Student-built Electric Car Smashes Land Acceleration Record

The students of Delft University of technology (DUT) have just made history. Their electric-powered car smashed the previous land acceleration world record of zero to 100 km/h (62 mph) in by a shocking margin of 0.53 seconds.

Though the fastest run was clocked in at 2.13 seconds, the official record will now stand at 2.15 seconds. This new standing record is an amazing feat, doubly so when the experience level of those involved is taken into consideration.

Team manager Tim de Moree stated, “we thought that under these conditions we’d be happy with 2.30, but we really didn’t expect 2.15.”

The DUT12, built by the students in 2012 weighs in at only 145kg (319 lbs). It is the unofficial world champion after having won a competition in Hokenheim, Germany.

Student Gihin Mok clarifies “In the Formula Student competition, [the electric motors] were only allowed to produce 114 horsepower. The motors we used now are actually much more powerful, which means we had to limit them during the race. Now we used the maximum power. That totals 135 horsepower, about 33 horsepower per motor and almost one horsepower for each kilogram of weight.”

The car was piloted by smallest team member Marly Kuijpers. With the reduced power, her fastest acceleration in competition was clocked at 2.5 seconds. However, with full power she now beat that time and the world record. “It feels like a roller coaster” she says, “that part when you just drop over the edge.”

Images courtesy of TUDELFT.