BATTERY BOX ROGER HEDLUND 1974 WORLD ELECTRIC LAND SPEED RECORD CAR

BATTERY BOX ELECTRIC WLSR CAR

Pioneers of electric cars, Roger Hedlund and his 175 mph Battery Box

SCTA

On August 23rd 1974, Roger Hedlund captured the flying mile and kilometer speed records at 175 mph

running on the Bonneville Salt Flats, USA.

Battery Box is a home-built car with streamlined bodywork for the driver and rear wheels and open front wheels. Roger Hedlund created this vehicle to attack the World Speed Record for electric-powered vehicles.

Using the latest technology at the time in both motor/battery combinations and vehicle design, Roger from Sunnyvale, California, achieved his goal in 1974 at the Bonneville National Speed Trials. The car's speed for a two-way average over a measured mile was 174.918 mph. To date, this record still stands.

The car's frame is of welded steel "chrome moly" steel tubing constructed as a "space frame." No suspension was used. The tubular front axle is attached rigidly to the frame. Steering is by rack and pinion. The rear axle is also rigidly mounted, but runs in ball bearings. A 25 hp fork lift motor by General Electric, is located under the driver's semi-reclining seat.

The car was designed to use 32 12-volt batteries, hooked up in series, but the record run was made with 28 batteries giving 336 volts to turn the motor. The GE motor was cooled by a fan from a car heater system, which pulled fresh air through the motor housing.

BODY BY: Jack Hagemann
PRICE: $7,000
ENGINE: General Electric 25 H.P. 192 volts, 9" DC Series Wound

BATTERIES: 12V Diehard

DRIVE: Chain

JEANTAUDE JAMAIS-CONTENTE BAKER-TORPEDO LEAD-WEDGE SILVER-EAGLE BATTERY-BOX

LIGHTNING-ROD WHITE-LIGHTNING EMOTION

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A taste for adventure capitalists

LEGENDARY - The blue bird legend lives on: Inspired by Reid Railton and his designs for the Napier Lion and Rolls Royce engined Blue Bird LSR cars in the 1930s, the Blueplanet BE3 features instant battery recharging using the patent Bluebird™ cartridge exchange system under license from BMS. This LSR car is also solar assisted. She is designed for speeds in excess of 350mph using clean electricity and could be run at Daytona Beach, Pendine Sands and other historic venues, including Bonneville. BMS require 6 months notice for hire of this vehicle, or 3 months with considerable additional cost attaching.

BLUEPLANET BE3 ELECTRIC

The content of this website is copyright © 1991 and 2016 Electrick Publications. All rights reserved. The bluebird logo and name Bluebird and Blue Max are trademarks. The BE2 and BE3 vehicle shape and configuration are registered designs ®. All other trademarks are hereby acknowledged. Max Energy Limited is an educational charity.