MIT's 1976 Tesla Roadster
(Essdras M. Suarez/Globe Staff)
From left: Dan Lauber, Paul Karplus, Lennon Rodgers, Mike Nawrot, Kwadwo Nyarko, and Radu Gogoana stand next to their modified electric Porsche they raced in the "One Gallon Challenge."
The Boston GreenFest, a four-day celebration of the latest environmental technologies and engineering, is on now through Saturday at City Hall Plaza. Hand-built cars that raced in Thursday's "One Gallon Challenge," in which competitors attempted to drive 100 miles across the Bay State to Boston on one gallon, will be there, including MIT's snazzy electric Porsche 914.
This week's Globe explains the science and cost behind the electric Porsche, which has a very similar silhouette to that other racy electric sports car, the Tesla Roadster:
A team of 15 MIT students will compete with a ’76 Porsche that they have spent years converting into an electric car. It has a sleek silver body with leather seats and a trunk packed tightly with hulking batteries.“We’re hoping to raise awareness about what electric vehicles can do, what the future may be for them, and why they’re practical,’’ said Matt Gildner, 20, a junior at MIT. “But the battery technology is a big challenge since it’s so expensive.’’ Though the original Porsche was donated, it cost $60,000 to convert - $40,000 on batteries alone. The current battery pack takes about eight hours to charge fully.
“I think we’ll have to charge about halfway through the One Gallon Challenge,’’ said Irene Berry, a graduate student in technology and policy, standing in an MIT workshop space cluttered with wrenches, old motors, and cars in various stages of dismemberment. “And I hope it doesn’t rain. It makes me pretty nervous to drive in the rain in a high voltage car with a lot of components exposed.’’
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Clifford Atiyeh is the automotive editor for The Boston Globe and Boston.com. He has spent his entire life driving cars he doesn't own.In the garage: 1995 21-speed Iron Horse, 2002 Jeep Wrangler X (by association). Bill Griffith has reviewed cars for more than 10 years. He was also the Globe's assistant sports editor for 25 years and the paper's sports media columnist.
In the garage: 2006 Subaru Baja. John Paul is public affairs manager for AAA Southern New England and an automotive columnist for The Boston Globe. A certified mechanic, Paul tests dozens of new cars each year and also hosts a radio show on WROL.
In the garage: Hyundai Sante Fe, Chrysler PT Cruiser convertible Keith Griffin is president of the New England Motor Press Association and edits the used car section on About.com. He is also founder of the Internet Car and Truck of the Year awards and contributes to various weekly newspapers in Connecticut.
In the garage: Mazda 5, Dodge Neon George Kennedy is a senior writer for WheelsTV in Acton, which produces video reviews for Yahoo, MSN, and other auto websites.
In the garage: Lifted 1999 Jeep Cherokee with 33-inch tires
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