The company that introduced the DeltaWing to Le Mans has unveiled all-electric race car to compete in long-distance endurance races.
Green4U Technologies and Panoz, a Green4U company, said the aim of the concept is to deliver the performance and range similar to internal combustion engine and hybrid powertrain race cars.
Don Panoz, chairman and co-founder of Green4U Technologies, Inc., unveiled the new race car concept at the company’s display in the 24 Hours of Le Mans Village. Dubbed the Green4U Panoz Racing GT-EV, it is being developed at the company’s design and engineering hub in Braselton, Georgia.
“We’re debuting it here at Le Mans because of this iconic race’s history where the brightest and most ambitious and tenacious competitors always push the motorsports and automotive boundaries,” said Panoz. “We pushed the boundaries when we brought Sparky [the 1998 Panoz Q9 GTR-1 Hybrid] and the DeltaWing to Le Mans, and we’ll do the same with the all-electric GT-EV.”
“Our goal is to run our car in a race, perhaps even applying for a future Garage 56 slot, and apply what we learn to our Green4U EV vehicle designs,” added Jack Perkowski, Green4U Technologies CEO and co-founder. “The development of an all-electric race car that can compete with the best internal combustion engine race cars places Green4U at the forefront of electric vehicle technology.”
The Green4U Panoz Racing GT-EV team, led by Brian Willis, vice president of engineering and design, has outlined the race car’s initial design and performance targets, including a top speed of between 175 to 180mph, 400 to 450kW total power, and a race range of 90 to 110 miles.
“Our team is focused on achieving the speed and range of current road racing sports cars,” said Willis. “Key is the ability to go as far as petrol and hybrid race cars on the power contained in a single battery pack, then exchange the battery in about the time that it takes them to refill their tanks.”
Green4U Panoz Racing GT-EV tech specs:
- 400 to 450kW total power
- 175 to 180mph top speed
- Removable battery pack design enabling battery exchanges during pit stops
- 90- to 110 mile range in race conditions
- All-wheel drive with two electric motors (One driving the front wheels and the second powering the rear wheels)
- 2,200lb (998kg) to 2,750lbs (1248kg) total mass with battery pack
- Roughly 192 (488cm) x 72 (183cm) x 48 (122cm) inches (L x W x H)
- A carbon fibre chassis design with an offset closed cockpit
- Active aerodynamics to reduce drag on straightaways and increase range and performance
- Regenerative braking technology on all wheels