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Article - We've Reached Peak Horsepower. Now What?

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Need4Sleep

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Found an interesting article that talks about the next steps in EVs beyond the horsepower war

Here's the quote that caught my attention:
(for some context, the article calls Featherlight Electric Vehicles as FEV, which are EVs under 1000 kilos)
"[An FEV] needs to be under a ton—1,000 kilos," Tapscott notes. "The future is going to be one for a strategy of lightweighting and miniaturization. That is actually the direction that everything should head in. That's where I think manufacturers are going to win by developing that product—make it smaller, lighter, and more efficient. You could just throw lots of power and batteries at something and make it go very far and very fast, but is that really what people are looking for?"
Click to expand...

This point on lighter weight, miniaturization, and efficiency does point to the same thesis that Lucid has. I'm glad to see both traditional (i.e. Caterham) and new startup (i.e. Longbow) auto companies focus on this direction, which gives me all the more confidence in Lucid's focus on energy and space efficiency.

Also, both the Caterham and the Longbow are seriously gorgeous, I hope they succeed!

Longbow

longbow-speedster-and-roadster.webp


Caterham Project V
caterham-project-v-concept.webp
 
Porsche should've partnered with Lucid on the Boxster EV to share costs, the only way to make a small EV is a tiny powerful efficient motor with not a lot of battery....The Formula E cars have shown also that a battery chemistry with crazy ability to charge and regen can help use the battery better....The last part is some additional engagement that you get from an ICE cars sound and transmission shifting.
 
illopp00 said:
Porsche should've partnered with Lucid on the Boxster EV to share costs, the only way to make a small EV is a tiny powerful efficient motor with not a lot of battery....The Formula E cars have shown also that a battery chemistry with crazy ability to charge and regen can help use the battery better....The last part is some additional engagement that you get from an ICE cars sound and transmission shifting.
Click to expand...
Yeah, imagine a boxster with a sapphire-style dual motor in the rear and combine that with Porsche's chassis magic. That would be the new gold-standard on handling!
 
Need4Sleep said:
Found an interesting article that talks about the next steps in EVs beyond the horsepower war

Here's the quote that caught my attention:
(for some context, the article calls Featherlight Electric Vehicles as FEV, which are EVs under 1000 kilos)


This point on lighter weight, miniaturization, and efficiency does point to the same thesis that Lucid has. I'm glad to see both traditional (i.e. Caterham) and new startup (i.e. Longbow) auto companies focus on this direction, which gives me all the more confidence in Lucid's focus on energy and space efficiency.

Also, both the Caterham and the Longbow are seriously gorgeous, I hope they succeed!

Longbow

View attachment 38027

Caterham Project V
View attachment 38028
Click to expand...
Yeah I think these are more than I’d like to spend today
 
That's chonkin massive for a Caterham.

Adding lightness and miniaturization is good and all, but it's also impossible at any reasonable price point due to US federal safety standards introduced in the 2000s. That's why we have A-pillars the size of tree trunks and door frames that go up to our necks now. But people still want to go fast in these 2+ ton monsters so manufacturers add power, which adds even more weight and size.
 
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