Battery electric propulsion systems for competition racing applications

Electric propulsion systems applied in racing karts is a matured technology. This is confirmed by the fact that the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) has established a recognized technical formula for sanctioned competitive electric kart racing. Electric kart racing was introduced into Europe in 2017 with a set of technical regulations that are quite open at this early stage. This allows for experimentation of different electric powertrain configurations to enhance their development. The recent introduction of electric kart racing has provided the incentive to further develop electric powertrains to maximize their performance potential. The design and construction procedure necessary that was undertaken in the process of engineering a high-performance battery electric powertrain for a racing kart application for competitions is presented in this chapter. The design ensures that the electric propulsion system is capable of matching the performance characteristics of a comparable racing kart powered by an internal combustion engine (ICE). The implementation process of the design on a recognized, competition racing kart rolling chassis together with its performance evaluation data is also presented