Killacycle Wins Race with Electric Power

It's been well known that the automotive racing circuits are a proving ground for technology and innovation that, if successful, trickles it's way down to everyday consumer products. Will Bill Dube's Killacyle lead the way for electric cars and bikes? Does a quarter mile run of under eight (8) seconds translate into a usable consumer vehicle?

The name Killacycle, a clever marketing name based on the electrical frequency term kilocycle, is as catching to the mind as the bike is to the eye. This cutting edge marriage of modern electrical storage, high-tech voltage regulation, and mechanical stability shows that we don't have to wait for future technologies to be developed in order to enjoy the benefits of driving a modern electric vehicle today. General Motors proved the viability of such a product back in the early 90's with the EV1, but because it was such an extreme leap forward, they (and others in the petroleum industry) removed it's demonstration lease fleet from the hands of the public and destroyed them. If you want to know more about it, review the documentary "Who Killed the Electric Car?". Repeat vehicle purchases and control of the petroleum related marketplace is a devilish corporate entity, but I encourage everyone to educate themselves about how the auto makers and the petroleum moguls have manipulated the automotive market.

In the meantime, Killacycle and other innovative electric dragsters are stunning crowds across the country. Instead of body pounding, fire belching nitro engines thundering down the track, Killacycle launches from a cloud of burnout smoke and screams past watchers with the high-pitched whine of a large electric drill. According to most of the reports on Killacycle's own website/blog, the audience is more stunned than manic after reading the posted times and speeds. Who would have thought twenty years ago that an electric powered vehicle would reach quarter-mile drag racing speeds of 168 miles per hour, or have produced enough torque to achieve zero-to-sixty times of .97 seconds. The Killacycle racing team continually tweaks the output controller for the maximum grip without spinning out or ripping the rear tire from the rim. There is no less tinkering between runs with this racing machine than there is with the internal combustion monsters. Maximum results call for maximum attention to detail. (www.Killacycle.com)

While most of us will never adjust our car engines to run on super high octane fuels, it is well within the technological reach of a good mechanic to convert a car into an efficient and reliable electric vehicle (EV). Although conventional lead acid battery configurations still have a limited driving range, new lithium-ion battery technology allows a modern EV to achieve nearly the same driving range as a gas powered compact vehicle. And if you integrate the EV power pack with automotive hybrid technology, or a small onboard gas powered charger, or a new solar charger, your driving range increases dramatically. This falls well within the average daily driving needs of most U.S. commuters.

There are still those who claim that the cost to produce electricity for charging EVs outweighs any efficiency gained on the driving side, therefore there is no gain in equivalent miles per gallon. This is a false assumption because most EVs are charged at night when power grid consumption is at it's lowest. However, power plant generators must operate at basic output levels to maintain margins for consumption spikes and proper line voltage. In other words, this minimum off-peak power generation time is the most efficient and environmentally friendly for an EV to be charged for driving the following day or two, or three. Killacycle uses a mere seven cents ($.07) of electrical power per drag strip run.

The technology is here today. Click a few associated links on the Killacyle site and you will find consumers across the country who have chosen to step into the electric vehicle world. There are commuters who drive to and from work every day accompanied by nothing more than the hum of an electric motor and sound of the pavement under their tires. The EV future is attainable today for those who seek a better, more responsible way for themselves, their children, and the environment. The internet if full of information and resources for anyone wanting to build their own EV conversion car. Throw off the shackles of the petroleum prison and step into the EV world, even if it's only to watch Killacycle and other electric drag racing leaders open a few eyes and minds to the possibilities that exist today.