Not too long ago, we brought you news that the company from Woking, England, were testing out their latest ultimate speed machine at the Kennedy Space Centre and had achieved some interesting results.
After completing its high-speed valuation tests, in which the Speedtail hit 403 km/h over 30 times, there was just one question that was left on everyone’s mind. How exactly does the Speedtail reach those kinds of speeds?
As some of you may already know, the Speedtail is powered by combination of two power sources. Firstly, the high-capacity electric motor – derived from Formula E tech – can generate over 230kW. The motor draws power from an “extremely compact, high-power cylindrical cell arranged in a unique array” said the company.
Interestingly, the battery-pack is able to achieve these immense figures “because the cells are thermally controlled by a dielectrical cooling system and is permanently immersed in a lightweight, electrically insulative oil which quickly transfers heat away from the cells. This system, the first of its kind in a production car, is highly efficient and allows the cells to run harder and for longer” said the marque.
Furthermore, the battery pack, for its size, is incredibly power-dense and makes it an awesome pairing for the powertrain’s components. The 1.647kWh pack, which has the power density four times greater than that of the P1’s power storage unit and is also said to have “the best power-to-weight ratio of any high-voltage battery available today.”
The electrified components are then hooked up to the Speedtail’s petrol-fed engine, which is a ripper all on its own. The 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 M840TQ block features tech that has evolved from the McLaren P1. The engine gets a new lightweight air-intake system, improved cylinder head cooling and a revised piston design. This allows the engine alone to put out 557kW.
Combine both motor outputs together and suddenly this McLaren is producing 787kW of power and 1,150Nm of torque. Insane. “This unlocks the Speedtail’s intense acceleration from standstill to 300km/h in a breath-taking 13 seconds and maximum speed of 403km/h.
As previously mentioned, the Surrey-based company will only be building 106 examples of the Speedtail and will set you back a cool £1.75 million or AU$3.41 million, with a very low number destined for Australia.
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