Westfield readying lightweight electric racer

Westfield is building an electric sports car to compete in the forthcoming EV Cup.

With a targeted weight of just 600kg, the iRACER uses two electric motors to deliver around 160bhp to the rear wheels. This should result in 0-60mph in less than 5 seconds and a limited top speed of 110mph.

The motors are powered by 170kg worth of Lithium Phosphate batteries. Westfield claim that by storing half of this weight under the iRACER's floor they have succeeded in engineering the kind of low centre of gravity that the will need to turn its 737lb ft torque into usable performance on the track.

The other advantage of this design is its apparent flexibility. Additional batteries can be positioned towards the front of the vehicle to extend the iRACER's range and allow Westfield to adapt the car's setup for different circuits on the EV Cup calendar.

The exclusively electric race series is due to begin in 2011. The iRACER has been pencilled in to the Sports EV class, which could see it go head to head with the LCC Lightning and the Ginetta G50.

The iRACER was styled by RCA graduate, Ellis Hawkins, and is the result of a working partnership between Westfield, Potenza Technology, RDM Automotive, Delta Motorsport and Coventry University. The project received funding from the West Midlands Regional Development Agency.