Background[]
The 2009 winner of the TTXGP (Ag ran at 140.71km/h for 25 minutes.
A 2010 MotoGP bike can reach 167km/h on a straight and averages about 165km/h for 45 minutes.
A wheel with an 18" rim and a racing tyre means makes about 530 revs per km. Therfore:
- 140.71km/h = 1242.94 rpm
- 165km/h = 1457.5 rpm
- 167km/h = 1475 rpm
In-wheel motors[]
According to data on the Protean Electric their in-wheel motor runs up to a maximum of 1400 rpm on 400Vdc which would be 158.5km/h; 12.6% increase over the average speed of the 2010 winner. The in-wheel motor is also likely to be slightly lighter and more efficient than motors powering wheels via a belt or chain. The final advantage of the Protean Electric motor is the built in regenerative braking that should give a huge advantage (and even more weight savings) over other drive train systems.