Electric vehicles have been at the forefront of automotive innovation for the past five years, and they continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible, particularly when it comes to acceleration.
Gas-powered engines were pressed to hit zero to 60 in 2.5 seconds, and we all applauded when it happened. But now, this electric vehicle has demolished the world record and accelerated to 62 mph in under a single second.
In the video, the driver described the experience and said, “You “really notice that your heart is pounding away. [But once you] see it through, [it’s like] being on a rollercoaster with a really, really fast start.”
Check out the full video:
The Brains Behind The Build
The record was shattered by a single-seat electric racer named “Mythen.” This car was developed by students from the ETH Zürich University and the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts in Switzerland, making this feat even more impressive.
The Build Behind The Power
According to Jalopnik, Mythen is a lightweight construction, and its chassis and bodywork are crafted from a combination of carbon fiber and aluminum honeycomb. The whole car weighs in at just 309 pounds, which makes its speed make a lot of sense.
The car also has four wheel-hub motors, which generate 326 horsepower, a genius addition by the students.
The Stats Behind The Record
These students managed to achieve a mind-boggling acceleration rate, going from a complete standstill to 62 mph in an insane 0.956 seconds. It all made sense when I realized the driver was a woman: Kate Maggetti. She achieved this feat in a mere 12.3 meters, which is approximately 40 feet for us American folks.
It’s hard to grasp exactly how fast this takeoff was, so Jalopnik put it into perspective for us and said,
“For some context, this rapid acceleration is faster than a Formula 1 car, which manages the feat in about 2.6 seconds, and NASA’s space shuttle, which took a leisurely five seconds to reach 60 mph.”