uCar, the Portuguese electric vehicle, goes for a spin
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Calming guitar music. What could be a better soundtrack for a tiny electric vehicle cruising the streets of Portugal? Apparently nothing, since that's what the promoters of the uCar Electric Vehicle have used in a new video posted to YouTube. This diminutive EV uses four lead acid batteries (48V, 105Ah) and two 2.2kW low voltage induction motors to reach a top speed of 50 km/h (31 mph). The uCar was designed at the FEUP (a university in Portugal) and has a 40-km (25-mile) range. The uCar is an evolved version of the three-wheeled VEP electric vehicle that had only one motor. Both are just student prototypes, but the school is open to hearing from industrial partners. Check out the video after the jump. Thanks to Ricardo C. for the tip!
[Source: YouTube]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
jpm 12:23PM (1/26/2009)
No way, I'd rather commute in my SUV.
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jeffzekas 1:34PM (1/26/2009)
Wow, I'm thinking: "Go out a buy a used Ford Festiva, pull the engine, and convert to electric"... Awesome! Why didn't Ford think of this? I mean, thousands of folks build electric cars in their back yards, but the Big Three "can't" do it?!!
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wave54 2:39PM (1/27/2009)
Oh, not again! When people buy a car from the "Big 3", they expect near-perfection in design and execution of thousands of individual components as well as reliability over the long haul. Any car that can't pass a bare minimum of 150,000 miles without major repairs is unacceptable nowadays.
Yes, many home-brewed EVs have been featured on these pages. Every one has serious compromises and none will have the performance, reliability or endurance of a car from a major manufacturer.
Do you really want a low-speed, crudely constructed EV from Ford, GM or Chrysler that craps out after a few thousand miles and spends the rest of its days in a garage awaiting a restoration? I sure don't.