Automakers are racing to create electric vehicles (EVs) with impressive acceleration, but some automakers are realizing that extreme acceleration may not be the end goal for all consumers.
According to Steve Swift, director of vehicle engineering at Polestar, this obsession with brutal acceleration is simply a quirk of the early stages of widespread adoption of EVs. Swift says that while it can be impressive to accelerate as fast as you can make an emergency stop, it can also be disorienting for the driver.
Some automakers, such as Rolls-Royce, have recently launched an EV called the Specter coupe. However, Mihiar Ayoubi, director of engineering at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, explains that Rolls-Royce owners prioritize driving comfort over extreme acceleration. Ayoubi emphasizes that there is a set time in the human body that must be taken into account to achieve optimal comfort. Rolls-Royce has sought to achieve something they call a “glide characteristic,” which is a natural sensation of acceleration that is not too sharp or abrupt. The company has calculated the appropriate delay to cancel out the mass of the car and ensure a smooth and comfortable ride.
Other automakers, such as Volvo, are also taking a more balanced approach. Although they offer dual electric motor versions of their vehicles that can achieve impressive acceleration, they acknowledge that this is more of a publicity stunt and not a practical feature that owners will use frequently.
In the world of motorsport, precise timing is crucial, and lap times and acceleration speeds are measured in fractions of seconds. This level of precision has now carried over to road cars, with many luxury and sports cars featuring sophisticated built-in telemetry systems that allow owners to monitor every aspect of their driving.
Ultimately, automakers are realizing that extreme acceleration is not the end goal for all consumers. Comfort and a smooth driving experience are increasingly important in the design of EVs, seeking a balance between impressive performance and a rewarding driving experience.
Fuentes:
– Steve Swift, director of vehicle engineering at Polestar
– Mihiar Ayoubi, Director of Engineering, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
– Announcement of the Rolls-Royce Specter coupé
– Announcement of the dual electric motor version of the Volvo EX30 SUV
– Mercedes-AMG and Red Bull Formula 1 teams
– Formula 1 drivers Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen
– Valtteri Bottas, former Williams-Mercedes driver in Formula 1
– Brad Binder, MotoGP rider
– Porsche Sport Chrono stopwatch and timer
– Systems on board the Ferrari F8 with telemetry functionality.
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2023-09-18 19:37:07
#balance #acceleration #comfort #electric #vehicles
