Dr. Hiroshi Shimizu of Tokyo's Keio University has been working on his Eliica eight-wheeled electric car since 2003, but the Japanese government's interest in fuel-efficient vehicles has rekindled his efforts, and he's currently, um... on a roll. The current Eliicas, of which there are currently two, run on lithium-ion batteries and each wheel is driven by a 60 kilowatt engine. The auto's got a top speed of 230 miles per hour, and Shimizu's group of engineering students eventually hope to reach 250 miles per hour with new models. The team is currently trying to raise a bunch of money to build 200 of these, which cost somewhere in the realm of $255,000 each. We wish them luck in their endeavors, but can't imagine Syd Mead's going to be pleased there's another futuristic-hearse designer entering the market.
[Via
AutoblogGreen]
posted Dec 30th 2008 6:41AM
how much more for the fuzzy dice?
I saw a feature about this car on the Discovery Channel a few years back. Very cool, even if the styling is a bit... well, odd.
8 wheels? Really? They should've put 6 in the back and 2 in the front, would look better imo..
why 8?? aren't 4 wheels enough for an electric car?
I guess it's because there is a motor for each wheel. 8 smaller motors must be better than 4 larger motors for that car.
Eight wheels provide better handling. In the past, eight wheeled race cars were used from time to time and found to have performance advantages over four wheeled designs but such designs compromised speed by inducing more rolling resistance.
Eight wheels for an electric car might make a bit more sense than it does with gasoline, this is because each wheel can have a motor mounted in it, for even greater traction and acceleration when compared to a four wheel design.
@john doe
the answer is no it is not enough
Since they have the motor inside the wheel, which means more unsprung weight, it's better to divide it up across more wheels for a smoother and better handling ride. There is also more traction when accelerating and braking, which is a nice feature in a big, 230mph car.
I just threw up a little in my mouth.
Yeah? Well, I just threw up a little in my nose!
As usual with these next gen type vehicles that are all electric or hybrid it looks like Exxon was in complete charge of the design and they are quite happy with the design. Even though you are not, believe me.
Here's the Covini C6 to wash it all down: http://www.arabaruyasi.com/data/media/121/covini-c6-wheels-2006-1.jpg
Paint it pink and it wouldn't look out of place in a Thunderbirds episode.
I was just thinking the same thing, and trying to remember the name of the chick and her butler.
Lady Penelope, her butler/driver Parker and their pink Rolls-Royce (license #: FAB 1). Why I remember this is beyond me...
Meanwhile, I see more than a hint of the Citroen DS in the roofline and aft end of the thing.
Paint it pink AND slap some Hello Kitty pictures on it and you might actually find some takers.
Damn - was hoping nobody else was gonna think that!!!
Lady Penelope was HOT!
Or paint it yellow and it looks like a stretched Johny Cab. Just missing the spinning robot driver, I wonder what Asimo is up too?
2 words:
lol wut
Neither = Words.
Obviously!
@Kris120890
Your equation makes no sense.
lol ≠ word
wut ≠ word
∴ (lol+wut) ∄ as a construction of (two words)
Hey Derry, your name is stupid.
Hey B - why dont you tell us your name.
Ahh why would I want to go 250 MPH, or is engadget just being stupid and 250 is the actually the range they hope to achieve?? (might want to fix that)
Agree. Other than a few highways in the west where the hell could you go 250MPH for any sustained period?
if you check the read link it appears there going for a land speed record as well
I'm no physics major, but isn't the usual goal to DECREASE weight and resistance? I'm sure they have a reason that 8 wheels benefits this design, anyone know what that could possibly be?
My guess:
Put simply, better traction. Greater contact with the pavement enables you to more effectively apply power to the road. That would be particularly important because electric motors have incredible torque from 0 RPM up. And think about the drive layout of this beastie--eight wheels, each applying 80 hp to the asphalt, adds up to 640 hp in all! Try directing 640 hp and the torque that comes along with it through just two drive wheels, and you have all sorts of problems to deal with! (Although, on the plus side, it makes for great "donuts.")
