Venturi’s ‘bullet car’ smashes electric land-speed record

Updated 1:25 PM EDT, Thu September 22, 2016
Automobile company Venturi is spearheading the charge to break the electric land speed record at the Utah salt flats. It hopes the technology will have applications not just in the sport of Formula E, but also for road cars of the future.
Automobile company Venturi is spearheading the charge to break the electric land speed record at the Utah salt flats. It hopes the technology will have applications not just in the sport of Formula E, but also for road cars of the future.
© Venturi
Roger Schroer has been piloting the Venturi land speed vehicles for several years now. <br />So what's it like to drive at 372 mph (600 kph)? "He is a quiet man, but he likes how it feels" says Venturi's lead project engineer Delphine Biscaye, of Schroer's experience.
Roger Schroer has been piloting the Venturi land speed vehicles for several years now.
So what's it like to drive at 372 mph (600 kph)? "He is a quiet man, but he likes how it feels" says Venturi's lead project engineer Delphine Biscaye, of Schroer's experience.
© Venturi
Biscaye added: "It seems very easy from the way he talks with other drivers -- compared to say Formula E -- because his job is just to go straight."
Biscaye added: "It seems very easy from the way he talks with other drivers -- compared to say Formula E -- because his job is just to go straight."
© Venturi
But of course, straight needn't mean straightforward, elaborates Biscaye: "At the same time, it's very complicated. The speed and acceleration are so extreme, and there's intense vibrations in the wheels."
But of course, straight needn't mean straightforward, elaborates Biscaye: "At the same time, it's very complicated. The speed and acceleration are so extreme, and there's intense vibrations in the wheels."
© Venturi
"You have no real distance reference," says Biscaye of the challenge the salt flats offer. "Just the markers on the side of the road indicating how many miles have past, and a mountain at the end."
"You have no real distance reference," says Biscaye of the challenge the salt flats offer. "Just the markers on the side of the road indicating how many miles have past, and a mountain at the end."
GEORGE FREY/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
A parachute is required to stop the Venturi VBB-3. "The road is prepared, but you always have some bumps," says Biscaye. "The driver has to go every morning -- sometimes twice, three times a day -- and see the track, and see where he needs to go to take the best trajectory. It seems very simple, but it's incredibly tricky."
A parachute is required to stop the Venturi VBB-3. "The road is prepared, but you always have some bumps," says Biscaye. "The driver has to go every morning -- sometimes twice, three times a day -- and see the track, and see where he needs to go to take the best trajectory. It seems very simple, but it's incredibly tricky."
© Venturi
"The previous car was under 3,000 kilograms, and now we are maybe even above 3,500kg," says Biscaye. "This new one is a four- wheel drive, whereas the previous one was only front wheel.<br />"It's also much more powerful: 3,000 brake horsepower -- huge!"<br />
"The previous car was under 3,000 kilograms, and now we are maybe even above 3,500kg," says Biscaye. "This new one is a four- wheel drive, whereas the previous one was only front wheel.
"It's also much more powerful: 3,000 brake horsepower -- huge!"
© Venturi
As Venturi seeks to break the electric land speed record, the VBB-3 is nowhere near the overall record, set by the rocket-powered Thrust SSC -- driven by Andy Green in 1997 -- which reached a speed of 763.035 mph (1,227.985 kph).
As Venturi seeks to break the electric land speed record, the VBB-3 is nowhere near the overall record, set by the rocket-powered Thrust SSC -- driven by Andy Green in 1997 -- which reached a speed of 763.035 mph (1,227.985 kph).
Getty Images/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
And the Bloodhoud SSC7 is bidding to reach a speed of 1,000 mph -- that's 1,609 kph -- when it takes to South Africa's Hakskeen Pan in 2017.
And the Bloodhoud SSC7 is bidding to reach a speed of 1,000 mph -- that's 1,609 kph -- when it takes to South Africa's Hakskeen Pan in 2017.
Courtesy Bloodhound Project
This supersonic car mixes automobile and aircraft technology. It's powered by a jet engine and a rocket together with a petrol engine auxiliary power unit.
This supersonic car mixes automobile and aircraft technology. It's powered by a jet engine and a rocket together with a petrol engine auxiliary power unit.
NIKLAS HALLE'N/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
The Bloodhound weighs 7.5 tonnes.
The Bloodhound weighs 7.5 tonnes.
stefan marjoram/flock and siemens
Speedy pursuits have always thrown up outlandishly-shaped vehicles. Donald Campbell's famed Bluebirds attempted to break the land speed record on several occasions. The Bluebird CN7 is shown here during testing at Goodwood Motor Circuit, on July 18 1960. Campbell is the only man to break land speed and water speed records in the same year.
Speedy pursuits have always thrown up outlandishly-shaped vehicles. Donald Campbell's famed Bluebirds attempted to break the land speed record on several occasions. The Bluebird CN7 is shown here during testing at Goodwood Motor Circuit, on July 18 1960. Campbell is the only man to break land speed and water speed records in the same year.
Hulton Archive/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
For now, all eyes are on the Venturi VBB-3. "People everywhere see the importance of this vehicle for research and the development of electric vehicles," says Biscaye.
For now, all eyes are on the Venturi VBB-3. "People everywhere see the importance of this vehicle for research and the development of electric vehicles," says Biscaye.
© Venturi
Electric land speed record: What does it feel like to drive at 370 mph?

