E-karts from Linde eMotion
Electric Speed
Back in 2010, Linde sparked a sensation with the E1, which was created when engineers integrated an electric forklift truck drive into a race kart. Just a short while later, the new e-speedster broke the existing world acceleration record. This record drive by the E1 laid the foundation for further e-karts containing Linde technology.
“An electric kart that uses forklift truck components? Why not?” thought the Linde eMotion engineers back in 2010 before getting straight to work. Their love for experimentation and expertise produced the Linde E1. The design involved fitting the engine, battery, display, control system and software from an electric counterbalanced forklift truck in a KZ 1&2 racing kart chassis. With a maximum torque of 150 Newton meters, the nippy electric speedster reached an impressive high speed of 120 km/h.
With so much power under the hood, kart experts could hardly wait to finally see the E1 in action. Would the forklift engine prove itself on the racetrack? In 2011, Andreas Wolf delivered incontrovertible proof that the e-kart was race-ready as he accelerated from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.45 seconds, thereby breaking the existing world record.
E-karts for Everyday Use
Although the speedster’s spectacular maiden run astonished the experts, it still had one undeniable shortcoming: the E1 was far from well suited for regular racing on a kart track. The inventors from Aschaffenburg built it specially for the acceleration record attempt. The battery performance was nowhere near sufficient for a full race. Nonetheless, no one doubted the kart-building skills of Linde eMotion any more.
The E2 is optimized for use on kart tracks.
The E2 is optimized for use on kart tracks.
It didn’t take long for the engineers to get back to work and the record-breaking kart was soon followed by the E2, suitable for everyday use. It, too, contained proven components from Linde series forklift trucks and, with increased staying power and a top speed of 85 km/h, it was much better suited to kart racing.
Despite its restricted top speed, the E2 was not short of zip, with the Linde drive delivering engine power up to 16 kilowatts, allowing the compact speedster to go from 0 to 70 km/h in 5.1 seconds. Thanks to the improved battery charging, the e-kart can cover a distance of up to 30 kilometers at a time.
E-DRENALINE – The Name Says It All
With the E2, Linde eMotion opened the doors to the professional kart business. In 2013, just two years after the E1 spectacularly broke the world record, the company went into partnership with the Italian kart manufacturer CRG. The collaboration proved fruitful: In just a few months, an e-kart was launched on the market under the evocative series name “E-DRENALINE.”
The Linde engineers also stuck to their proven concept for this new development, relying on forklift truck technology for all relevant components. They hardly needed to make any changes to the engine, with only minor adjustments required. These included reducing the size in order for it to fit perfectly into the CRG chassis.
We just made the engine slightly smaller so it fits in the kart. However, it is in principle still just a normal forklift truck engine, exactly as you would find in a regular Linde truck.
Wolfgang Klüpfel, Head of Linde eMotion
Software for the Win
But the engine is not the only Linde technology that the E-DRENALINE series benefits from. The vehicles are fitted with Linde fleet management software, which enables access control via RFID chip and wireless data transfer among other things. The system collects and analyses vehicle data and alerts kart track operators to any wear and upcoming maintenance work.
CRG also fits shock sensors to the e-karts. In the event of a severe impact, the vehicles brake automatically in order to protect the driver and vehicle from possible damage. The sensors also notify the operators if the vehicle has been damaged during driving. This allows kart track operators to intervene and prevent any consequential damage.
Would you like to rent e-karts for your event?
From customer or employee events to open days, e-karts amaze both old and young alike. We can offer you a full package of e-karts with a 150 m racetrack, time capture, driver equipment and on-site support.
