Prius Street Race

Oh god, great video!! I had no idea that some of you guys actually race your Prii. That's cool. What class do you guys run them in? Are they actually competitive (video indicates they are)? Or do you guys just street race against random people?

I raced mine against my co-worker's turbo Talon (somewhere over 200hp at the time). I had the lead until he realised what I was doing and then his turbo spooled up.....LOL. It was good for a laugh afterwards, though.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(240sxer @ Oct 4 2007, 01:09 AM) [snapback]521038[/snapback]</div>

That's a bit bizarre. The 01 Civic is listed at 8.4 seconds 0-60, Prius at 10. So I guess his Civic must not have been in top shape or he didn't know how to drive it.

If you really want to "smoke" somebody, race the Prius with a Civic Hybrid. That car is notoriously slow. Possibly the worst car (at least when it comes to acceleration) I've ever tested.

 

I know what he meant by "wait till the CVT kicks in" but I still think it's funny!

The Bayeuax Tapestry VTec picture is hilarious!!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(240sxer @ Oct 5 2007, 10:49 PM) [snapback]522054[/snapback]</div>

It was all good natured ribbing. I try to be diplomatic. I do not hate. I leave it to the Good Lord or the Gods of Ecology or the Laws of Petroeconomics to deal with these folk, in this life or the next, if any.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(240sxer @ Oct 4 2007, 08:16 PM) [snapback]521433[/snapback]</div>

i was referring to posts 10 and 11, sorry

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(impulsenine @ Oct 4 2007, 01:41 AM) [snapback]521057[/snapback]</div>

Lose weight is about the only thing you can do to make the car faster.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(240sxer @ Oct 8 2007, 05:22 PM) [snapback]522868[/snapback]</div>

How about this modification to the premise: lose weight to make the car faster while keeping the fuel efficiency. Might even gain on two fronts: make the car faster and increase fuel efficiency.

 

It should be possible to add another battery pack to "fill in" the lack of some ICE power at low speed. Since one pack provides 28 hp, with two packs, you'll have 56 hp from the battery. Only 11 hp will be needed from the ICE since MG2 is 67 hp. Adding a second HV pack will boost performance.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(usbseawolf2000 @ Oct 8 2007, 10:32 PM) [snapback]522923[/snapback]</div>

So it would be true that you could do more for the Prius by focusing speed intentions on the electric versus the gas?

Just for theory's sake ... what of someone finding a way to replace the Prius main MG with the one used in the Lexus GS450h? I believe that MG is rated at nearly 200 bhp.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(usbseawolf2000 @ Oct 8 2007, 07:32 PM) [snapback]522923[/snapback]</div>

Can the HV motor handle the extra voltage (long term) with no damage? I have been thinking that the purpose/utility of a second battery pack would be to extend the period the car can run without the ICE, as opposed to increasing the acceleration of the car.

 

You just need to start down this path:

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Featu...rticleId=104545

I figure, once I have the phev conversion done, and mpgs are up to 100+ then I can give it all back for acceleration B) Kidding, though its a thought.....

To maximize your launch, I would make sure your battery is at full charge. As I recall you can put it in drive, then stand on the brake and hit the gas to make the battery charge up. When its full green, you should get it to dump more power to the electric motor and give you some low end kick. The electric motor is rated for 295 ft lbs of torque up to 1200 rpm, its just a matter of getting the car to use it. A light weight plug in pack could help with this, as you could keep charge higher, longer convincing the HV controller to keep dumping battery power to the motor. The goal would be to give it just enough battery to keep the SOC pulled high for the duration of the 1/4 run. Any more is dead weight your haulin.

If you haven't see it, you should definitely check out White Zombie, the 11.5 1/4 full electric Datsun 1200!
http://www.plasmaboyracing.com/whitezombie.php (nominal 12.15 version)
http://www.plasmaboyracing.com/reviews.php#2007s (special 11.5 Li-ion version)

And of course, there is always Killacycle, the <8.2s / >155mph 1/4 electric drag bike:
http://www.killacycle.com/

rob

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(RinMI @ Oct 9 2007, 10:11 AM) [snapback]523090[/snapback]</div>

The gas engine is tuned for Atkinson cycle run at max 5,000 RPM. The parts are made to be lighter and converting it to run in Otto cycle at higher RPM is not a reliable solution.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(RinMI @ Oct 9 2007, 10:11 AM) [snapback]523090[/snapback]</div>

450h has a second planetary gearset (PSD). The speed reduction unit (SRU) multiplies torque of MG2. This allowed GS450h's MG2 to tune toward power rather than torque. This is true for Camry Hybrid too. Prius MG2 (295 lbs-ft) make more torque than TCH (199 lbs-ft) MG2. However TCH MG2 can make more power by simply spinning faster, max at 10k rpm compare to Prius 6k(?). I am saying 450h MG2 and Prius MG2 are tuned differently so you may not be able to just "swap" them.

 

hill-arious! :lol: I had to favorite this one.