EV Platform Achieves 0-100km/h in Under 2 secs and 400kmh

Much of our previous automotive innovation comes from the world of Formula 1. Williams is one of the foremost Formula 1 teams and has been at a leader in automotive technology for many years. That experience makes any announcement on new products interesting by itself. If the news is of an high-performance electric vehicle platform, well that just makes it even more readable.

The new launch is from Williams Advanced Engineering (WAE), the technology and engineering services business of the William’s Group. WAE is located in a 3,800 square meter facility, next to Williams Formula One. The announcement is for an ultra-high performance EV platform that has been designed to help hypercar manufacturers get to market quicker.

The EVR platform combines WAE’s vehicle and powertrain engineering experience in one package, and is intended to allow brands to launch high-performance electric vehicles. EVR is focused on the growing electric hypercar sector, with a lightweight composite structure that mounts the high-performance battery system in the middle of the vehicle to optimize its centre of gravity. EVR can support a range of electric hypercar configurations, from track-only vehicles where power-to-weight is maximised to roadgoing models, both open-roof Targa and fixed-roof GT. This has been made possible due to the architecture’s central tub which was designed to allow for such flexibility, whilst still featuring the very latest performance technology such as active aerodynamics.

A state-of-art 85kWh battery with peak power of 1650kW powers the EVR, and provides sub-2.0secs 0-100km/h acceleration and a top speed over 400kmh (248mph) with a vehicle mass less than 1800kg. It also features a fast-charging capability of sub-20mins and a range in excess of 450km (279 miles). All-wheel drive and rear-wheel drive layouts are supported through multiple e-motor configurations.

EVR allows the integration of new improvements, with a rolling chassis capable of being continuously developed with WAE’s latest motor and battery technologies. Engineered for maximum flexibility for customer requirements, both in terms of interior and exterior design, EVR results cuts time to market with class-leading performance. WAE targets delivery of a first EVR-based prototype within 12 months from project kick-off to delivery of a first production vehicle in 24 months. The platform is also ready for a hydrogen power with an EVR-H fuel cell variant being developed to deliver the equivalent performance powered by green H2.

Paul McNamara, Williams Advanced Engineering Technical Director, said: “EVR combines WAE’s expertise in motorsport-bred lightweight, composite structures and high-performance battery powertrains with our knowledge in developing and delivering electric vehicle programmes. It rapidly accelerates high performance electrification offering a turnkey solution for both start-ups and OEMs with an affordable business case, reduced time to market and a highly flexible architecture.”

WAE also announce its Scalable Battery Module (SBM) using proprietary ‘Sense Chain’ architecture. The SBM system eliminates the replication of electronics, while enabling independent scaling of voltage and capacity and the production of bespoke battery concepts in fast time. WAE’s modular toolkit enables automotive customers to create custom pack and sub-pack systems fast, while supporting low-medium volume electric vehicle developers across a range of industries. Each module is 1.08kWh with a voltage of 50V Max, 43V Nominal and an energy density of over 240Wh/kg.

 www.wae.com