Story highlights

VBB3 records average speed of 341.4 mph

Previous Venturi models set 2010 record

Ruling body FIA has yet to verify new time

CNN  — 

Blink and you’ll miss it – the Venturi Buckeye Bullet 3 has beaten the world record for an electric vehicle, at a cool average speed of 341.4 mph, according to the French automobile company.

The Venturi team, which in 2010 set the fastest time for a battery-powered car with the 307 mph achieved by the previous model, the VBB-2.5, surpassed that on the Bonneville salt flats in Utah on Wednesday.

It recorded a top speed of 358 mph, propelled by a 3,000-horsepower engine that Venturi says makes it the world’s most powerful electric car.

The car, which is more than 11 meters long, is a joint project of Monaco-based Venturi Automobiles and engineering students from Ohio State University.

“It’s a relief because we were waiting for this result for three years,” Venturi owner Gildo Pallanca Pastor told the company’s website. “Heavy rain and bad weather conditions on the Salt Flats prevented our success.

“It shows that our partnership between students and a manufacturer can bring a lot in this new automotive industry in terms of research and development.”

To achieve the new record, the team had to complete two runs of the 11-mile course within one hour, with the average time taken for record purposes.

Venturi will now await final confirmation of the milestone from world motorsport’s governing body, the FIA, which was not immediately available for comment when contacted by CNN.

British motorcycle company Triumph is attempting to break the land speed record.
A new dawn —
British motorcycle company Triumph is attempting to break the land speed record.
MerryMichau
Having held the record from 1955 to 1970 (bar a 33-day hiatus,) Triumph now wants to reclaim its place in the history books.
A bird? A plane? A motorbike... —
Having held the record from 1955 to 1970 (bar a 33-day hiatus,) Triumph now wants to reclaim its place in the history books.
Triumph
The Triumph team converged on the Bonneville Salt Flats, a 40-square-mile salt pan in Utah with a reputation for hosting land speed records.
Flat out —
The Triumph team converged on the Bonneville Salt Flats, a 40-square-mile salt pan in Utah with a reputation for hosting land speed records.
Triumph
The motorcycle land speed record has a long and competitive history, dating back to the start of the 20th century. Pictured is the Lightning Bolt streamliner, driven by Don Vesco. In 1978, the American reached 319.6 mph, breaking his own three-year record with a speed that would stand for 12 years.<br />
Blast from the past —
The motorcycle land speed record has a long and competitive history, dating back to the start of the 20th century. Pictured is the Lightning Bolt streamliner, driven by Don Vesco. In 1978, the American reached 319.6 mph, breaking his own three-year record with a speed that would stand for 12 years.
Bettmann/Bettmann/Bettmann Archive
The Triumph Infor Rocket Streamliner is powered by two turbocharged Triumph Rocket III engines -- capable of producing a combined 1,000 brake horsepower (bhp) -- and measures 25.5 feet long, two feet wide and three feet tall.
Methanol fueled —
The Triumph Infor Rocket Streamliner is powered by two turbocharged Triumph Rocket III engines -- capable of producing a combined 1,000 brake horsepower (bhp) -- and measures 25.5 feet long, two feet wide and three feet tall.
Triumph
The enclosed motorcycle will be driven by Guy Martin, a multiple speed record-holder and Isle of Man TT racer.
In the driving seat —
The enclosed motorcycle will be driven by Guy Martin, a multiple speed record-holder and Isle of Man TT racer.
Triumph
Triumph's record attempt is scheduled to take place in mid-September.
Will they do it? —
Triumph's record attempt is scheduled to take place in mid-September.
Triumph's tilt at world land speed record

Meanwhile, Triumph’s bid to set a motorcycle land speed record at Bonneville has been put on hold after adverse weather conditions.

Read: Two wheels. 1,000 bhp. 400 mph?

The team had hoped to break the leading time of 376.3 mph, held since 2010 by California’s Rocky Robinson.

The Bonneville Salt Flats were the venue for the record attempt.
The Bonneville Salt Flats were the venue for the record attempt.
Education Images/Universal Images Group Editorial/UIG via Getty Images

“I know people will be disappointed at this news, but the safety of the rider, Guy Martin, and the wider team supporting the Triumph Infor Rocket Streamliner has to be our prime consideration,” Triumph designer Matt Markstaller told the team website.

Visit cnn.com/motorsport for more news and videos

“The course conditions on the salt flats have forced us to wait for another window of opportunity.”

The Streamliner passed 274.2 mph in a trial run last month, becoming the fastest motorcycle made by Triumph.