Peraves E-Tracer Enters Automotive X-Prize

peraves e tracer turn 630

This is the Peraves E-Tracer. It looks like a drop tank from a P-61, is powered by an electric motor and has outrigger wheels. It is also entering the Automotive X-Prize, and thinks that it has a real shot at winning the thing. They just might be right. It’s light enough and efficient enough right off the rack that it could win. Not sure whether it should count as a car or not.

If Peraves is right, and the E-Tracer has the chops to make it into the top spot, then the European company will rake in $10 million by winning Progressive Automotive X-Prize.

Peraves is a Swiss company that has been making the MonoTracer, a BMW bike engined version of the E-Tracer for a while now. Like the ICE motivated MonoTracer, the E-Tracer boast an impressive drag coefficient of .19. It also features very low rolling resistance and relatively light weight.

In place of the aforementioned BMW engine being hooked to its gearbox, the green version has a highly efficient AC induction motor. And not just efficient, but a powerful one to boot. The AC Propulsion Gen II motor cranks out 204 horsepower (or 150 kilowatts if you want to measure it that way) and 162 pound feet of torque. Which is a lot in a, er, car that’s the size and weight of the Peraves E-Tracer. It’s enough to send it zinging from a stop to 60 MPH in the sub-four second range. The top speed is reportedly 150 miles per hour, and Peraves has to electronically limit it to that, they say. The energy is stored in the E-Tracer’s 20 kWh lithium battery, and that gives it enough juice to drive 186 miles at 60 mph and still have a 20-mile reserve at about 50 mph left over.

So does the Peraves E-Tracer have what it takes to win the Automotive X-Prize? We’ll leave that up to the judges and to history to decide. But if you’re interested in the E-Tracer already, turns out they are already being manufactured and sold. It seems that the waiting list is about a year long, and the E-Tracer will cost you around €79,350 (or around $107,800 at today’s exchange rates).

Peraves is also said to be working on a another version dubbed the Ultra-Sport that will crank out a whopping 268 hp. No word on the cost of the Ultra-Sport, but you have to figure it will run you more bucks.

And here’s some videos of the Peraves in action.

Source: AutoBlogGreen