I think he's referring to the going wisdom that reducing rolling friction will increase efficiency, and range of the batteries
Who wants 640 horsepower if it can be used for 5 minutes at a time? As for the 100% torque from 0RPM, that's why they make rheostats.
There is another car with 2 wheels up front [the name escapes me, but the design is much sexier] and there are a number of advantages to having 2 sets of wheels up front from what I can remember.
1. Little chance of hydroplaning as the front wheels push water out of the way,
2. Shortened braking distance as you've got twice the amount of rubber and stopping power
3. I believe you would also have a tighter turning radius at higher speed due to the ability of the wheels to sustain more lateral g's
8 wheels and a body that looks like crap, all that for $255,000! damn! I wouldn't buy it for $255 it's so damn fugly.
You are fuzio 'the professional' and I claim my £5
thats exactly my next car!
8 wheels?
why 8 wheels?
They probably have the engine given, which fits into the wheel. So if you need more power you need more engines. Still this is so stupid, anyone who is looking for such a car will never want to go 250 mph. Make one prototype for the speed-record and use the technology for normal four-wheel cars. I really don't get the idea behind this...
well, this ruined my morning.
Is it really that easy?
If it can do 230, why is there an emphasis on doing 250?
Man that's an ugly bitch!
You guys nuts, you dont see the beauty in that bitch, 8 wheels goddess! and bravo for the classic weird design!
This is the golden age!
Homer wants his car nack
he also wants you to spell 'back' right
If it goes 230 MPH and is electric, I'll take one regardless of looks.
Cars are not a status symbols.
At $255,000 each, I would consider it a status symbols.
when I first saw that I thought it said Celica and said "yep, Toyota WOULD do something like that".
I'm a Master Toyota Technician, and all I have to say is, Do you work for us?... 'cause that sure sounds like something ToYo would do. Stop letting out all the secrets!
Thunderbirds are GO!
Was I the only one first read 'Team hopes to build two hundred and eight wheeled...car......' ?
It looks like a Citroen DS21 in the back. I like it. Gimme.
YEAH The first thing that I thought when I saw this pic was Citroen! My dad had that car when I was a kid. It had hydraulics to lower the body to reduce drag at autobahn speeds. (guess where we lived?) Shoot, I'd buy it and get my PMPDDY tag for the back. 250? The cops would NEVER catch me... lol!
Citroen never intended your Dads car to go Autobahn speeds. Im afraid all that hydraulics system was used for was dropping down to let the occupants enter/exit.
The system failed quite often, and perhaps you're remembering your Dad trying, to reach Autobahn speeds in a Citroen, when the hydraulics failed and the car bottomed out? Seems much more likely.
Who knew that Citroen would be so ahead of the times with the DS.
Needs more wheels.
What’s ugly as can be, has 8 wheels, and goes from zero to sixty miles per hour in 4.2 seconds with 0.8 G's of acceleration, and weighs in at over 5000 pounds?
It’s Eliica, the $260,000 electric-powered vehicle built by the Keio University in Tokyo. Eliica has been around for a while, but it’s state-of-the-art as it uses nothing but Li-Ion batteries for power and can achieve a top speed of 230mph with a range of 185 miles (obviously not at top speed). In 2004, the Eliica reached a speed of 370 km/h (230 mph) on Italy's Nardò High Speed Track. The team's goal is to exceed 400 km/h (250 mph), breaking the record set by today's street-legal gasoline-powered vehicles. (enzo, McF1) For a bit of flair, Eliica even sports gull wing doors.
Obviously a case of excess in every way, but it’s interesting to see what can be done with a little know-how and a lot of money.
As for the amount of wheels that people have seemed to fixate on... The Eliica is 22 feet long, intended to carry a driver and 3 occupants in EXTREME luxury, and EXTREME speed. The car has eight wheels enabling it to be closer to the ground for better traction.
Each of the wheels has a 60 kW (80 hp) electric motor, giving a 480 kW (640 hp) eight wheel drive which can tackle all kinds of road surfaces. The four front wheels steer. The electric motors mean that the Eliica can deliver a smooth acceleration free from gear shifts. Each wheel contains a disc brake and employs a regenerative brake system to recover energy.
