# Detroit Electric Car Resurrection!



## Grant_NZ (May 28, 2008)

Nice, good to see they are making something that doesn't resemble a lunch box on wheels with the sex appeal of a angry polar bear


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## Technologic (Jul 20, 2008)

CAD drawings don't interest me... call me back when it gets 120 miles of range for < 25k.
(not that I'd pay more than $14k for a car)


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## DavidDymaxion (Dec 1, 2008)

I'd be careful with my money. Here are some comments from a local EV board:

Here is the manufacturer's web site:
http://www.detroit-electric.com/

They claim a 150 kW peak / 75 kW continuous motor weighs just 18 kg! That would make theirs as powerful as the well-optimized AC Propulsion at about 1/2 the weight (in short, I'd have to see it to believe it, or maybe 18 kg is a typo).

They say it has a four speed tranny -- common for a conversion, but unusual for a ground-up design.

I also noted some good, but "projected" specs and prices. For myself, I'd want to see the car before plunking down any money.

I hate to be cynical... but I find it surprising you'd build an electric Lotus and not show a single shot under the hood, showcasing the batteries or electronics or the electric motor.

I counted off about 19 seconds between the "electric" car and gas car finishes. I have done enough racing that this is a hard to believe amount of time difference. 1 or 2 seconds would have been alot more believable, and still a killing in racing terms. 19 seconds implies the gas car was intentionally holding back, or had an inexperienced driver.


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## Alchemist (Apr 16, 2009)

This link which is imbedded in the Tesla comparision article shows some photos of the batteries and motor compartments. It also mentions a little about the company's motor advantages.

http://paultan.org/archives/2008/09/02/driven-detroit-electrics-electric-lotus-elise/


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## DavidDymaxion (Dec 1, 2008)

Thanks for the link. I see pics of four door sedans with hoods open and EV components on display, but none of a Lotus with hood or trunk open and EV components on display. Does anyone have a link that proves one of these Lotuses are electric?

This is not to say the Lotuses are not electric -- but I do find it curious.


Alchemist said:


> This link which is imbedded in the Tesla comparision article shows some photos of the batteries and motor compartments. It also mentions a little about the company's motor advantages.
> 
> http://paultan.org/archives/2008/09/02/driven-detroit-electrics-electric-lotus-elise/


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## david85 (Nov 12, 2007)

I know their claims are possible, but so many came before and failed that its hard to believe any of this until the first cars roll off the line.

Light weight motors are easy to make, but most motors that we see have their design origins in heavy industrial motors that are not intended for mobile propulsion or to be light weight.

As more manufacturers start to make motors from scratch that are intended specifically for EVs, you will see weight fall. The brushed warP motors are ok for the price, but they are so heavy its not even funny because they have their design origins in forklift and pump motors.


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## DavidDymaxion (Dec 1, 2008)

My understanding is the AC propulsion motor is specially optimized. Here are some specs:

http://www.acpropulsion.com/company/press-releases.php

ACP says 50 kW continuous (150 kW peak) in a 50 kg motor. Detroit Electric says 75 kW continuous (150 kW peak) in an 18 kg motor. ACP's motor and controller are so good I find it hard to believe you can make a motor that does 1.5 times the continuous power with 2.8 times less weight. That's four times the continuous power per kilogram! And they are doing it for a relatively inexpensive projected cost!

Had they equaled ACP's proven numbers I'd be impressed. Claiming to be four times better right out of the chute? I'd want to see and test the car before plunking down any money. I do hope I'm wrong, and that they have some performance and cost breakthroughs.

Agreed your typical forklift motor is not optimized for weight!



david85 said:


> ... Light weight motors are easy to make, but most motors that we see have their design origins in heavy industrial motors that are not intended for mobile propulsion or to be light weight.
> 
> As more manufacturers start to make motors from scratch that are intended specifically for EVs, you will see weight fall. The brushed warP motors are ok for the price, but they are so heavy its not even funny because they have their design origins in forklift and pump motors.


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## Technologic (Jul 20, 2008)

DavidDymaxion said:


> \
> ACP says 50 kW continuous (150 kW peak) in a 50 kg motor. Detroit Electric says 75 kW continuous (150 kW peak) in an 18 kg motor. ACP's motor and controller are so good I find it hard to believe you can make a motor that does 1.5 times the continuous power with 2.8 times less weight. That's four times the continuous power per kilogram! And they are doing it for a relatively inexpensive projected cost!
> 
> Had they equaled ACP's proven numbers I'd be impressed. Claiming to be four times better right out of the chute? I'd want to see and test the car before plunking down any money. I do hope I'm wrong, and that they have some performance and cost breakthroughs.
> ...


To be fair, this difference in weight could be done with merely a change of materials used, depending on the ACP's design (obviously no one knows).

From my EE speaker days, per lb aluminum conducts significantly more electricity than copper does. Using copper clad aluminum wires for the coils (CCA) they could easily shore up half or more of the weight... assuming the ACP used copper.

Also, it doesn't say how many phases the motor is. Could be significantly more dynamic than the ACP's I believe 3 phase design.


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## lottos (Jun 22, 2008)

The casing looks like aluminium:

http://www.detroit-electric.com/video.php?id=23


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## david85 (Nov 12, 2007)

An outrunner motor???


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