https://www.akka-technologies.com/press-release/akka-launches-the-universal-e-kart/
This has me really interested, super X30 power and a quick change battery pack system. I work closely with AKKA on aircraft engineering projects, now I’m talking to them about dropping their e-kit into my energy kart to run as a demonstrator with my local track.
Let’s see if it pans out!
Becamel wasn’t the 2014 World Karting Champion.
need some weight and cost figures.
2014 X30 world finals winner
*2014 X30 Grand/International Final winner 
Yeah that one 
In any case I’ll get more specs.
Here’s my breakdown of this beta launch kart… taken mostly from the video.
X30 - I am going to assume this refers to the 125cc Euro Senior X30. The specs shown are the IAME website claim:
22.37 kW peak power
19.5 Nm peak torque
Motor used:
EMRAX 188 air cooled
Axial flux external rotor - difficult to cool and mount. To that point I found this:
“For air cooled motors the air speed must be 25 m/s at max air temp 25ºC”
Assuming this is the low voltage (110v) version…
52/23 kW peak/continuous power
90/40 Nm peak/continuous torque
Appears to be using a 428 chain and sprocket
Pricing is hard to find, estimate $3500
Controller used:
Unknown, possibly a Bamocar D3
It is mounted underneath the front cowling and appears to be liquid cooled - although I don’t see a radiator. Possibly using a cool box?
Pricing is hard to find, estimate $3000
Batteries:
Dual - air cooled
I would wire them in series. Best guess is about 3.5 kWh usable each, for 7 kWh of power (per swap).
Estimated minimum cost is $3200 per battery (with internal BMS).
BMS:
?? Possibly internal to each battery based on the connections shown.
Best guess cost with 4 batteries and charger - around $21,000
If your estimates are right, then $21,000 just for the kart is going to make it difficult for many drivers to switch over to e-kart, definitely cheaper running the X30. You could probably run SKUSA, USPKS, and Club, plus maintenance and travel, for less than that
Wonder how that pans out over time maintenance wise. Do the electric engines just die eventually? From my experience with 18650 batteries from my vapes, the batteries don’t last for more than 9-12 months of use. They start losing the ability to charge.
I wonder how often they will need to replace the battery packs.
The other thing that always surprises me with electrics is how heavy they are.
It will be interesting to find out if they will give out any initial price estimates.
Speed costs money, how fast do you want to go?
X30 125 is pretty high end. It takes a lot of kWh’s to produce that same performance from batteries. Good to them if they can pull it off and produce enough sells to make it worth it.
To make an impact I personally think it makes more sense to start on the bottom end where the low power engines are. Kid karts, Juniors, and 206. That allows you to use smaller motors with single, one-event batteries - all of which makes it much less expensive and more approachable for most buyers.
I think if should have a variety of options, but if they want to have more of a club/local impact then should include the lower hp engines equivalents as well
This makes a ton of sense on multiple levels. 1. The kiddos will grow up considering electric power plants as normal and won’t poo–poo them like the current generations (with good reason) does. Logically, the resistance to the electric power plant will decrease if it’s normalized at a young age. 2. It’s probably reasonably economical to run a less powerful, lighter kart as an electric. Little kid karts seem perfect for this.
Electric motors generally have two shaft bearings that will eventually need to be replaced due to wear. That’s it. As long as it is not overheated or overloaded one should last “forever”.
Battery life depends heavily on how they are used and re-charged. Keep the voltage between 3v and 4.15v and do not overheat them (from charge / discharge) and a quality cell should last about 1000 full charge cycles.
I never really counted but I’d put my batteries in a trickle charger after pretty much exhausting them daily. I’d rotate pairs in. Even then, they would eventually start being problematic. I am curious to see how the battery packs behave with IRL usage.
I’m meeting our AKKA rep this week to get more info. My local track manager is interested - we’ll ask for a demo pack to evaluate it, I’ve offered my Energy Kinetic chassis up to trial it on.
Excellent discussion. Good info
Could be that vapes are hard on batteries. Another theory is that my trickle charger was kind of messed up.