Tesla is fast

Today the electric cars are the quickest on the road.  
The classic petrol muscle cars are vying for the silver medal.

Was it obvious to the designers, from day one, 
that this would be the case?  Is it simply a power/weight calculation?

I'm congenitally leery of simple explanations - 

--
Rich

On Wednesday, April 13, 2022 at 12:52:45 PM UTC-7, RichD wrote:
> Today the electric cars are the quickest on the road. 
> The classic petrol muscle cars are vying for the silver medal. 
> 
> Was it obvious to the designers, from day one, 
> that this would be the case? Is it simply a power/weight calculation? 
> 
> I'm congenitally leery of simple explanations - 

For one thing, it's easier to install and control multiple motors.  For maximum performance, you can put one  (or more) motor per wheel, which is hard to do with ICE.
 

RichD <r_delaney2001@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Today the electric cars are the quickest on the road.  
> The classic petrol muscle cars are vying for the silver medal.
> 
> Was it obvious to the designers, from day one, 
> that this would be the case?  Is it simply a power/weight calculation?
> 
> I'm congenitally leery of simple explanations - 
> 
> --
> Rich

electric motors have a far more useful torque curve too. That's why train 
locomotives are not direct drive in the civilized world but run a 
generator and traction motors. If you want to pickup speed fast, there's 
nothing better. If you're hauling freight, and need starting torque, 
there's also still nothing better than an electric motor.

onsdag den 13. april 2022 kl. 23.02.08 UTC+2 skrev Ed Lee:
> On Wednesday, April 13, 2022 at 12:52:45 PM UTC-7, RichD wrote: 
> > Today the electric cars are the quickest on the road. 
> > The classic petrol muscle cars are vying for the silver medal. 
> > 
> > Was it obvious to the designers, from day one, 
> > that this would be the case? Is it simply a power/weight calculation? 
> > 
> > I'm congenitally leery of simple explanations -
> For one thing, it's easier to install and control multiple motors. For maximum performance, you can put one (or more) motor per wheel, which is hard to do with ICE.

And electric motors can usually handle quite a lot of extra power short term  

On 4/13/2022 5:11 PM, Cydrome Leader wrote:
> RichD <r_delaney2001@yahoo.com> wrote:
>> Today the electric cars are the quickest on the road.
>> The classic petrol muscle cars are vying for the silver medal.
>>
>> Was it obvious to the designers, from day one,
>> that this would be the case?  Is it simply a power/weight calculation?
>>
>> I'm congenitally leery of simple explanations -
>>
>> --
>> Rich
> 
> electric motors have a far more useful torque curve too. That's why train
> locomotives are not direct drive in the civilized world but run a
> generator and traction motors. If you want to pickup speed fast, there's
> nothing better. If you're hauling freight, and need starting torque,
> there's also still nothing better than an electric motor.

Incidentally there were some torque-converter driven trainsets in the US 
for niche applications e.g.

<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budd_Rail_Diesel_Car#Design>

Basically a city bus on rails.

The later SPV-2000 was similar but an unreliable and difficult to 
service design it seems:

<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budd_SPV-2000>

When AC traction motors were still quite large jackshaft-driven 
locomotives were pretty cool-looking:

<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackshaft_(locomotive)#/media/File:PRR_DD1_running_gear.jpg>

On Wednesday, April 13, 2022 at 2:52:18 PM UTC-7, lang...@fonz.dk wrote:
> onsdag den 13. april 2022 kl. 23.02.08 UTC+2 skrev Ed Lee: 
> > On Wednesday, April 13, 2022 at 12:52:45 PM UTC-7, RichD wrote: 
> > > Today the electric cars are the quickest on the road. 
> > > The classic petrol muscle cars are vying for the silver medal. 
> > > 
> > > Was it obvious to the designers, from day one, 
> > > that this would be the case? Is it simply a power/weight calculation? 
> > > 
> > > I'm congenitally leery of simple explanations - 
> > For one thing, it's easier to install and control multiple motors. For maximum performance, you can put one (or more) motor per wheel, which is hard to do with ICE.
> And electric motors can usually handle quite a lot of extra power short term

I am thinking in terms of trucking.  Perhaps 18 motors for 18 wheelers.  Smaller distributed motors might work better for heavy cargo.

