We’re not usually hot on electric cars as they just aren’t really our jam around here, but one that Don Garlits is involved with, required the use of Bad Hadman to build its chassis, and has been deemed legit enough by Big to received a vaunted number in the Swamp Rat line is A-OK in our book. This is a dragster unlike anything Don has been involved with before. If you remember, we showed you video of early test runs being made in this car last year. Well since then the team has been revising things, improving things, and preparing for what they hope will be a historic moment when the man himself is able to hit the voltage pedal and zip this car down a quarter mile drag strip at a speed of more than 200mph. No one has ever done that in an electric vehicle and we sure think it would be fitting for Garlits to be the guy who has his name in the books next to that accomplishment.

Lawless Industries of Ohio is handling the technological and engineering end of this program by developing and installing the power unit into the dragster. There’s 1.5-megawatts of power that will be transmitted through a group of six GE electric motors and that’ll provide the GO for the car. According to the people at Lawless, that’s the equivalent of some 2,000hp which should make 200 look like a grease spot on the way to a far faster elapsed time. Our impression is that this is a direct drive vehicle and that makes the most sense because the sheer violence of turning all this power loose on a transmission would probably result in a pile of busted gear boxes. Special controllers will be used to manage the power so that the car can hook up and make a pass rather than blazing the tires. It did some impressive things in the short squirts we showed last year on video so it should really honk with the new pieces.

Here’s the full release from Lawless, Garlits, and all others involved in the project 

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GARLITS GETS ON THE GRID WITH SR-37 2014 MOTOR INSTALLATION

SR-37, the Quest for 200 MPH on Batteries Dragster, is being configured with its own 1.5 megawatt power grid for 2014.  At the famed Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing in Ocala, FL, a technical team from Lawless Industries (Poland, OH) has outfitted SR-37 with a large battery-powered motor system befitting the largest name in drag racing sport.

Lawless Industries, using six (6) 7.5” series-wound DC motors custom-built by General Electric and donated by Crescent Electric Supply (East Dubuque, IL), carefully modified the motor package for drag strip use in SR-37.  Motors were tuned with a splined shaft for high torque output, internal motor wiring and insulation improved for high load, brush timing advanced to synchronize the 6-pack, and the package rigorously unison-tested prior to assembly into the dragster.  The completed Lawless V-6 electric motor assembly has been final-fitted into the SR-37 digger’s rear engine motor compartment and engaged to the Goethe Enterprises driveline directly behind.  Motor control for Big Daddy is provided by Manzanita Micro “Zilla” controllers. The entire motor package is engineered so that each motor can be driven by over 200 horsepower for a 200 MPH+, 6-second run down the 1/4 mile asphalt strip.

The distinctive side pods of SR-37 will conceal the source of the massive power.  A custom one-off multi-cell Lithium Polymer battery system engineered by Derek Barger/HighTech Systems LLC of Colorado will produce 1500 kilowatts (1.5 megawatts) of instantaneous launch energy for the digger, a total power source of over 2000 HP!  The array is comprised of (4) packs, (2) per side pod, and operates at a peak voltage of 420V.  Total battery power weight is 500 pounds, about the same as a fully dressed Top Fuel engine.  The entire battery array can be fully recharged and ready for the next run in as little as 5 minutes.

The SR-37 Quest for 200 MPH on Batteries BEV Dragster has it all: Big Daddy Don Garlits, 1500 kilowatts, over 2000 horsepower, starting line launch times nearly as quick as a Top Fuel dragster, energy cost per run-about 25 cents.

The team hopes to commence spring testing soon with a build-up to full sub-200 mph 1/4 mile runs.  The summer event schedule for record runs is being developed and will be announced during the test program.

Please stay tuned to our www.facebook.com/questfor200mphonbatteries and www.twitter.com/questfor200 for an announcement soon on our kickstarter.com launch that will allow drag racing and EV enthusiasts around the world to be a part of this exciting BEV technology project.

About the “Quest for 200 MPH on Batteries” Dragster:

The Quest Dragster is designed and constructed to be the first battery-electric dragster to exceed 200 mph on a ¼ mile drag strip.  The goal is to accomplish this speed mark in 2014 with our driver, the legendary “Big Daddy” Don Garlits. 2014 marks the 50^th anniversary of Garlits’ historic first official 200 mph pass in 1964. The dragster will be powered by a 1500 kilowatt array of lithium polymer (LiPo) batteries producing an equivalent horsepower rating of over 2000 HP.  The Quest dragster has already been launch-tested by “Big Daddy” Don Garlits with early versions of the LiPo battery-power packs and electric motor/controller systems.

The Quest for 200 MPH on batteries dragster was built by Brad Hadman, created by Mike Gerry, art direction by Kenny Youngblood, car and logo graphics by Eric Reyes, print graphics by Tommy Naccarato, LiPo batteries by HighTech Systems LLC, and motors by Lawless Industries.

http://www.garlits.com/batteryCar.html