Top Gear’s Slate test drive review: it does exactly what it says on the tin

[HTXSlate]

Get off my lawn kid. lol.
Unless the limiter is needed as a safety item (not singularly related to the
inherent dangers of speed), don’t limit my speed for better efficiency. Let me suffer the consequences of my actions for speeding. Don’t make that decision for me.

As if it never happened.

 

[KevinRS]

Get off my lawn kid. lol.
Unless the limiter is needed as a safety item (not singularly related to the
inherent dangers of speed), don’t limit my speed for better efficiency. Let me suffer the consequences of my actions for speeding. Don’t make that decision for me.

Probably just as much dictated by thermal management. Driving at 95 for any amount of time would both drain the battery far faster than you think, and generate heat in both the battery and motor at a high rate, and that heat has to go somewhere. It's only got a relatively small radiator.

 

[FlyHappy]

Probably just as much dictated by thermal management. Driving at 95 for any amount of time would both drain the battery far faster than you think, and generate heat in both the battery and motor at a high rate, and that heat has to go somewhere. It's only got a relatively small radiator.

This.
the battery and motor have real thermal issues to be managed, and Slate has to warranty them. It may well be the same reason the motor was downsized from 150kw to 135kw

 

[KevinRS]

This.
the battery and motor have real thermal issues to be managed, and Slate has to warranty them. It may well be the same reason the motor was downsized from 150kw to 135kw

Probably downrated, same motor, but limiting max input power. Since they didn't change 0-60 times or anything, there probably weren't many cases where you could get it to 150 kw anyway.

 

[Moe]

It’s called derating.

 

[FlyHappy]

Probably downrated, same motor, but limiting max input power. Since they didn't change 0-60 times or anything, there probably weren't many cases where you could get it to 150 kw anyway.

sure, but what I meant was the limiting thermal stress on the battery of the motor potentially at max output.
Either way, ensuring longetivity for both is in Slate's best (warranty) interest, and one very simple way to do that is via speed governance.

 

[Trace26]

Probably downrated, same motor, but limiting max input power. Since they didn't change 0-60 times or anything, there probably weren't many cases where you could get it to 150 kw anyway.

That means the right person with the right programing can "uprate" it

 

[kamesama980]

In other words, the article makes it sound perfect to me.

I 100% agree with not limiting me to an arbitrary speed "because it's safe" but there are lots of logical reasons to limit it to 90mph, nonetheleast of which being overspeeding the motor. There's a point at which things do come apart or the magnets can't switch fast enough. electric motors don't have as limited and pronounced of a HP/torque curve as gas engines but they still absolutely do. It also means the whole thing can be engineered around not having to be stable any faster. 90mph wheel bearings, 90mph CV axles, 90mph suspension, 90mph road and wind noise management, 90mph panel fasteners...