Nissan ZEOD RC at Le Mans.
The revolutionary Nissan ZEOD RC (Zero Emission On Demand Racing Car) has recorded the highest ever speed by an electric vehicle at Le Mans, with Japanese ace Satoshi Motoyama reaching 300km/h on the Mulsanne Straight in qualifying for the 2014 Le Mans 24 Hours.
Motoyama reached the speed on his electric run, achieving one of the key goals of the unique prototype which features a dual electric/internal combustion engine powertrain featuring a pair of 110kW electric motors along with a remarkable 40-kilograms, 400 horsepower, 1.5 litre, three-cylinder turbo engine.
The ZEOD (zero emissions on demand) permits the driver to switch back and forth between the two power sources.
Motoyama achieved the target on his first run in the car after he missed out on driving on Wednesday night (June 11) to a gearbox issue in the first session and a series of session-stopping red flags during the night.
Motoyama along with GT Academy winners Lucas Ordóñez and Wolfgang Reip have all now driven multiple stints aboard the ZEOD tonight—each recording their mandatory five night laps.
The team’s next goal is to complete an entire lap of Le Mans under race conditions using nothing but electric power. The Nissan team also revealed data from its record-breaking lap showing the internal combustion engines revs at zero, with the car topping 300km/h.