Automotive

0 to 100 km/h in 1.785 seconds: Grimsel gobbles EV acceleration record

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Grimsel has claimed a new world record for acceleration in electric cars: 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 1.785 seconds (Photo: AMZ Racing)
The vehicle was developed and built in less than 12 months by a team of students at ETH Zurich and Lucerne University (Photo: AMZ Racing)
Grimsel has claimed a new world record for acceleration in electric cars: 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 1.785 seconds (Photo: AMZ Racing)

Students from ETH Zurich and Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts have claimed a new world record for electric car acceleration. Piloting their EV dubbed "Grimsel" from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 1.785 seconds in less than 30 meters, the students smashed the previous record of 2.134 seconds set by the Delft University of Technology in 2013.

Set at the military airfield in Dübendorf, Switzerland, and awaiting official ratification by the Guinness World Book of Records, the new record was made even more amazing by the fact that it was set by students who also designed and built the vehicle themselves as part of the Formula Student team at the Academic Motorsports Club Zurich (AMZ).

Developed in less than 12 months by a 30-strong team of students at ETH Zurich and Lucerne University, Grimsel is constructed from carbon fiber, has a total weight of just 168 kg (370 lb) and generates around 147 kW (200 hp). Driven through an integrated planetary gearbox, the cars four individual AMZ M4 wheel hub motors produce 37 kW (50 hp), transmitting a tire-shredding 1630 Nm (1200 ft-lb) of total torque at the wheels.

The vehicle was developed and built in less than 12 months by a team of students at ETH Zurich and Lucerne University (Photo: AMZ Racing)

Though not as powerful as some in-hub electric motor systems we've seen, Grimsel still needs to employ a substantial electronic system of traction control and torque distribution to precisely control each wheel hub motor, minimizing wheel spin and maximizing vehicle acceleration.

The chassis is a one-piece carbon fiber monocoque manufactured by the team that's very light and very strong. It has a torsional stiffness of 4500 Nm/deg (3319 ft-lb/deg) achieved at a weight of only 18.3kg (40 lb) including roll hoops. The vehicle rides on 190 mm (7.5 in) wide tires and one piece carbon fiber rims, all held together with pushrod suspension on the front and rear axles.

As an on-going racing venture, as well as a platform for ultra-fast electric vehicle development, the team has celebrated many successes at the Formula Student international competition during the recent European summer. Competing against more than 500 teams, AMZ has achieved three overall wins and an average of 920 points out of a possible 1,000, making Grimsel the team’s most successful vehicle.

With two of the victories in Austria and Spain, the team also achieved the two highest scores in the European history of Formula Student.

The video below shows a virtual assembly of all of the components that make up record-setting electric race car.

Source: ETH Zurich, AMZ Racing

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12 comments
Steve Jones
That's really awesome, but although this article is about straight-line speed, that thing is clearly no dragster. It's a hillclimb car, and a wicked one at that.
James Smith
From the second photo, it would seem this is more like an autocross car.
I have personally thought that an electric autocross car with the active traction control and four in-hub motors would be ideal. Range would not be a large factor as very few autocross courses are longer than a mile and most less.
If I were still active in the sport, I'd be building something ike that now.
Slowburn
0 to 100 km/h in 1.785 seconds. Fully charged to flat 4.315 seconds?
Ben Robeson
While it's an impressive vehicle, it's important to remember that any sort of world record only reaches as far as the regulating body. If Guinness says it's the fastest 0-60 electric car, that means it's the fastest one they've documented for their book. Not that it's actually the fastest in the world.
For example -- a faster electric car. Interestingly enough, a quick Google search shows me that you guys have had this error pointed oit to you a number of times. Shame you don't consider research important to your article writing. http://www.cnet.com/uk/news/black-current-electric-drag-beetle-smashes-veyrons-world-records/
warren52nz
That video should win an award! Disappointed that we didn't get to see the 0-60 run though.
Mark Yormark
Here is an example of an electric vehicle that is even faster from 0-60, and this was done several years ago and by no means is the Black Pearl the quickest http://www.shortlist.com/home/vw-beetle-does-0-60-in-1.6-secs
Mira Lok
It's a formula student car.
Mira Lok
Reglement of the "Formula Student" actually not allows on event to use more than 100kW power, so the http://www.gizmag.com/world-electric-acceleration-record/29265/ were more faire in that case.
anyway great work of the team!!!
Mark Yormark
John Metric's Assault'n"Battery has a 1.312 second 60 foot time which converts to 62.36 m.p.h
Mark Yormark
I consider research important and I applaud the university research teams for their accomplishments, but the article states....Grimsel has claimed a new world record for acceleration in electric cars: 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 1.785 seconds Read the article, there is nothing that says that is record is only for university research teams