The gear ratio for electric karting works differently than for internal combustion engines. The main difference is that in internal combustion engines, power and torque often align with the curve, which is generally close to parallel, and maximum power is reached near or around maximum RPM.
With electricity, it’s different. Initially, everything rises on the torque curve and then transitions to horsepower, but towards the end, both horsepower and torque drop. Therefore, even if the BSR power unit can reach up to 6000 RPM, the most effective power will be between 2500-3800 RPM. Of course, if speed and track conditions allow, you can push it further to around 4500 RPM, but the essence is that using too tall a gear ratio often burns a lot of current in the inefficient range. Similarly, if you set it up for top speed, you burn a lot of power at high RPM, which is in Amps. Therefore, the key is to find the sweet spot, and from our experience, it’s around 4200 RPM, where you should be close to top speed.
On August 24, 2023, KZ2 driver Emīls Akmens completed a full day of training with BSR electric racing karts, joining 25 other KZ2 drivers at the Sport Complex 333. On the dry track, he kept up with the top drivers, reaching a maximum speed of 132 km/h and completing a lap in 53.79 seconds.
In wet weather conditions, the BSR electric kart proved to be the fastest in the KZ2 class training sessions, remaining unbeaten. A video depicting the training day, where the BSR electric kart competes with KZ2 karts on a European-level racing track, will be available soon.
I do wonder, why so much emphasis on performance? Most drivers opt for the slower classes anyway (at least stateside)
In my mind there’s no doubt an EV can be faster than a “gasser”. Even some hacky homebrew ones have shown that. Naturally the BSR has significant technical advantages to those kind of builds.
Is it just not common knowledge that they are fast in your experience?
In your imagination… what does kart racing look like in 25 years given electrification efforts currently? I think you are the 4th person with a serious, commercial effort here. So, clearly, this is potentially a future for us.
Europe differs from the US in that in Europe, Karting is seen as a stepping stone to F1, which means that electric karting will be considered a serious growth tool in motorsport when it can provide a full growth cycle, from baby karts to KZ2 Shifter level. The US has many different sports, often associated with showmanship and high power, but less with the high-performance and skill combination seen in F1. I might be mistaken, but that’s why there are many European drivers in F1, which is why electric propulsion in Europe also needs to demonstrate top performance. At the same time, for BSR, it’s a path of technological development, increasing power and addressing related issues can lead to good solutions for downgraded versions, which then become available at a better price point and a longer lifespan. But I like more US way, this is more accessible and more fun to my mind.
Electric karting will completely transform the world of karting sports. Currently, karting is approaching a small F1 competition, where tracks become larger, speeds higher, and costs elevated. On the other hand, with the introduction of electric karting, tracks will become smaller, races more intense, shorter, and more aggressive. They will be less physically demanding and cost-effective, equivalent from a technical perspective. Races will turn into exciting sprint car shows, potentially partially transitioning to indoor arenas or city centers, making them more accessible, visually appealing, and battles more intense.
I predict that electric technology will turn karting into a form of motorsport entertainment for the first time. Audiences will buy tickets to witness the competition, sponsors will compete to support athletes and teams, and they will use it as a platform to present their series and products to a wider audience.
Sorry but this has been tried where i live several times and no one shows up, its simply not apealing to most.
First off all they are to heavy if i remember correctly 165kg for a junior, second they are to slow compared to other classes, this most likely to make them run an heat without running out of power.
Then there is the issue with the infrastructure at most tracks, supplying power to a whole field of karts will be a challenge, i know Rotax “solved” this be coming with diesel generators, but thats kind of a joke if you ask me.
But for me the biggest down side are the very limited fields, and i Can not see that changing any time soon.
Yes, the Rotax Junior or Senior class karts are approximately 160 kilograms in weight, perhaps there have been some improvements in the past year.
Blue Shock Race karts in the Junior class weigh 87 kilograms, and in the Senior class they weigh 105 kilograms. The most powerful class, which is equivalent in power to DD2 and is capable of competing even in the maxed-out version with KZ2, weighs 110-115 kilograms, depending on the chassis configuration. This makes BSR karts very close to traditional gas-powered karts.
Yes, charging is a question that needs to be addressed. However, there is infrastructure at every track, as compressors, lights, charging small batteries, and various other elements are operated in each tent. Thanks to BSR’s battery swap system, it’s possible to charge batteries separately with a higher-power connection or to pre-charge them the day before at a hotel from a regular wall socket and then race with fully charged batteries. Of course, not all tracks are perfectly equipped with electrical connections, but solutions exist and new tracks are incorporating them as a standard.
This will take some time, as all new things do, until it becomes a standard. For those who have electric cars, such as the Hyundai Ioniq, it’s possible to charge the electric kart from the car. In one day, you can charge the most powerful BSR electric kart up to 15 times with the car’s battery, and the car will still have plenty of battery left to reach a Supercharger in tens of kilometers. It’s more a question of willingness to adopt and adapt to future technologies.
A junior Rotax is 145kg a Senior 162, from what i have seen the Electric karts are significant slower then the “same” junior/senior Iame/Rotax kart.
The infrastructure is not something you by magic just solves, there is a huge difference between power for the lights, compressors ect and two full fields of karts that needs to be charged In between heats, from what i have heard and seen you Can not run a full raceday on one charge.
