Electric go-karts are proving to be an exciting new field, offering thrilling rides on indoor and outdoor tracks yet without the same maintenance requirements, fuel cost, or emissions concerns as internal combustion go-karts. And now a new electric go-kart from Blue Shock Race is demonstrating just how high performance an electric drivetrain can be in a go-kart. The company’s kart recently set a new world record with an impressive triple-digit speed.
Keep in mind that this isn’t some kid’s toy.
The Latvian-based go-kart maker Blue Shock Race has just announced that it broke the world record for fastest production electric go-kart with a 163 km/h (101.3 mph) speed run.
The event took place at Gotlandring in Sweden, the world’s first sustainable race track, as the locale celebrated its 20th anniversary earlier this month. The track is normally used for car racing but can be configured for go-karts during certain events.
A mostly unmodified kart was used to set the record in order to “show the performance that you can get from an ‘off the shelf’ product,” the team explained.
The record-setting speed run took place in the 590-meter (1,936 feet) straight section of the track’s southern loop.
At the wheel of the kart was skilled Swedish go-kart driver Leo Obrant. As he explained, “This was my first experience with electric karts. I have raced internal combustion engine karts, but the top speed in races for those is about 130-140 km/h. I have never driven a go-kart this fast.”
With a 25 kW (33.5 hp) electric motor supplied by a 5.4 kWh battery pack, the 120 kg (265 lb.) kart certainly has the performance necessary to push it to such extreme levels.
And since this is a production electric go-kart, it’s a thrill that isn’t only limited to professional racers. However, newcomers to karting are likely better off starting with a lower-power model before going for a 100+ mph ride.
Many karting enthusiasts are now gravitating toward electric go-karts over their internal combustion engine counterparts for several reasons.
Electric go-karts offer instant torque resulting in rapid acceleration and a more exhilarating driving experience.
They operate much more quietly, reducing noise pollution and allowing for their use in more areas where traditional models wouldn’t be permitted due to noise requirements.
Electric go-karts are environmentally friendlier, emitting zero tailpipe pollutants, and they often require less maintenance due to fewer moving parts. The elimination of exhaust fumes also makes for a more pleasant environment, especially in indoor karting arenas.