Tesla Model 3 sets fastest time on track, gets disqualified for illegal fuel - Sensationalist Headlines

A Tesla Model 3 Performance has made the podium in its first race with track mode at a Global Time Attack Super Lap event in Buttonwillow, but the vehicle was somehow disqualified for ‘being electric’. ... Rogers managed a 2:00.78 time, which was good enough for second-in-class, and the car actually got the best time with a 1:59.12 when driven by Sasha Anis from Mountain Pass Performance – though he wasn’t officially competing with the car. Nonetheless, Rogers made the podium with the Model 3 Performance, but his time was contested by a defeated competitor because and I quote: “electricity is not listed as an approved fuel.” He was actually taken off the podium during the ceremony as you can see at around 16:00 in the video they did for the event https://electrek.co/2018/11/11/tesla-model-3-performance-global-attack-on-track-mode-disqualified-electric/

lmao gas has to GO

Mixed feelings He IS right, because its almost the same as taking an electric scooter to a bicycle race... ...but on the other hand, what kind of fuels are approved though? if you don't allow those kinds of fuels that basicaly give you a huge advantage over people who aren't using special mixtures, then it makes sense. For those who are gonna raise an eyebrow and throw the "electric hater!" kind of comment, it makes absolute sense to not include a car that has maximum output at any time while everything else doesn't.

and that's when you boo at the stage

The crowd did in the video. Electric cars are too powerful to be allowed to compete with regular cars?? But hybrids are okay apparently? The organisers seemed to admit it was them forgetting to update the rules to allow full EVs. The actual rules: B. Engine/Drivetrain/Fuel 1. Dog engagement or sequential gearboxes are not permitted unless OEM. 2. Only unleaded gasoline or Diesel may be used as fuel. No Ethanol, E-85, leaded, methanol or exotic fuels allowed as the primary fuel. Water/Methanol injection is allowed in a maximum of 50% methanol mix. 3. Cars must be equipped with working catalytic converter(s) if originally equipped, which all exhaust must pass through with exceptions allowed for waste gate dumps. 4. Exhaust “tips” may only extend a maximum of 3-inches beyond the bodywork. 5. Nitrous oxide is not permitted. 6. Engine swaps are limited to engines available in the chassis in a different trim level or market or a variant of the same engine. (i.e. B18C in an EG Hatch) 7. Drivetrain changes are not permitted (i.e. FWD to AWD or AWD to RWD conversions). 8. Hybrid drive is allowed only in full OEM form with no modifications to the drive, control or battery systems.

I actually stopped for a moment to think about what sort of illegal fuel a Tesla was using.

Stupid title, that's not even close to the fastest time on that track. It was the fastest in it's class during that event. And the disqualification does make sense IMO. All conventional racecars are limited in performance, while the EV is free to do as it pleases.

I mean, if the car had been charged with a station that was powered by a nuclear station, wouldn't that mean it was technically running on nuclear fuel? Sounds overpowered pls nerf.

I don't really see what would limit an ICE vehicles power, that wouldn't also be applicable to the EV? Yeah the title could be clearer, I was struggling to get it into FPs character limit.

I'd have to disagree there. If the cars were being pedalled by Wacky Racers type people, then yes, that would be a reasonable analogy, but I don't think two vehicles powered by internal sources are comparable to one being manually driven with human power and one being electrically powered.

I have no idea what you're trying to say. Want to take another stab at explaining this? It's not like an electric motor doesn't have limits. Run too much current through it, you'll melt stuff. And most electric motors used in cars produce less torque at higher RPMs, so they have a pretty hard speed limit as well. And of course the battery has output limits as well - you can't draw more than a certain amount of power, just as you can't charge it but so quickly.

They should have given it some Ambien to slow it down.

The counterpoint to this is: "Why are you still even using fuel?"

