EXCLUSIVE: E85 Viper breaks world record with 220 mph in the standing mile
UPDATE: This was actually the third attempt for Karl and his team. So, third time's the charm!
This was the second attempt for Karl Jacob and his crew to capture the world record for speed in the standing mile with a street legal vehicle, and for them, the second time was the charm. The vehicle in question is the E85 Viper which we have featured on our website ever since we first heard about it being built. We were even granted a sneak peek into the attempt while the car was undergoing final testing at the shop where it was built, SVS Power.
Now for the good stuff! The speed the vehicle was able to reach in the standing mile was 220.7 miles per hour. For reference, the best a gasoline-powered streetable coupe has ever recorded for the standing mile was 217.8 miles per hour. We have placed a video after the break for your enjoyment.
Special thanks go out to Karl Jacob for giving us this story before the official press release goes live tomorrow (Monday). That means, if you are reading this, you know about it before anybody else does. Cool, huh? Don't forget to check the video after the jump.
[Source: Karl Jacob]
As promised, here is a video from the record run:
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Big John 1:39PM (7/15/2007)
Great job, whatever anyone can do to further mainstream gasoline alternatives is doing the work that should be done.
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Truth 2:57PM (7/15/2007)
Yawn. E85 is a waste of time, the viper is a waste too. All E85 does is help the poor farmer and ADM sell corn. Its less efficient than gas, burns hotter, and is more expensive. Bravo on the record, but let's be honest this does nothing to advance research into alternative fuels and technologies.
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Doug 3:54PM (7/15/2007)
It never ceases to amaze me seeing cars promoting alternative fuels but continuing to be as wasteful, if not worse.
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David Schmetterer 7:18AM (7/16/2007)
Bred at the racetrack, sold in dealerships.
While I'm no huge fan of corn derived ethanol, that's another fight.
Funny cars and dragsters may be ethanol burners already, but a street legal car breaking a record and burning alcohol is a big step for liquid alternative fuels as far as public perception is concerned. Show the world that alternative fuels are viable, and they'll wonder why they are burning petro derived gasoline instead of these new record breaking less polluting blends. If the people want it, the first one of the big oil companies that solves the problems with ethanol (like the fact that its corn derived and is hard to transport) will make lots and lots of money, while simultaneously lowering the co2 emissions of their products.
Enough rant, congrats to the team that broke the record!
Dave
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Darryl 5:41PM (7/15/2007)
I'm not sure what is new about alcohol burning hot rods. Alcohol has been a "funny car" drag racing fuel for as long as I can remember. What does it have to do with anything?
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Joseph 10:46PM (7/15/2007)
Congragulations! Hopefully this car will show people that ethanol is quick, and perahps stir a movement toward environmentally sound ethanol production.
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MikeW 12:25PM (7/16/2007)
Ethanol isn't quick.
Turbochargers and ethanol are quick.
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Jeremy Korzeniewski 1:14PM (7/16/2007)
Good comments on this posting. We always seem to get responses when we feature this car in particular.
Alcohol, as was pointed out, is nothing new. For that matter, neither are battery electric cars. What we are doing with them is what is new and exciting.
I am no fan of corn based ethanol either. I am also not a fan of coal based electricity. But, I am a fan of people proving what can be done with the results.
Ethanol can be considered a performance fuel, even without turbos. All that is really needed is the higher compression ratio's to use the higher octane levels. Turbocharging is an excellent way to do that.
This particular car has had turbocharging and high level computer modifications, actually, computer replacement, which allows it to make more power on ethanol than it could on gasoline.
Jeremy
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