NISSAN ZEOD RC - The "Electric DeltaWing" 2014 Garage 56 thread

[Sier_Pinski]

Just to kill the speculation, I talked to "a Nissan Motorsports driver" and a "Nismo employee" at the weekend about ZEOD very shortly after the unveiling.

ZEOD has a 1.3 litre conventional petrol engine which will drive the car for six laps while it charges up the battery. It'll then run a seventh lap on battery power alone, at exactly the same pace - 300km/h (186mph) capable in either form. And be lit up blue while doing so.

Assuming the same fuel consumption as DeltaWing, it'll be able to run 14 lap stints - 12 gas, 2 battery - and 8 stints per set of tyres. However, where DeltaWing was initially only at the level of the LMP2s at Le Mans, ZEOD is supposedly aimed at keeping up with LMP1s... Don't know which ones, but after what DeltaWing did at Petit Le Mans in its second race, it should be interesting.

So essentially, less "Leaf" and more "Prius".

I need someone here that has knowledge on this matter to tell me just how "groundbraking" is that when compared to what TMG already achieved in the past (2011 I think).

This is jawdropping already. What does the ZEOD bring that tops this significantly? Endurance? 24 hours of it? I'm more interested in the "endurance" targets than I am in the "power" or "top speed" specs.

The key with the ZEOD is efficiency. The Deltawing shape will half both tire wear and energy consumption with its lower drag, lighter weight, and lack of spoilers. This means less pitstops, which is essential for a 24-hour endurance race.


Now, on the other hand, about that Panoz lawsuit from September last year...has it been sorted out yet?

 

[Hookecho]

Now, on the other hand, about that Panoz lawsuit from September last year...has it been sorted out yet?

No, it has not and its not just Panoz, its Chip Ganassi who actually owns the Deltawing IC

 

[Hun200kmh]

And it's not just the ZEOD also. The Nissan Blade Glider (see below) and any and all design based on the DW concept is also included.

I can't believe Ben Bowlby could be so clumsy when signing contracts, wasn't he the one saying the DW architecture was to be "open source" (as in, anyone could build their own).


Nissan Blade Glider ------>

This link is only for those that like to read in legalese.

This one is also detailed, but it's a journalist approach, therefore more accessible.

 

[Hookecho]

I think the open source was the plan, but being as he designed it while under contract at Ganassi, and boiler plate employment contracts usually state than any idea, design, concept....ect. is the property of the company you signed the contract with....

 

[Hun200kmh]

Apparently the contract was never signed though ... anyway, it's a shame all this

 

[Hookecho]

No, the second contract was never signed, the one when he went to the P56DW team lead by Panoz. When he initially designed the car, for the Indy car replacement, he was under signed contract with Ganassi.