Video: Kleenspeed EV-X11 an all electric speed demon

Green technologies often get a first vetting in the field through uses in areas of science or military. 

Other avenues also exist, such as high performance racing for electric vehicles.

We’ve already seen Drayson Racing Technologies focusing upon this at the recent Goodwood Festival of Speed, and now we turn to Kleenspeed Technologies and its record setting recently at Laguna Seca in California.



Kleenspeed driver Kevin Mitz of Rennwerks Motorsports broke the lap time of 1:38.9 the company had previously set last year in the annual ReFuel Clean Power Motorsports Event. Running in the Open Prototype class, Mitz beat this record by more than six seconds with a time of 1:32.046.

The Kleenspeed vehicle being driven, the EV-X11, also not only beat a Tesla Model S prototype and other vehicles in its class, but it also is said to have the fastest lap time of all competitors in all classes. The event is was participating in is one of the top open EV competitions in the United States, with classes for prototypes, production vehicles, conversions and several classes of electric motorcycles.

The EV-X11 features what Kleenspeed says is a proprietary drivetrain and power system built around its genESSsys technology. This advanced energy storage is mated with a UQM PowerPhase Select 145 electric motor and controller system that offers up 200 HP and 300 lb ft of torque. Top speed of this car is said to be over 160 MPH.

The EV systems developer, which has been the winner in the ReFuel prototype class since 2009, was founded in 2008 and is located in a hub of technology set  in the NASA Ames Research Park near Mountain View, California. Besides zipping around tracks and winning records with the EV-X11, the vehicle is said to also serve as a rolling laboratory for the development of their technologies.

Besides the EV-X11, Kleenspeed looks to be developing the KAR all-electric vehicle platform, which recently made its debut at the Stanford University 2012 Vehicle Concept Showcase.

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Nino Marchetti, EarthTechling