“Miss R” prototype challenges Tesla Roadster

An electric supercar prototype dubbed the “Miss R” could rival Tesla’s Roadster 2.0 revealed at the Tesla Semi truck launch on November 17.

Testing by Taipei electric powertrain manufacturer XING Mobility of its 1mW prototype is due for completion in late 2018.

It uses a new modular, immersion-cooled battery system, developed in-house with chemical maker 3M’s Novec 7200 engineered fluid technologies.

The new battery technology is also being deployed globally in city buses, ride-sharing scooters and construction vehicles, XING Mobility says.

Its rally-inspired supercar includes off-road capabilities and is described by the company as a vehicle designed for performance driving with four-wheel torque vectoring and capable of staggering speeds. Powered by four independent 350V motors Miss R has a projected performance of 0-100km/h in 1.8 seconds, 0-200km/h in 5.1 seconds and a top speed of over 270km/h.

Tesla’s Roadster, hailed at the world’s fastest production car, is reported to be capable of reaching nearly 100km/h in 1.9 seconds and get to a top speed of 402km/h.

“The core idea behind the prototype is to achieve game-changing performance levels and driving experiences that are otherwise impossible to achieve in a gasoline-powered vehicle,” XING Mobility co-founder and chief executive officer Royce YC Hong says.

The company says the “secret sauce” behind the prototype’s surprising power is its patented immersion cooling technology, which avoids overheating risks associated with battery cells like the commonly used 18650 lithium-ion cells.
The XING battery system consists of stackable, LEGO-like battery modules which house 42 lithium-ion cells, all of which sit directly in the 3M Novec 7200 fluid.

Novec fluids are a family of non-conductive fluids long used for solvent cleaning, heat transfer applications, fire suppression and supercomputer cooling.
3M describes the products as smart, safe and sustainable solutions intended to clean, cool, coat and protect with a high level of performance, a large margin of safety, and with environmentally sustainable properties.

Miss R’s battery pack can produce 1mW with 98 modules holding 4116 cells, between 30-50% less than that of other electric supercars being produced, the company says.

Range isn’t revealed but the company says a highly efficient and lightweight battery swap system allows the entire battery enclosure to be exchanged within five minutes.

A series of initial tests have been held, with the next step high-speed testing and the completed prototype to be shown in late 2018.
The company will build just 20, likely to be sold in 2019 starting at US$1million.

By comparison, Tesla Roadster prices start at US$200,000 and it’s expected to be available from 2020.