Elvis Hargrove said the following to Mike Ross on the subject of
Re: Engine Design (29 Sep 97  11:07:11)
 -> I think you must have nodded between scenes and only saw the part
 -> where they let the gerbils out. Sleep well, man. Wake up and smell
 -> the coffee when an EV wins the Indy 500. Not tomorrow of course since
 -> the IC engine has had an 85 year uncontested reign but give the EV
 -> research a chance.
 EH> Hey, Mike ease up!  I never said the thing wasn't practical.  The
 EH> program I saw, and I was WATCHING because I'm a big fan of
 EH> electricity, the car rolled maybe ten feet and crapped out!
 EH> And when a flywheel powered car wins Indy,  lemme know!  
 EH> ^..^
I just saw a 750+HP IC engine burst into flames after maybe 100ft.
Would I then be making a fair comment in judging all IC engines from
this single event?
You never quit :-) ... why a flywheel in a racing EV?
One advantage of the electric motor, in addition to its very high
efficiency (95% & better), is that it develops maximum torque at 0 rpm
while an IC engine develops maximum torque around 60% of redline. The
problem is clearly not with electric motor technology. The simple fact
is the problem is totally in supplying the power to make it run.
 Mike
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