In the past, if you wanted to go faster on four wheels, the recipe used to include either losing weight or adding a bigger engine. More air, more fuel, more ‘bang’, more speed. Now however, that’s not the only way. The evolution of electric vehicles have spawned blisteringly quick electric road cars like the Tesla Model S, as well as super-quick go karts like this sleek shifter kart, Rattlesnake Electric Sport’s RS8 eKart. Though the company can trace its roots back only five years, already they’ve had incredible success in go kart racing, and team principal Richard Hilleman admits they’re technically the world’s winningest electric vehicle racing team.
Thinking of picking one up for yourself? Check out what Autoblog’s Jonathon Buckley has to report about the speedy EV go karts. Meet the ‘Smart’ Go Kart That’s Just for Kids“This thing is a weapon,” remarks Buckley, as he blasted the eKart around Sonoma, California’s Sim-raceway. At its core is an electric motor (nicked from a Zero Motorcycle) which supplies 55 horsepower and 65 lb.-ft. of torque to the rear wheels. That may not seem like a lot, but according to Hilleman, it’s enough to rocket the go kart to 60 mph in just four seconds and up to a top speed of 110 mph. Yikes. The eKart is powered by a lithium-ion battery cell, which allots a 40 mile driving range and full charging in about one to two hours. Although fast, they aren’t what you’d call cheap.
All-in you can expect to pay around $20,000 for the full eKart kit and caboodle, which is claimed to cover three years of worry-free racing. Hilleman says in five years of running the company, they’ve never destroyed a motor. Of course, the EV go kart isn’t for everyone, but it is now at least an option… and a darn quick one at that.