EV West Is Going for an Electric Speed Record at Bonneville Using Tesla Power

That's because EVs generally tend to use a single gear set up, meaning once the electric motors have reached their top rpm, there is nowhere left to go. No speed left to gain. You can't engage second and rev it back up again, and then third, and so on.

The high-revving nature of electric motors, as well as their torque curve, makes this single-speed architecture viable for everyday use and, as we've seen, the occasional drag race. If you're looking to set new land speed records, however, you're left with two options: either have a multi-gear setup (unlikely since it'll add weight and unnecessary complications), or have the cogs geared toward high speed, and not acceleration.

EV West, the company famous for putting electric drivetrains inside classic cars is looking to set a new EV record at the Bonneville Salt Flats, though exactly what target they have is still a mystery. In fact, a lot about their Electraliner record-breaking lakester is unknown, but we'll focus on the little the team did allow to transpire.

For one thing, it'll be a 100 percent custom job. It uses a tubular steel chassis with an extremely streamlined body made of what appears to be fiberglass. The project is in a pretty advanced stage already, and so it should be considering the team has only a few days left before the Electraliner needs to hop on a trailer and head to Bonneville.

The unspecified amount of power comes from a modded Tesla motor that sits way back between the two rear wheels. In front of it is the custom battery pack featuring 294 Panasonic cells for a total of 357 volts, and in front of that is the poor guy that is going to drive the vehicle. We say "poor" because you really wouldn't want to be in his shoes if you had even the slightest touch of claustrophobia.

EV West plans to have three battery packs it can swap between runs that it will charge via a solar power array. The aim is to have no more than 50 percent of the juice gone from the battery before putting in a fully-charged one since power delivery drops together with the SOC. Cooling will also play an important part, which is why there's talk of 19 liters of ice-cold water playing some part in that.

If, like us, you're curious to know how EV West's Electraliner will fare at the Bonneville Salt Flats, stay tuned and we'll keep you posted. Various speeds are mentioned during the video, including the fact that the gearing can take up to 340 mph (547 km/h), but the team is staying silent on the actual target. The overall electric record at Bonneville sits at 315 mph (507 km/h), but with the guys talking about classes and weights, it's hard to imagine they'll be gunning for the top spot straight away.