Dyno-Testing the Automotive X Prize Finalists
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The finish line of the Progressive Automotive X-Prize is finally in sight.
If you follow emerging automotive technology like electric cars and hybrids, you're no doubt excited about the Automotive X-Prize. The contest, which started three years ago, promises $10 million to the best production-capable car that can achieve 100 mpg or the energy equivalent. The winner will be announced Sept. 16 in Washington, D.C.
To claim the prize, the experimental cars must hit a long list of performance and efficiency targets. Each vehicle’s efficiency is measured on a track and on a dynamometer.
A dynamometer is like a treadmill for a car. It's useful because road tests inevitably have variables that affect a car's performance. Bumps, potholes, even the heat of the day can change the results. A dynamometer puts each car through exactly the same test under identical conditions.
That's where we come in.
Above: The Electric RaceAbout, built by students at Metropolia University of Applied Sciences in Helsinki, uses a 32 kilowatt-hour lithium ion battery. The two-seater uses four motors, one per wheel, with a total output of 268 horsepower. It recharges in 5.5 to 6 hours.
Photo: Center for Transportation Research, Argonne National Laboratory
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Fuente: Autopia
