Ohio St. Students Claim New Two-Way World Land Speed Record for BEV: 307 MPH
By Scott Doggett August 26, 2010
Engineering students from Ohio State University claim to have set an average two-way world land-speed record of 307.7 miles per hour for a battery-electric vehicle with their Venturi Buckeye Bullet 2.5 powered by a 600-plus kilowatt A123 Systems lithium-ion battery pack.
The vehicle reportedly eclipsed the previous 245 mph world land-speed record for BEVs, which was set in 1999 by White Lightning, driven by Pat Rummerfield. The new record is pending certification by the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile, the worldwide motor sports governing body.
The Bullet was required to make two speed runs, one each in opposite directions and within 60 minutes, in order to be considered for the record. While the record is officially determined by averaging the speed of the two runs in the middle of the 12-mile course at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, the Bullet exited the flying mile at 320 mph, team members said.
The team (left) anticipated making further tries at besting its time but on Tuesday decided to stop after spending all night trying to replace the vehicle's broken clutch. Too much torque from the electric motor ripped apart the half-inch steel teeth that connect the motor to the gearbox.
The team is supported by French electric-vehicle manufacturer Venturi Automobiles, which lends its 10-year expertise in electric vehicles and significant sponsorship funding to the students.
The Buckeye Bullet 2, powered by hydrogen fuel cells, in 2009 set an FIA-certified world record of 302.877 mph for the fuel cell class. While the original battery-powered Buckeye Bullet set a national record at 314.9 mph in 2004, this record did not meet FIA specifications. That team did, however, set a certified record of 132.129 mph in 2007.
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