Electric Evo to compete in rally

[Overheat]

An electric-powered version of the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX is to compete in the Shikoku EV Rally in Japan next week. The Evo MIEV (in-wheel motor electric vehicle) has, instead of a turbocharged engine, a lithium-ion battery system powering four individual 50KW motors fitted in each wheel - a system Mitsubishi plans to bring to market by 2010. The in-wheel system, rather than one single electric motor, does away with traditional driveshafts, differentials and transmission systems, and is ideally suited to four-wheel drive. It is lighter-weight, space-efficient, and allows for higher power and torque outputs.

The Lancer Evolution IX MIEV uses the same body as the conventional petrol-engined car, but weighs 1590kg; it is capable of 180kph and has a range between re-charging of up to 250km. It has recently been certified for road testing work in Japan, and will join the (rear-wheel drive only) Colt MIEV on Mitsubishi's prototype fleet. It takes the technology used in the Colt a stage further, with motors in all four wheels and each motor having a new type of more efficient outer-rotor construction, which requires less space and allows for fitment alongside steering components in the front wheels.

[jayjaya29]

Wow thats amazing. I hope it will as fast or faster then the current Evo.

[mpulztracker]

electric motors in an evo !!??? I thought they were only good for Golf carts...and ofcourse wheelchairs

[bassheadjazzVR6]

Recharging every 150 miles sucks though. It isnt a quick process like filling up with petrol. Unless they develop a system kind of like the hybrid cars, where braking charges the battery, That will make road trips a whole lot longer...

[AutoMX]

that technology is nothing new but i guess it's the first time it's used in competitive racing. unless they fix the charging issue, that idea will never sell well. remember the EV1 eletric vehicle by GM? no because it was recalled and scrapped due to poor sales and oil money. it did just the same thing as this evo but i think it was rwd only.

[jasonchiu]

it probabaly run out of battery

[bassheadjazzVR6]

I actually rode in one of those EV1 things. You had to wait until EVERYONE was clear just to pull out onto a main road. It was as quick as a prius with the e-brake on.

[Lilleput]

An Evo without a 2.0L PETROL engine is wrong hope it melts and every car manufacturer gives up on making eletric cars i dont want my v8 rumble from a speeker under the dash..

[Buba]

Although its nice to have 68 hp per wheel, I would rather have the whole 272 hp distributed by a diff...

Buba

[jasonchiu]

i wouldnt care as long as its just as fast or faster

[andyhui01]

I could see this coming already... Toyota develops the Prius Rally car thing and because of the electric motors flat torque curve, it is perfectly suited for rallying ... way to go mitsu for thinking this through

[fbc]

I'm really intrigued to see how well this goes - hats off to Mitsubishi for giving it a go though

[Redliner]

Originally Posted by fbc

I'm really intrigued to see how well this goes - hats off to Mitsubishi for giving it a go though

If it goes TOO well, the other companies will want it banned from rally racing...so no development

[fbc]

Oh come on, Mitsubishi are just doing it just to see how it performs - it's not like they're planning a whole rallying program, or that they'll go and cut their whole electric / hybrid drivetrain development if it's banned from rallying. I think Mitsubishi are wise enough to see this technology has far more wide-reaching applications and implications than motorsport.

[BlaRo]

I wonder how much of this technology will trickle down to production models, if any...

[fbc]

Well, I suppose they have to start somewhere. We'll see this technology or parts of it in our motoring future in one form or another - whether it's quite like this is another question as it's still early days.

[bassheadjazzVR6]

Thats gonna be a huge risk though. You've all seen accidents in rally where the wheel comes off, or an axle is broken. Thats gonna be an expensive fix if one of those motor is damaged due to a rock or something. And then theres the water factor. The conditions that you go through in WRC, they better be sure to take all of that into conseration...

[fbc]

I'm sure they've considered all those things

[bone]

why - o - why would they allow it to compete in the rally?

if you arrive with a turbine powered car you wouldn't be allowed either

and they better make sure there's one heck of a computer deciding which engine should give how much power. the function of all (3) differentials has now to be programmed into a computer, so that can decided based on throttle position and steering angle, how much power each wheel needs to produce

all in all, i hate electric cars (for now)

[SL65]

OMG its going to go around corners silently!! How weird will that be It might hit one of those moron spectators that wait on the middle of the track between cars completing the course