Zero emissions madness for kart-hoons

Zero emissions, happy planet, 0-100km/h in under five seconds.

One of these things is, as the observant will have observed, not like the others. The planet’s never happy, it’s a rock. But zero emission, high adrenaline slighshots to the legal limit powered by nothing more than batteries and bravado are an absolute reality.

Spurred on by the example set by the all-electric Formula E racing series, Bosch has been showing of a new product – the e-kart prototype.

Designed from scratch as an electric vehicle, it’s going to threaten the gas-burning world of kart racing – the traditional feeder of circuit racing, especially single-seater

Despite their size, go karts can easily cost many times more than a family car, require serious spares packages, regular engine rebuilds and generous injections of cash.

The German industrial giant Bosch has an illustrious background in motorsport, and manufactures automotive components for all manner of vehicles. This gave it a very clear picture of what was needed and what would just add performance-sapping weight or drain too much of its electric mojo.

Even in its first test the e-kart was hitting 100km/h – now it’s doing that in less than five seconds, on its way to a 130km/h top speed.

Expectations are that those numbers will not be the same as the brochure boasts when it goes into production next year.

It’s more than an electric motor with a set and some fancy-looking Tupperware lids stuck to it – under the lightweight plastic body panels sits a scale version of a full EV drivetrain.

It’s even fitted with Bosch’s cutting edge new BRS (boost recuperation system) – essentially, but two electric motors that drive the kart’s rear wheels can spin backwards to assist braking and feed back a bigger burst of electricity to the battery.

With a 48-volt power system providing the punch, it hits like a Joseph Parker right, this cute package makes 20kW and 300Nm of torque.