Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Dodge, LA Auto Show, USA
VIDEO: Drag race between Dodge Challenger and Dodge EV
Dodge has their recently revealed electric vehicle line-up in L.A for the upcoming Auto Show and, at the tail end of a press event in the Rosebowl parking lot, had occasion to indulge in a little "impromptu" drag racing. The two cars involved were the Lotus Europa Dodge EV and a Dodge Challenger they "just happened" to have laying around. Now, electric cars are known for their instant torque off the line and, as the Tesla Roadster recently demonstrated, make pretty good quarter mile sprinters. However, the Challenger not only looks intimidating but packs a lung disease-inducing 6.1 liter Hemi under it's striped hood. That's good for 425 horses with 420 lb ft of torque. Yikes! The Dodge EV has its own secret weapon though (its driver) and gamely noses up to the line for the confrontation. Hit the jump to watch the pair of parking lot passes.
Gallery: 2011 Chrysler EVs
[Source: Los Angeles Times]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
noz 1:43PM (11/16/2008)
That should satisfy even smallest of pen&sheads around here.
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philmcneal 2:20PM (11/16/2008)
wow Chrysler has a hit on their hands! now if they can only make it affordable...
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crazybabydoc 3:29PM (11/16/2008)
If you want a sports car the MOST important detail is WEIGHT!
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Chris M 3:18AM (11/18/2008)
Precisely! With a compact Lotus designed frame, the Dodge EV probably weighs less than that big chunk of Detroit iron, in spite of the heavy battery pack.
I also noticed that the Dodge EV seems to hold the line better than the Challenger. That Challenger wavered a bit under heavy acceleration.
Brother_Will 3:50PM (11/16/2008)
To be honest though even the standard engined evora probably would have dealt a crushing blow to that lardy challenger
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Mike!!ekiM 5:59PM (11/16/2008)
Yes, a great exciting race, but, to me the point is the Millions of dollars they pump into the GAS engine every year has been given a beat down from Gen 1.0 of the Electric Revolution.
Imagine the EV after Electric Motor, and batteries are developed through revision 3.0. They will be Untouchable.
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Mike!!ekiM 6:00PM (11/16/2008)
And only 400 hp from a 6 liter engine? That's an insurance hp number.
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fnc 6:45PM (11/16/2008)
Flat torque curve for the win, off the line at least. I realized that the gas engine represented old technology when I saw video of the odd looking little tzero blowing away Corvettes and Ferraris years ago.
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Cocoa 6:54PM (11/16/2008)
the charger isn't even going full speed in either of the runs. he shifts painfully slowly and lets off on the throttle. they want the ev to win pretty badly when i think the charger would have won.
and also, are these ev cars ever going to come out? i want one but they always seem 3 years down the road...
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CarbonBlack 7:16PM (11/16/2008)
You are exactly right!
You can even hear him sandbagging-
Mike P. 9:38AM (11/18/2008)
Not only can you hear when the driver of the Charger let's off. At the end of the second run the person behind the camera even says, "awww, he let off...".
Smith 8:07PM (11/16/2008)
Just build EV's so fast nothing can beat them.
http://www.opb.org/programs/ofg/videos/view/56-Electric-Drag-Racing
Double, triple, quadruple that Dodge EV's hp/tq!
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tankd0g 10:36PM (11/16/2008)
This thing would have to be $150,000 since it's a Tesla roadster only in a more expensive Lotus chassis this time. So you can forget that pipe dream right now. ETs of these electric cars are impressive, but take a drive in one some time. Boring as hell. Drag racing with no noise and no shifting? What's the point of drag racing again?
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Larry 12:06AM (11/17/2008)
What _is_ the point of drag racing?
:p
Chris M 3:36AM (11/18/2008)
Considering that the Dodge EV has a slightly longer 0-60 mph time and a somewhat shorter driving range compared to the Tesla Roadster, I suspect that the Dodge EV is using a more conventional fiberglass or aluminum body, instead of a Tesla style ultra-light carbon fiber body, and the battery pack is probably a bit smaller as well. Both of those would indicate a less expensive design for the Dodge EV.
I'd estimate the sales price somwhere between $60K and $80K
tankd0g 8:03AM (11/18/2008)
The Europa is a bigger, heavier car than the Elise. The Dodge EV has probably never done a 0-60 run, they just calculated the theoretical time. This car will never be sold by Do9dge so the speculating on the price is somewhat pointless. If Lotus sells it you can bet it'll be $150,000.
Smith 1:06AM (11/17/2008)
It settles the question of which car is faster. If the numbers are known in advance; the race need not happen.
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Everret 1:31AM (11/17/2008)
Stick that 6.1 Hemi in that little yellow go cart, and I might buy it...... :)
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jeff 8:56AM (11/17/2008)
we got a price quote from UQM on the motor that goes into this EV. I'm not sure exactly how much the V6 challenger costs, but lets just say that motor is worth more than many cars.
That quote was probably on a 1-unit basis, and it would probably get a bit cheaper in mass production, but it was still quite a shock.
http://www.uqm.com/
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Mike 11:00AM (11/17/2008)
I think this Dodge EV could easily undercut the Tesla's Pricing.
Have any of you watch the building of the Tesla documentary?
They kept changing multiple things, something about the door sills when you get in/out of the car.. the Financial Backers wife didn't like it.. so they spent MILLIONS redesigning it.
This was just one of MANY problems that Tesla spent money solving. They were a new car company - Chrysler has years of engineering experience, as well as Tesla's doc to see how to undercut research/dev costs.
I think this car could come in the 60k range. If so and they can keep the features nice, interior nice.. not chincy.. then they could have a very nice hit on their hands.
Semi rich people may opt for this instead of a 911 as a 2nd/Sunday car.
I know I would seriously consider it.
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