Drive eO is an engineering company which operates from Latvia and specializes in development of electric and hybrid electric prototype vehicles for demanding applications. It was founded in 2011[1] to create the first ever hybrid electric rally car OSCar eO for the 2012 Dakar Rally.[2] Driven by Māris Saukāns and Andris Dambis, it successfully completed the rally.[3]
The company went on to develop a number of electric racing cars for participation at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. In 2015, the one-megawatt eO PP03 race car driven by Rhys Millen set a new EV record[4] and became the first ever all-electric vehicle to win the event overall.[5]
OSCar eO
The car is based on the platform of all wheel drive OSCar O3 rally raid car manufactured by OSC. It features a series hybrid drivetrain. Drive eO gives the following vehicle specification:[6]
OSCar eO has participated in three international rally raids:
eO PP01
The car features an all wheel drive electric drivetrain with one inboard mounted direct drive motor per wheel. It is based on a tubular spaceframe chassis with bodywork derived from Aquila CR1 racing car. Drive eO gives the following vehicle specification:[7]
The car was driven at the 2013 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb by Latvian and Baltic touring car champion Jānis Horeliks.[8] The adverse weather conditions had made the track surface slippery and he went off-road after losing grip in a left hand corner at the Halfway Picnic Grounds.[9] A documentary called "Uzvaras cena" has been produced about the project and was first aired in September 2013 on LTV7 during motoring programme "Tavs auto".[10]
eO PP02
Drive eO returned to the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in 2014 with a race car based on a Tesla Roadster chassis. This was the first time that Tesla brand was represented at a major international motorsport event. The original chassis was retained but the entire drive train was replaced by Drive eO to validate the new components ahead of scaling them up for successive electric supercar projects.[11] The car was again piloted by Janis Horeliks and he completed the course in 12 minutes and 57.536 seconds to rank fifth in the Electric Modified division.[12]
Drive eO gives the following vehicle specification:[13]
eO PP03
As the next step, Drive eO developed an entirely new vehicle eO PP03 for the 93rd running of Pikes Peak International Hill Climb on June 28, 2015. The vehicle featured a one-megawatt electric drive train and all-wheel drive transmission. The team signed Rhys Millen to drive the car and was aiming for overall victory. [14] [15] [16]
On the race day Rhys Millen completed the course in 9 minutes and 7.222 seconds, setting a new EV record and becoming the overall winner.[17][18]
eO PP100
In 2016, the car had Peak power 1190 kW and peak torque 2520 Nm, with a weight of 1200 kg. Millen set a record of 8:57.118.
External links
References
- eO, Sabiedrība ar ierobežotu atbildību, 40103435150 - par uzņēmumu lursoft.lv, retrieved 22 March 2014^
- Latvian team aims to be first to contest Dakar rally with EV [w/video] - Autoblog autoblog.com, retrieved 2014-03-22^
- articles/first-electric-vehicle-to-finish-the-dakar-rally-00004145 electricvehiclesresearch.com, retrieved 2014-03-22^
- Rhys Millen breaks Pikes Peak EV record in Latvian eO PP03 autoweek.com, retrieved 2016-03-10^
- Electric power lights up Pikes Peak gizmag.com, retrieved 2016-03-10^
- Electric OSCar eO Off-road Rally Car — Drive eO driveeo.com, retrieved 2014-03-22^
- Electric eO PP01 Supercar for Pikes Peak Hill Climb — Drive eO driveeo.com, retrieved 2014-03-22^
- Jānis Horeliks - JH-Motorsport jh-motorsport.lv, retrieved 2014-03-22^
- Pikes Peak electric race car crash autonet.ca, retrieved 2014-03-22^
- TVNET :: Motoru sports - "Tavs auto" dokumentālais stāsts par Pikes Peak sacīkstēm tvnet.lv, retrieved 2014-03-22^
- Drive eO Tesla Roadster is going to race up Pikes Peak [w/video] autoblog.com, retrieved 2016-03-10^
- Pikes Peak International Hill Climb almost saw an EV winning - ElectricAutosport.com electricautosport.com, retrieved 2016-03-10^
- eO PP02 is our electric drive train research & development platform based on Tesla Roadster chassis — Drive eO driveeo.com, retrieved 2014-03-22^
- Megawatt electric race car chases prestigious motorsport title engadget.com, retrieved 2014-03-22^
- Rhys Millen returns to Pikes Peak driving a Latvian electric car autoblog.com, retrieved 2014-03-22^
- Electric eO PP03 for Pikes Peak International Hill Climb 2015 – Drive eO driveeo.com, retrieved 2014-03-22^
- PPIHC 2015 Overall Results PPIHC, retrieved 10 March 2016^
- PPIHC 2015 Records PPIHC, retrieved 10 March 2016^