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Here Are the Secrets Behind McLaren Speedtail’s Epic 1,035-HP Hybrid Powertrain

The Speedtail is the fastest car ever created by the British manufacturer, reaching 250 mph (403 kph) more than 30 times before entering production. At its heart stands an innovative hybrid powertrain that traces its roots to motorsport, just like McLaren itself.
McLaren Speedtail 10 photos
Photo: McLaren Automotive Limited
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Part of the carmaker’s Ultimate Series, which also included the F1, P1, and Senna, the Speedtail was released a year ago, offering those who could afford the $2.1 million price tag the chance to own one of the most important pieces of modern automotive art.

It successfully combines a daring, futuristic design with cutting edge aerodynamics and the industry’s latest technological developments, and tops it all off by being overwhelmingly fast, thanks to the groundbreaking 1,035 hp (772 kW; 1,050 PS) hybrid powertrain.

Mounted behind the driver, which sits in a central position, is a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8, an enlarged version of the M838T unit, which was initially used by the MP4-12C.

It features a redesigned, ultra-lightweight air-intake system, improved cylinder head cooling, and an enhanced piston design that helps the unit generate 747 hp (557 kW) of pure petrol power.

McLaren Speedtail
Photo: McLaren Automotive Limited
Considering that the Speedtail weighs 3,153 lbs (1,430 kg), the V8 alone would be enough to make the car reasonably fast.

But McLaren went a few steps further, adding the most powerful permanent magnet motor ever used on a production car. Developed using Formula E technology, the 230 kW (310 hp) unit alone generates more power than the engine of the new Subaru BRZ.

Its addition boosts the overall power all the way up to 1,035 hp (772 kW), making it the fastest car to ever come off the British manufacturer’s production line.

From a standstill, the Speedtail can accelerate to 186 mph (300 kph) in just 13 seconds on the way to a maximum speed of 250 mph (403 kph), which it managed to reach more than 30 times during speed testing conducted on the shuttle runway of the Kennedy Space Center.

McLaren Speedtail
Photo: McLaren Automotive Limited
Achieving such astonishing figures could not be possible without a state-of-the-art management system, so engineers from McLaren Applied Technologies (the division that directs virtual product development, telemetry analysis, and electrification), worked closely with the Speedtail’s development team to integrate the pioneering inverter and DC/DC converter technology derived from race cars.

However, the most innovative feature of the hybrid powertrain is the high voltage energy storage system. The 1.647-kWh unit sets a new benchmark in battery technology, delivering the best power-to-weight ratio of any high voltage battery available today despite its extremely compact size.

Optimum thermal management of the battery is possible by using a highly efficient dielectrical cooling system, the first of its kind in a production road car.

McLaren Speedtail
Photo: McLaren Automotive Limited
The cells are permanently submerged in a lightweight, electrically insulative oil, which quickly dissipates heat, allowing them to run at maximum power for longer.

To recharge the battery, there is no need to visit a charging station as the car constantly recuperates energy during coasting or braking. A wireless pad that trickle-charges and maintains the battery's level when the vehicle is not being used comes as standard.

The Speedtail is without a doubt one of the most groundbreaking cars ever created. Its powerful, highly efficient hybrid powertrain will be the cornerstone of future Ultimate Series models solidifying McLaren’s position as a leading innovator of the automotive industry.
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About the author: Vlad Radu
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Vlad's first car was custom coach built: an exotic he made out of wood, cardboard and a borrowed steering wheel at the age of five. Combining his previous experience in writing and car dealership years, his articles focus in depth on special cars of past and present times.
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