torsdag den 14. april 2022 kl. 00.38.16 UTC+2 skrev Ed Lee:
> On Wednesday, April 13, 2022 at 2:52:18 PM UTC-7, lang...@fonz.dk wrote: 
> > onsdag den 13. april 2022 kl. 23.02.08 UTC+2 skrev Ed Lee: 
> > > On Wednesday, April 13, 2022 at 12:52:45 PM UTC-7, RichD wrote: 
> > > > Today the electric cars are the quickest on the road. 
> > > > The classic petrol muscle cars are vying for the silver medal. 
> > > > 
> > > > Was it obvious to the designers, from day one, 
> > > > that this would be the case? Is it simply a power/weight calculation? 
> > > > 
> > > > I'm congenitally leery of simple explanations - 
> > > For one thing, it's easier to install and control multiple motors. For maximum performance, you can put one (or more) motor per wheel, which is hard to do with ICE. 
> > And electric motors can usually handle quite a lot of extra power short term
> I am thinking in terms of trucking. Perhaps 18 motors for 18 wheelers. Smaller distributed motors might work better for heavy cargo.

trucks are not fast, and most of the cargo is going to be batteries ...

On Wednesday, April 13, 2022 at 3:44:19 PM UTC-7, lang...@fonz.dk wrote:
> torsdag den 14. april 2022 kl. 00.38.16 UTC+2 skrev Ed Lee: 
> > On Wednesday, April 13, 2022 at 2:52:18 PM UTC-7, lang...@fonz.dk wrote: 
> > > onsdag den 13. april 2022 kl. 23.02.08 UTC+2 skrev Ed Lee: 
> > > > On Wednesday, April 13, 2022 at 12:52:45 PM UTC-7, RichD wrote: 
> > > > > Today the electric cars are the quickest on the road. 
> > > > > The classic petrol muscle cars are vying for the silver medal. 
> > > > > 
> > > > > Was it obvious to the designers, from day one, 
> > > > > that this would be the case? Is it simply a power/weight calculation? 
> > > > > 
> > > > > I'm congenitally leery of simple explanations - 
> > > > For one thing, it's easier to install and control multiple motors. For maximum performance, you can put one (or more) motor per wheel, which is hard to do with ICE. 
> > > And electric motors can usually handle quite a lot of extra power short term 
> > I am thinking in terms of trucking. Perhaps 18 motors for 18 wheelers. Smaller distributed motors might work better for heavy cargo.
> trucks are not fast, and most of the cargo is going to be batteries ...

Going uphill, some trucks have trouble keeping up with 55.  Distributed motors might help.  Also better handling going down hill.

On Wednesday, April 13, 2022 at 3:44:19 PM UTC-7, lang...@fonz.dk wrote:
> torsdag den 14. april 2022 kl. 00.38.16 UTC+2 skrev Ed Lee: 
> > On Wednesday, April 13, 2022 at 2:52:18 PM UTC-7, lang...@fonz.dk wrote: 
> > > onsdag den 13. april 2022 kl. 23.02.08 UTC+2 skrev Ed Lee: 
> > > > On Wednesday, April 13, 2022 at 12:52:45 PM UTC-7, RichD wrote: 
> > > > > Today the electric cars are the quickest on the road. 
> > > > > The classic petrol muscle cars are vying for the silver medal. 
> > > > > 
> > > > > Was it obvious to the designers, from day one, 
> > > > > that this would be the case? Is it simply a power/weight calculation? 
> > > > > 
> > > > > I'm congenitally leery of simple explanations - 
> > > > For one thing, it's easier to install and control multiple motors. For maximum performance, you can put one (or more) motor per wheel, which is hard to do with ICE. 
> > > And electric motors can usually handle quite a lot of extra power short term 
> > I am thinking in terms of trucking. Perhaps 18 motors for 18 wheelers. Smaller distributed motors might work better for heavy cargo.
> trucks are not fast, and most of the cargo is going to be batteries ...

And yes, i think we need at last 500kWhr or 7500 lbs.  Assuming 1 mi/kWhr and 15 lbs per kWhr.

On Wed, 13 Apr 2022 12:52:41 -0700 (PDT), RichD
<r_delaney2001@yahoo.com> wrote:

>Today the electric cars are the quickest on the road.  

When they are not in line to get to a charging station.

>The classic petrol muscle cars are vying for the silver medal.

Some people enjoy alternating between max accel and max decel.



-- 

I yam what I yam - Popeye