This is not your average delivery van
Silicon Valley-based Atieva is a startup that aims to build a “breakthrough electric car” to take on established EV makers like Tesla Motors.
The company is currently testing its all-electric powertrain wrapped within the bodywork of a van — more specifically, a Mercedes-Benz Vito. Why, you ask? Because the spacious van package allows engineers to retrofit the vehicle with new powertrain components during development with as little modification as possible.
Called the Edna, the prototype vehicle features two electric motors with an output exceeding 900 hp, two gearboxes, two sets of power electronics, and one battery pack capable of storing 85 kWh of energy.
It sounds impressive, right? Well, wait until you see it in action. To demonstrate what the mighty powertrain is capable of, Atieva has set up a drag race with two different sports cars — the 362 PS (357 hp) BMW i8 plug-in hybrid and the 645 hp Dodge Viper supercar.
While the Edna had little trouble annihilating the competition, the test run was more than a publicity stunt. The company used the drag race to record an important parameter, the 1/4 mile time, with really promising results.
The electric van went from 0 to 60 mph (0-96 km/h) in 2.94 seconds (quicker than the first attempt of 3.08 seconds), and covered the 1/8 mile in 7.2 seconds at an average of 99 mph (159 km/h) — compared to 7.3 seconds and an average of 97.5 mph (157 km/h) during the first test.
Finally, the 1/4 mile run took 11.3 seconds at an average speed of 117 mph (188 km/h), which is outstanding for an EV wearing a heavy body as aerodynamic as a brick.
If that doesn’t impress you, the folks from Atieva say there’s more performance available in Edna. And don’t forget the production model slated for a 2018 launch will be a lighter, more slippery sedan, therefore significantly quicker.