…but, it never got a run at it.
Tag: land speed record
207mph on a Bicycle!
Woo-Hoo!
[Once again, this isn’t recent; but, it’s the first time I’ve seen the video. Enjoyable watching someone else’s insanity.]
Buckeye Bullet sets electric-powered land speed world record
With more and more students and universities getting into the fight for establishing a new land speed record for battery electric powered vehicles, we are likely to receive more and more news like this one here.
For now however, a team of students from the Ohio State University leads this race, after their battery electric vehicle smashed the records on the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah.
The streamliner in question is called Buckeye Bullet and it managed to run at averages speeds of 495 km/h (307 mph), way faster than the previous record of 395 km/h (245 mph) set in 1990s by Pat Rummerfield in his White Lightning.
Although not yet certified by the International Automobile Federation, such an outcome is expected over the next few weeks. Pat Rummerfield already admitted his record has been broken and congratulated the team…
Buckeye Bullet is powered by a 600-kilowatt lithium-ion battery pack sourced from A123 Systems. The battery packs contains 1600 compact lithium-ion batteries just like the ones used in laptops.
They’re already preparing to break their own record. I expect they will.
I admit the possibility of getting an electric vehicle into the family gets more tempting every week. They get more affordable and my wife’s daily commute fits ideally into even minimal requirements for such a car. And she doesn’t need to go 300 mph.
Disclaimer: I own enough shares in A123 to power my iPad.
Lawnmower breaks land speed record – for lawnmowers
Daylife/AP Photo used by permission
A British lawnmower has cut the world land speed record by reaching a new top speed of more than 86mph.
Rider Don Wales took the petrol driven mower into the record books at Pendine Sands, in west Wales.
The previous lawnmower land speed record was 80.792mph (130.022km/h) set in America – Mr Wales was recorded as reaching 86.069mph.
His team are now due to return to the same spot on Sunday in a bid to break the 100mph barrier…
Any of the motorised grass cutters taking part must also be built primarily from lawnmower parts…
American Bob Cleveland set the previous land speed record on a lawn-mower at Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah, and was present at Saturday’s run in Wales.
Bravo!
Brits set new land speed record for steam car
A team of British engineers has broken the longest-standing world land speed record in California.
The steam car, Inspiration, recorded an average speed of 139.843mph (225.06km/h) at Edwards air base, in the Mojave Desert, smashing the 1906 record. American Fred Marriot held the record set in 1906 of 127mph (204km/h).
The 25-foot-long, three-tonne “kettle” was driven by its main financier Charles Burnett III from Lymington, Hampshire.
Speaking from California, Mr Burnett said: “I wouldn’t like to leave it this close again, it was the last but one day we had to do this.
“It was absolutely fantastic I enjoyed every moment of it. The car really did handle beautifully.
“It is a privilege to be involved with such a talented crew, what we have achieved today is a true testament to British engineering, good teamwork and perseverance.”
We covered this well back in development days. As a lifetime gearhead, it’s a delight to be able to post this.
Eideard 