Photo: Nissan
Apart from being the first prototype to lap the Circuit de la Sarthe using only electric power, Nissan’s ZEOD RC check-marked another target on the list by reaching 300 km/h without the gasoline engine kicking in.
The 300 km/h (186 mph) speed was hit during yesterday’s qualifying rounds on the Mulsanne straight, having Satoshi Motoyama behind the wheel, who was actually having his first run in the car after missing his turn on Wednesday night due to a gearbox issue.
"I drove ZEOD at Le Mans for the first time and instantly we were able to reach our target to run at more than 300km/h with electric power only," Motoyama said. "I was so surprised with the speed and power of electricity and it felt great. In yesterday’s session we had some trouble with the gearbox in the first session then we had a heap of red flag periods and I didn’t get the chance to get into the car.”
The ZEOD RC is powered by a dual electric/internal combustion engine powertrain, comprising two 110 kW electric motors and a very efficient 1.5-liter three-cylinder turbocharged engine making 400 hp and tipping the scales at only 40 kilos. As the vehicle’s name suggests (Zero Emissions On Demand), the setup allows the driver to switch between the two power sources at any time.
Along with Motoyama, the “Garage 56” entry will also be raced by GT Academy winners Lucas Ordonez and Wolfgang Reip. For those who missed previous reports, the ZEOD RC is also the first prototype to drive without rear-view mirrors at Le Mans.
"I drove ZEOD at Le Mans for the first time and instantly we were able to reach our target to run at more than 300km/h with electric power only," Motoyama said. "I was so surprised with the speed and power of electricity and it felt great. In yesterday’s session we had some trouble with the gearbox in the first session then we had a heap of red flag periods and I didn’t get the chance to get into the car.”
The ZEOD RC is powered by a dual electric/internal combustion engine powertrain, comprising two 110 kW electric motors and a very efficient 1.5-liter three-cylinder turbocharged engine making 400 hp and tipping the scales at only 40 kilos. As the vehicle’s name suggests (Zero Emissions On Demand), the setup allows the driver to switch between the two power sources at any time.
Along with Motoyama, the “Garage 56” entry will also be raced by GT Academy winners Lucas Ordonez and Wolfgang Reip. For those who missed previous reports, the ZEOD RC is also the first prototype to drive without rear-view mirrors at Le Mans.
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