Though the eMR2 couldn’t be there, this Saturday’s Power of DC autocross event hosted a variety of factory and conversion EVs from all over the east coast. Three Teslas, including a Sport model, tore around the course with the Sport model setting fastest time of the day by rounding the course in under 18 seconds. Though the Teslas set the pace, it was a Mini-E that set the record for the most runs as it rounded the track nearly all afternoon.
Among the conversions, surprisingly it was a VW Rabbit pickup that cut the cleanest path around the cones despite it’s nearly 3/4 ton of batteries. A sunburst yellow Destiny 2000 (based on a Pontiac Fiero chassis) gave it a run for the money but the Rabbit’s driver was an obviously experienced hand who could make the most of his car’s abilities.
Other interesting vehicles that ran the course included the WVU Formula Lightning racecar, a Porsche 944 conversion and a daily driver VW Jetta. Below the pictures are the times for all the day’s runners, courtesy of Chip Gribben.
AUTOCROSS
Saturday, August 29
place/et/driver/vehicle/runs
Production EVs
1) 17.761 – Dave Bolling – 2009 red Tesla Sport (31 runs)
2) 17.979 – Don Auker – 2008 blue Tesla (44 runs)
3) 18.718 – Tom Jamison – 2009 prismatic blue Tesla (19 runs)
4) 19.316 – Ken Barbour – 2009 Mini-E (64 runs)
5) 23.289 – Bryan Murtha – RAV-4 EV (5 runs)
Conversion EVs
1) 21.214 – Dave Cover – Porsche 944 (6 runs)
2) 21.948 – Alan Arrinson – VW Rabbit truck (13 runs)
3) 22.648 – Doug Stansfield – White Hyundai Tiburon (5 runs)
4) 23.441 – Bob Rice – VW Jetta (11 runs)
5) 24.842 – West Virginia University – Formula Lightning (9 runs)
6) 26.643 – Joe Lado – Destiny 2000 Fiero (24 runs)
