Since electric vehicles first looked like an achievable reality, there’s always been one key drawback – range. Before electric cars become the norm, we must first overcome the issues surrounding battery life and long recharge time. This is where Delta Motorsport enter the frame.
Delta Motorsports was originally set up ten years ago as a consultancy service for the motorsports industry. By 2009/10, the company opted to take on the task of engineering an electric vehicle. Throughout this process, they realised just how many challenges stood in their way. Limited range of battery packs, increased charge time and the lack of charging stations were all problems they were forced to confront. The risk of becoming stranded with an electric vehicle is also a serious concern. If the battery drains and you’re away from a charging station, you’re in trouble. These issues meant that an electric car is only capable of being a run-around vehicle, useful for nothing more than a few short errands.
The MiTRE System
The MiTRE system was built to deal with some of the issues facing electric vehicles. This micro-turbine charger was intended to boost the capabilities of electric cars. Delta Motorsports completely conceptualised this technology themselves. It’s specifically designed to be small, light and cost efficient too. To achieve this, they opted to use turbo machinery, similar to a turbo charger. They then added a generator to it.
Nick Carpenter, Engineering Director of Delta Motorsport explains: “The advantages of the combustion system we’ve developed is that it gives significantly lower emissions than you’d be able to achieve with a piston engine, without significant after treatment.”
Supporting the Battery
The range extender technology never drives the car. Its sole purpose is to generate enough electricity to support the battery. This changes the electric car from a novel technology to something attainable for practical use. The MiTRE system can be pre-set to turn on when the battery life drops below a specific point. Alternatively, if a longer journey is desired it can be turned on early to increase the range exponentially.