green4U X panoz racing GT-EV to be first ever all-electric car to attempt le mans

green4U technologies, a US-based electric vehicle startup, has partnered with panoz to design the first ever all-electric vehicle to attempt to compete in the le mans race. the car is designed for sports and endurance racing, with a goal of using electricity to deliver a performance and range similar to internal combustion engine and hybrid powertrain models. the key to the cars success is its ability to go as far as petrol and hybrid race cars on the pwoer in a single battery pack, then exchange the battery whilst its hybrid competitors refuel.

christened the green4U panoz racing GT-EV, the model will use a removable battery pack design, enabling battery exchanges at pit stops. this gives the model a step up over hybrid models which have previously competed (and won) at le mans, yet failed to complete the full race purely on electric power. the green machine will be an all-wheel drive fueled by two electric motors, one for the rear set of wheels and one for the front providing around 450 kW of power in total. a carbon fiber chassic design keeps its weight low, with the model expected to weigh around 2,000 to 2.750 with its battery pack included.

the green4U panoz racing GT-EV can reach top speeds of 150 to 180 mph, using active aerodynamcs to reduce drag on straightaways and increase range. the futuristic design features an offset closed cockpit, and regenerative braking technology on all wheels. the model is set to compete in the garage 56 slot for le mans 2018, a slot with relaxed rules reserved for innovative designs that represent the future of new, innovative racing. 

‘we’re debuting it here at Le Mans because of this iconic race’s history where the brightest and most ambitious and tenacious competitors always push the motorsports and automotive boundaries,’ details don panoz, chairnman and co-founder of green4U technologies. his business partner, co-founder and CEO jack perkowski also added that ‘the development of an all-electric race car that can compete with the best internal combustion engine race cars places Green4U at the forefront of electric vehicle technology.’

aside from the le mans race, green4U also plans to transform the design into a street-legal sports car based on the GT-EV. conceptualized by car designer peter stevens, who has designed for panozand BMW, the design features a unique two-passenger, jet fighter-style passenger compartment where the passenger sits behind the driver.