Regular engines are limited in their fuel usage. They can only use regular fuels, no ethanol or higher performance fuel. That's like limiting a race engine to only 70% of it's power, while an electric motor can use 100%. This Model 3 participated in the street car class, where it overpowered any vehicle in it's class by far. If you actually compare it to cars with similar power, then it's a whole different game. Regular BMW's and Lancers easily run 1:53 on the same track, without any extensive modification done. The more I look at the results, the more I get confused. In street car classes, there's cars doing this track in 1:49. Even in the enthusiast class there's cars doing it in 1:56. There's no class where this Model 3 would've set a record.

That's a really weird edge-casey definition of "limited". And arguably inaccurate - if I'm reading the article right, hybrid vehicles in the street class are prohibited from modifying their electric motors and battery systems, so applying that same rule to electric vehicles would limit them just the same. You can drastically boost the performance of an electric car with better (higher-output) batteries or ultracaps (though modifying electric cars this way isn't common yet - it's not like there's been a century for custom performance partmakers to build up). That's not "street", though, so wouldn't be allowed under the obvious expansion of the rules. It's also kind of ironic you was "overpowered any vehicle in its class by far" when it took second. This isn't some nuts lap-the-whole-field-twice supercar, this is a good sports car that some butthurt competitor got kicked out for being something the rules haven't had to cover yet. The top-end Model 3 (which this is) has 450 horsepower, about on par with a high-end contemporary Mustang, even running on low-octane gasoline.

Right, but ICE vehicles are also prohibited from engine modifications in that class. And no, it didn't take second. It would be 17th in it's class, out of 18 cars.

This isn't anything like that, this wasn't a Flintstone's car rally. It's more like bringing an electric motorcycle to a motorcycle race, the prime major difference is one goes "BRRRRRRRRAP" and the other goes "WHRRRRRRRRRRRRR".

Hybrids still have the problems of regular engines. They don't even allow sequentials out of oem lol

Loss of power when shifting isn't really a problem. Most racecars deliver more than enough torque even in the lower ranges. Sure, some turbo engines can have a massive torque spike around 4k rpm for example, but they aren't dropping below that if they're racing. They also generally shift into their most torque-y range, so they actually perform better, not worse.

Electric motors have plenty of mechanical limitations. They're not magic torque/speed machines.

Would Morgen ever miss a chance to sensationalize a headline in poor underdog Tesla's favor?

How else would he try and make progress in his quest to be hired by Tesla as a PR agent?

after a good few laps side by side "cold start", the electric engine doesn't has to worry about shifting gears nor reaching RPMs

What you see is a very short moment where there's no acceleration, followed by a sudden acceleration. Trust me, any disadvantages of shifting gears is easily overcome by the fact that they are gears, and thus a lot more efficient at specific speeds.

EVs suffer worse performance at higher RPM though. Both have advtanges and disadvantages in certain cases, but I don't think it's enough to force a segregation. I don't get your point here? The EVs can't modify their drivetrain at all and use everyday street fuel (no super electrons here), and ICE cars can have some modifications, even if to a limited degree but have to use regular street fuel as well. What's the problem?

EV's can't modify their drivetrain at all, and neither can ICE vehicles. The engines in the Model 3's class are almost completely stock, so there's no use arguing about that. And despite that, it's still 17th.

On the other hand, no clutch means either a wonky CVT or a fixed gear ratio, and a fixed gear ratio has its own problems. There's only so fast an electric motor can spin while still producing torque, and with a fixed gear ratio like on a Tesla, that means an absolute maximum speed far lower than you'd expect from such a high-horsepower powertrain. Some spitball numbers on the Model S (780 horsepower) puts that speed at about 150mph. Meanwhile, any high-performance sports car will be breaking 200mph, often from much less horsepower (random example, the Murcielago: 570HP, 206mph).

Right, forgot this guy charged his batteries with premium electricity.

| GTA Finals SLB Buttonwillow November 8

Yeah, I'm confused. The article and video clearly show he got second place overall.