Mean and green: Drayson Racing’s Lola electric racecar breaks the 333 kph mark

By Stephen Edelstein October 18, 2013

drayson racing sets electric car speed record ev — Mean and very green indeed, the Lola B12 69/E just broke the 333 kph mark. Image used with permission by copyright holder

Drayson Racing is a band of overachievers.

Back in June, Drayson’s Lola B12 69/E electric racecar set a land speed record of 204.2 mph for electric cars weighing under 1,000 kilograms (2,200 pounds) at Royal Air Force Elvington in Yorkshire, England. It shattered the previous EV speed record of 175 mph, set by the General Electric Battery Box in 1974.

However, they weren’t quite finished.

According to a statement from the team, the car was still accelerating when it reached the end of the track at Elvington. It still had more to give.

Team owner, and former British science minister, Lord Drayson decided to take the electric Lola to the Bonneville Salt Flats to see what it could really do. Unfortunately, the typically dry lakebed was flooded, so Drayson had to return to Elvington for another go.

Drayson Racing managed to marginally increase its record, hitting 205.139 mph over a mile. The car also set the record over one kilometer, hitting 333.271 kph. Both records still need to be ratified by the FIA and MSA sanctioning bodies.

The top speed achieved by Drayson also set a record for the fastest wheel-driven vehicle in Britain.

Finally, Drayson set a record for an electric car in the standing quarter mile, doing the deed in 9.742 seconds.

You need a very special car to set multiple speed records, and that’s exactly what the Drayson Lola B12 69/E is.

Converted from a Le Mans prototype, this lean green machine packs 850 horsepower (640 kilowatts), courtesy of four YASA-750 axial flux motors.

Will another team of EV speed freaks pick up the gauntlet thrown down by Drayson? Or will Lord Drayson decide the records he’s accumulated so far aren’t good enough, and decide to have another go?

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Stephen Edelstein

Contributing Editor

Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…

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