At the moment the electric karts are just inconvinient, not really cheaper, slower and with close to no fields. The price and having a race series with a decent field is what you need to fix, both will cost a lot of money.
Dont get me wrong i think its good that,some one is trying an alternative way to karting, but we just need to be realistic about it.
No, but it doesn’t have to be solved all at once. It can be solved one track at a time which is how most infrastructure challenges have been solved over time.
Maybe all tracks won’t (or can’t feasibly) adapt to electric. But in a sense, that puts it in line with practically any other class.
I don’t want to oppose your statements, they are indeed correct in their own way, but if they are not paid attention to or not considered more broadly, everything can always seem like a problem or limitation. It’s not for nothing that the saying goes, a person with a hammer sees nails everywhere.
For example, since BSR started organizing multiple championships, we educated race organizers on how to correctly distribute power and other tricks and tips, which allowed the track to accommodate 200 gas-powered kart participants and an additional 20 electric karts without increasing the track’s power capacity. But before our educational process, issues arose – like not realizing that extension cords shouldn’t be coiled, or that wire cross-sections need to be properly matched, and as soon as the electric karts were plugged in for charging, fuses on the track were often blown. However, we showed how to achieve the same without such problems.
Unlike other manufacturers, BSR’s battery swapping system ensures that charging can be done 2-3 times slower and in parallel. This means that the charging load for 20 of the most powerful BSR karts is up to 3 times smaller on the power grid during the race day compared to fixed-battery karts. This is because each kart’s battery charges even while they are on the track, and battery connection to the grid is not simultaneous, but with 10-15-minute spaced intervals and other nuances. This significantly reduces the track’s power demand and allows a large part of the charging to happen off-track, with the equipment prepared in advance, enabling multiple runs.
All of this is new and requires a bit of adaptation time, but as I mentioned before, if you ask the right questions, you can quickly find the right solutions, and what seemed like a problem might no longer be such a big issue.
Here is nice video, how electric kart event was organized in GENK and managed over 20 electric kart charging super easy:
In recent weeks, the BSR team has been spending more and more time on the track, pushing the limits to test new improvements. Their goal is to systematically assess the capabilities of the X-Gen generation power unit they are currently developing. In the video, you can see how the BSR 2.2 25kW+ power units compete with KZ2 class karts during a training day of the Baltic Championship. The kart is piloted by Emīls Akmens, and the chassis is the Birel ART KZ2 2023 model. Throughout the day, they completed 5 training sessions with two batteries, changing them between sessions. One training session took place in heavy rain, and there was no reason to hold back, as they were already faster than any KZ2 kart on the track. Stay tuned for an upcoming video showcasing how BSR is setting the world record for the fastest industrially produced electric kart.
This is a good question. It greatly depends on the type of engine and power class you are comparing. For instance, if you are comparing small Honda engines used in recreational karting, their maintenance is usually inexpensive and infrequent. These engines typically fall into the 7kW BSR power unit class or even lower. In this case, the benefits for maintenance cost reduction are minimal.
However, it’s a different story when you compare it to top-tier high-power engines. In these classes, internal combustion engines are almost rebuilt after each weekend to maintain similar performance. This usually costs between $500 to $1000 USD, depending on the experience level of the mechanic and the level of preparation for the engine. Imagine having to pay an additional $1000 USD for karting expenses every weekend just to prepare the engine for the next race.
On the other hand, electric engines don’t require such frequent maintenance. In the case of BSR, the longest-running electric engine has been operational for 8 years and still provides the same power output. The battery is the component that wears out faster. If you have 2 replacement batteries, charge them in parallel, and maintain them in good condition all the time, they will easily last for 2-3 years with no significant power drop, although the capacity may slightly decrease over time, which is normal. But even if we assume a battery costs $3500 USD, when spread out over 1 or 2 years, the investment per ride would be just a few tens of dollars.
Of course, if you mistreat the battery and handle it poorly, it can deteriorate faster, and the joy won’t come cheap. The long-term cost-effectiveness of electric karting is the main advantage and the reason why many new athletes, especially hobby drivers, are choosing BSR. It offers high power, easy driving without the need for gears, and low maintenance costs.
Electric technologies will become cheaper, which has already been evident in electric cars over the past 10 years.
In terms of cost, over the next 5 years, the technology in karting for both internal combustion and electric engines will approach a 1:1 ratio in terms of initial investment. At that point, the benefits of electric engines will be taken for granted and won’t really be compared to internal combustion anymore.
The main advantages of internal combustion are that these engines are widely available currently, and people are educated to work with them. So, as long as it’s good, it’s okay to use them. Another significant advantage is the runtime. Of course, with internal combustion, you can drive longer without the need for extensive preparation and refueling. This is a minor advantage, not crucial, because after a certain point, it becomes difficult to drive for an extended period at high speeds.
Internal combustion engines won’t disappear, at least not for another 10-20 years. They will simply slowly become classics or retro, like many other things, and there will always be enthusiasts, fans, and others who will use them, enjoy them, and over time, it will become stylish to drive something like a shifter kart, for example. These vehicles will become rarer but more valuable with time.
Electricity is just one of the alternatives. In a decade or so, there will be new things, new technologies, as everything evolves.