I dig the bow to Citroen. It looks kind of dramatic and 60s SciFi retro, gull-wings and all. Like it.
looks like something from a dr. seuss book
I saw this on discovery, the 8 wheels are used because each wheel has its own motor. providing incredible speed and acceleration for an electric car.
Affordable AND attractive.
Cyber Formula des ga ?
CostCo should offer us "8 tires sales" from now on..
I don't get it. Like the auto industry isn't screwed enough. Shouldn't someone focus on a practical car?
Sure, it's cool to beat a record and get on the books. But why 200 record breaking cars? Wouldn't a more impressive title be:
"Team builds 1 electric car with top speed of 100MPH that costs $8000"
Thank you, I'll take 2.
I didn't buy one because it would only reach 230 mph, but now that it does 250, I absolutely need one.
At 250 mph is a windshield wiper really necessary?
I linked to this post on my blog here: http://www.alman.tk/
Yet *another* completely unaffordable electric car, making the entire point of an electric car moot (to save money).
man that looks like a roach on 8 wheels
ugly bug
lol
they had to be on drugs to design this thing and even more to show it to the world
sponsored by Yokohama
Good documentary about the Eliica (narrated by Troy McClure!):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J95Lh3NnL4A&feature=related
It's f*cking awesome!
f*cking awesome indeed!
8 wheels? Too much unsprung weight.
Electric are not "engines"... They are MOTORS.
8 wheels/motors necessary for the given power level/acceleration/speed? Horsepuckey. TF dragsters put 8,000+ HP to the ground through only 2 wheels (extreme example). More realistic comparison: The Lightning GT has an estimated 700+ HP, put to the ground through only 4 wheels, and most assuredly better handling due to less overall mass.
It's an expensive toy, and nothing more.
Justice is supposed to be blind, not the truth.
Looks like the old Tatra 77 sedan from the 1930s... after a trip to Chernobyl. Appreciate the technology beneath, but the looks are... unsettling.
Are they re-making National Lampoons Vacation?
I'm another citroen lover who appreciates the aesthetic. The DS was the most advanced, coolest car ever. It could only have been designed by the French. Unfortunately, it was only manufactured by them as well. If the Germans or Japanese had built it, they might still be around.
A poorly written article to cover a poorly designed car. Honestly, this would get a D in any middle school english class. I hope you didn't quit your day job.
-C13
He's using verbs with the wrong nouns. Losing track of the subjects is bad! >:O
All I need are four wheels that can turn 90 degrees for easy parallel parking.
Its the Thrillermobile!
COOL! Would u IMAGINE THAT! 8 wheels on 1 car!It's luxurious!I wonder if there's a pink version of it :*
We need cars with tank treads.
Hmm, futurist Syd Mead, with his "Syd Mead Futurist Official Website 2007." as seen from a google search.... Something's wrong here...
From an aesthetics point of view, it has pretty sweet lines. I dig the old school Citroen/Saab style backend where you would swear the rear bumber was dragging the ground. My favorite part is the ghost peeking out the rear door window. Spooky!!
it's gonna be hella expensive on the toll road which counts axises...
The point of Dr. Hiroshi Shimizu and his team creating such a car was to prove that electric-powered cars can go just as fast as a gasoline-powered and what not.
Referring back to someone's post... 6 wheels in the back and 2 in the front wouldn't be as balanced considering most likely when trying to turn at high speeds, you would easily spin out.
and as previously stated - 8 wheels provides better handling and also that they mount an engine onto each of the wheels allowing for greater acceleration and what not.
It can do 230 mph... bollocks it can!
until there is video footage of it doing it as far as I am concerned it is a speculation that it "should be cabable of"
8 smaller wheels vs 4 larger/wider ones allows for greater traction, power with motor in hub, and its more aerodynamic due to reduced wheel height and tire width.
This is a great zero-emission car (chargeing with renewable energy of course). See these nice movies:
http://www.stichtingmilieunet.nl/andersbekekenblog/?p=6119
I believe there are many more issues to be solved before starting to commercialize the electric car..not so soon..