The world’s fastest electric car

February 16, 2012 | In: Facts about cars

We all know that the Greenhouse Effect is a problem that humanity has to confront in the coming years. This major part of the global warming problem has its roots on the petrol based motors that practically rule the world. Petrol driven motors ultimately produce gasses that eventually end up destroying the o-zone layer that protects our planet.

But this is about to change. Many car manufacturing companies turn their head to the hybrid motors or, more likely, the electric ones. There are many electric car, but in this article I’ve decided to talk about the world’s fastest car, the AC’s Propulsion tzero roadster.

It does 0 to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds, according to the company, and it does it on only 200 horsepower because of its light weight and torque.
The tzero has compared favorably in acceleration tests to Corvettes, Porsche 911s–and even a Ferrari F355, which it claims to have “out-accelerated…by eight car lengths” in one-eighth-mile drag races. If for nothing else, the tzero’s $220,000 sticker price puts it in exotic-car territory.

The low weight helps make the tzero so quick, but its torque is just as important, if not more. Conventional internal combustion engines need to rev to a certain rate before reaching their peak torque, but the tzero’s torque peaks instantly, with 183 ft-lbs. available from 0 to 5,000 rpm.

Indeed, the tzero can only go 280 to 300 miles at 60 mph without recharging–even if it can recharge on any 120- or 240-V power socket. And if you accelerate it like an Italian exotic, or even take it on a hilly route, that range can decrease by up to about 20%.

Remember, though, this is more of an experiment than a traditionally appointed car. The tzero does not come with air-conditioning. And to lower its top and windows, you detach them and store them in the trunk. Talk about alternative energy expenditures