John Wayland is a daring 47-year-old who has changed the preconceived notion that electric cars are widely known for their fuel efficiency instead of speed and muscle. He belongs to a group of hot-rodders who “humiliate” all gasoline-powered cars. For example, his “White Zombie” is an electric 1972 Datsun Sedan, which he bought in 1985 for $585, that can go from a standing start to 109 miles an hour in 11.9 seconds, making it one of the fastest street-legal cars in the nation. Other hot rodders like Wayland put cars like Corvettes to the test on the race track proving that electric power can appeal to the environmentally friendly speed freaks. White Zombie and the other electric cars compete in the most popular drag-racing category: the one for cars that can be driven on regular streets. Anybody can drive up and compete in this "street-legal" category. White Zombie has two powerful motors normally used to operate forklifts and 36 12-volt storage batteries crammed into the back seat and trunk. Unfortunately, and to our dismay, most electric cars in the U.S. are little more than “souped up golf carts with fewer batteries and much less power.” -See a video of the electric Datsun racing after the jump
Posted by Dani
Via: Wall Street Journal
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