW E30 - Electric cars are slow but can be ****** fast - unthrottled

The range of 180 miles will only be achievable if you don't use very many of those kilowatts! For day to day use, the range is not a problem, but what about long distance trips? You can't fill a battery in two minutes like you can with a tank of fuel. You need a second car. Most people in cities don't have space for a second car...

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Fri 9 Dec 2011 12:19

BMW E30 - Electric cars are slow but can be ****** fast - Trilogy

but what about long distance trips? You can't fill a battery in two minutes like you can with a tank of fuel. You need a second car. Most people in cities don't have space for a second car...

Excellent point. I believe the boss of Ford has said car ownership will probably change in future. Most people will have a car capable of fulfilling every day needs while for holidays/longer journeys they'll hire a car capable of those distances.

Personally, I think hydrogen cars could be best.

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Fri 9 Dec 2011 12:37

BMW E30 - Electric cars are slow but can be ****** fast - unthrottled

for holidays/longer journeys they'll hire a car capable of those distances.

In theory, yes. But current trends don't support this. Most people could use a FWD car for 360 days of the year, then hire a 4X4 for the 5 days of the year they actually need it. How many people actually do this?

Running a range Rover V8 looks good if you don't pay any VED and you can buy petrol at 60P/litre. This is the problem with with differential taxation systems. You create perverse incentives with unintended side effects.

Hydrogen cars are less efficient than conventional ones, yet cost a lotmore and still have a shorter range. That fad has died and probably won't be resurrected.

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Fri 9 Dec 2011 14:10

BMW E30 - Electric cars are slow but can be ****** fast - Ethan Edwards

180km range? or a tad over 112miles. And as before take 25% off if you want a heated rear window. 20% off for air con, 1% off for in car entertainment, 5% off for night time lighting ,25% off if it's a really cold day (battery efficiency) .....Cripes! I don't have enough juice left to get home. Great in the city but no use to me.

180 is getting there but before it'll do for my needs, I have to have 400km at 70mph. Whereas shale gas LPG I can get that today. Inrastructure all in place sorted.

Incidentally take your hydrogen powered vehicle fill the tank up then park it at the airport for two weeks. Go back to it and you'll find the tank is empty. Hydrogen being a very small molecule will have escaped. LPG doesn't.

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Fri 9 Dec 2011 14:21

BMW E30 - Electric cars are slow but can be ****** fast - Trilogy

Well, Honda makes Hydrogen work.:)

Who needs a HRW/Aircon, open a window. No heater required, just wrap up. Entertainment, just sing to yourself. There, no issues now. Oh, just don't drive when its dark. All sorted. :)

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Fri 9 Dec 2011 14:55

BMW E30 - Electric cars are slow but can be ****** fast - craig-pd130

I still want a gas turbine car, I do hope the drivetrain from the Jaguar sports prototype is developed :)

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Fri 9 Dec 2011 23:16

BMW E30 - Electric cars are slow but can be ****** fast - unthrottled

Rover and Chrysler squandered huge amounts of money trying to develop gas turbines back in the 50's and 60's. Just like the w***el, it suffers from poor thermodynamic efficiency, making it a non starter. Typical Jaguar PR stunt which gets a few column inches in the motoring press. Don't expect to hear much more of this-it'll be quietly dropped.

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Fri 9 Dec 2011 14:59

BMW E30 - Electric cars are slow but can be ****** fast - Ethan Edwards

Yes they don't store it as a liquid or a gas but as a metal hydride in a metal sponge. Then they heat the sponge to make it release it's gas. Safe doesn't leak...dreadfully inefficient. Plus you have to hike around heavy batteries to power the heater.

Whereas LPG is easy peasy. Psst...wanna see a storage tank I have two!

Shale gas to LPG..it's tomorrow's technology...only available several years ago.

Sorry I luvs me creature comforts...no greeney weeeny planet tree hugging MMGW Al Gore is going to remove my air con switch from my cold frosty hand!

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Fri 9 Dec 2011 17:07

BMW E30 - Electric cars are slow but can be ****** fast - Bobbin Threadbare

180km range wouldn't get me to work and back. Also I need a bit more for the giant hills I drive up.

Improving the efficiency of these kinds of cells is really difficult!

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Sat 10 Dec 2011 00:27

BMW E30 - Electric cars are slow but can be ****** fast - brum

23kWh battery - 180km range - thats an average of 12kW at 100kph

Considering that the motor /inverter chain would be 75% efficient at best, then thats equivalent to 12bhp output at 100kph.

The claims are BS.

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Sat 10 Dec 2011 00:43

BMW E30 - Electric cars are slow but can be ****** fast - unthrottled

I don't think 12 hp is enough to overcome air/rolling resistance at 62.5mph. My estimates come close to about 15 wheel horsepower+drivetrain losses. On flat ground. With no wind. It's a bit of a stretch to base the quoted range on that!

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