Alternative energy company Silex Power has announced its intention to enter the electric car market at the very top. The company intends to make a limited run of 300 units of its luxury Chreos EV by 2015, and, judging from the press release, the car boasts luxury, if perhaps aspirational, statistics to match – particularly with respect to range and charge times.
The car, which Silex Power describes as an upmarket electric fastback sedan, will apparently be 5.42 m long, 2.16 m wide and 1.49 m high (17.78 x 7.09 x 4.89 ft) of carbon fiber.
Silex says that the car will be driven by four electric motors (yes, one in each wheel) delivering 640 bhp (477 kW) and 4,400 Nm (3,245 foot pounds) of torque. The company reckons that this will see the Chreos from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in under 2.9 seconds. The Chreos will be limited to a comfortable top speed of 300 km/h (186 mph).
Clearly Silex is aiming for luxury performance, and this extends to mileage. Though a specific battery spec is not stated, performance criteria are. Silex is shooting for a remarkable range: 1,000 km (621 miles), and that's cruising at 125 km/h (77 mph). Silex indicates that the Chreos's range will be extended with a number of performance modes that can selected automatically by the vehicle. In economy mode, the Chreos effectively becomes a rear-wheel drive vehicle.
Perhaps most remarkable is Silex's so-called "Hypercharge technology" which it claims will fully charge an empty battery in 10 minutes, thank to some sort of modified cathode. This appears to be a proprietary system requiring a 10,000–15,000 V source. Though the Chreos will also be chargeable using a domestic supply, charge times aren't given.
Clearly, renderings and numbers do not an EV make, and it's hard to tell to what extent we're looking at smoke and mirrors. Silex has pledged to reveal more information, including interior shots and technological specifics in April.
Silex indicates that other non-luxury EVs may follow.
A promo reel is below.
Source: Silex Power, via plugincars
"0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in under 2.9 seconds. The Chreos will be limited to a comfortable top speed of 300 km/h (186 mph)." ~with above torque, and low drag also achievable. But sustained for how long?
"Silex is shooting for a remarkable range: 1,000 km (621 miles), and that's cruising at 125 km/h (77 mph)." This is the part I would question. ~Achievable, but would make the vehicle very heavy. Possibly very poor handling.
" charge an empty battery in 10 minutes, thank to some sort of modified cathode. This appears to be a proprietary system requiring a 10,000–15,000 V source. " ~Sounds extremely dangerous to end users unless charging remotely activated. Conceivable that the low current would substantially reduce heat during charging through some kind of modified battery bank. Would need to see this in action.
In summary, can see this vehicle being Lambo price if built.
That said, while the design isn't completely horrendous, it does look like a genetic mutation - combination of Porsche Panamera, BMW 550GT, and an Alfa sedan.
Also, if those are really LED lit wheels, please, just no...
Some of the best Lithium Ion power density is at around 245 Wh/kg. This would give the battery a maximum weight of 1714kg.
So if the Chreos has similar efficiency as the Nissan Leaf (unlikely), the battery pack weight is at a minimum 857kg.
Just how heavy will the Chreos be? It might exceed axle load limitations on some road or bridges!!
I see their design strategy though: move the wheels out to the corners and use a long, wide wheelbase to provide space for the battery pack(s) to breathe (and be surrounded by liquid cooling). With sufficient torque the Bentley-like weight will only be an issue if proper energy recapture is not utilized. Also, it may be that they have stumbled onto something that other designs have missed re: with enough gears weight may become an advantage in energy recapture.