| The internals of an electric version are shown here. 24 Optima batteries would provide 296 volts with 870 amps. The Kostov motor is rated for 30 HP continuous but can provide more than 200 HP for short periods. The car would be able to do about 80 mph with 24 batteries. Acceleration from 0 to 60 would take about 7 seconds. | |
EV Version
No transmission is needed, for an EV version, because the motor has enough torque for quick acceleration and enough RPM to reach 80 mph. The differential would provide a 4 to 1 gear reduction. The Optima batteries are mounted on their ends. This sealed battery can be mounted on its end or side. An absorbent glass mat battery, such as the Optima, will have much less leakage, if the case is fractured, than a flooded type battery.
Plug-In Hybrid Version
A plug in hybrid version would have a 60 HP motorcycle engine, 16 T-105 batteries and a 20 HP DC motor. The engine would sit where the large DC motor is shown now. The engine would be taller and extend up into the cabin by about a foot. This would require a hump inside the cabin, between the left and right adult seats. This hump or tunnel, would be a foot wide, a foot tall and extend five feet, the length of the cabin. This would provide room for auxiliary equipment. The DC motor would be beside the engine and below the cabin floor.
| Each forward battery tray holds 8 batteries. Battery trays can be pulled out for maintenance or quick exchange |  |
Stability in a Sharp Turn
A tall vehicle with narrow wheel spacing has the potential to roll during a sharp turn. The SRC design should not roll because of a low center of gravity. It would skid instead of rolling.
If it were electric, the 24 batteries would be close to the ground. This would keep the center of gravity (CG) low. The CG would be about 20 inches above the ground and about 26 inches from the flip line. If the vehicle rolled over in a turn it would roll about a flip line defined by the points of contact between ground and front and rear wheels. While the front wheels are only 46 inches apart the rear wheels are 72 inches apart. The average wheel spacing is (72+46)/2= 59. Half of this average is 29.5. Since the CG is closer to the front wheels, the distance to the flip line is less than the average, more like 26 inches. The coefficient of friction between dry concrete and rubber is 1.0. So if the G force of the turn exceeds 1 the car will skid. In a sharp turn the SRC would skid before it rolled because the CG height, 20 inches, is less than the distance to the flip line, 26 inches.
| The front wheel lower control arm is shown in orange. This lower control arm has three beams attached to one shaft. One beam lifts the lower end of a spring and shock assembly. The other two beams connect to the front wheel steering knuckle ball joint. This orange control arm shaft is not connected to the grey shaft. A grey shaft runs from the motor to a differential between the front wheels. |  |
| The 6 foot long front end , or nose, contains a collision
cushion. Airbags and seatbelts would also protect the occupants.
The nose or tail would have a compartment for groceries and luggage.
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The cushion mounted in the nose is made of aluminum sheet, tube and foam. This "cushion" would start deforming at 50,000 pounds or 20gs for a car weighing 2500 pounds. The V beams bend and flatten to absorb energy. Stabilized aluminum foam forms the core of each beam.
The design goal would be to absorb 500,000 foot-pounds of collision energy.
The cushion would enable a 2400 lb SRC survive a head on collision with an 8400 lb SUV. Collision calculations show how.