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ZEM's to compete in first ever TTX Grand Prix
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Next month, the Isle of Man hosts the world's first zero carbon clean emission Superbike race. Known as the TTXGP, the event is part motorbike race, part showcase for next-generation motorsports.
According to race organizers, "TTXGP is helping bridge the perception of alternative forms of transport to the mass market whilst driving forward innovation and technology to meet demand for non polluting, clean motoring. Competition is a highly effective test bed for new automotive technologies and stimulates the market. TTXGP facilitates potential solutions to the challenge and drives forward innovation."
Held June 12th, 2009, the event pits 24 eco-bike teams from America, India, Italy, Germany and Austria competing in the first Grand Prix of it's type in the world around a 38 mile mountainous course on the Irish-sea island, harnessing the power of clean energy consumption to produce a major, international sporting event.
All entrants have built unique prototypes with redefined power trains, ergonomics and energy storage systems. At London's Kingston University, 6 final-year engineering students have designed a bike that can reach speeds of 102mph and runs from a custom-built, 72-volt battery that can be charged from a standard outlet.
Team member Alex Jones-Dellaportas, says they focused on making the bike faster and lighter using mostly recycled materials that has no internal combustion engine, no exhaust system and no fuel tank.
Course Director for motorsport and motorcycle engineering Mr. Paul Brandon notes, “Being green doesn’t have to mean slow. There are too many skeptics when it comes to electric vehicles but we all need to reduce our CO2 output and this initiative is taking a huge leap in that direction. The ideas we and others put to the test on the racing circuit are the ones most likely to become commonplace on the road.”
According to Mr. Brandon, “The energy density of batteries is far less than that of petrol or diesel so how we manage the energy we carry is critical to our success in the race. The bike we have designed has a whole vehicle efficiency of 90 per cent, so we are only wasting 10 per cent of what we carry. By comparison a petrol-based vehicle wastes 70 per cent of the energy it carries.”
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