The McLaren Speedtail is the fastest McLaren ever, able to hit 300km/h in just 13 seconds with a maximum speed of 403km/h.
The McLaren Speedtail has been hammered to 403km/h more than 30 times by McLaren engineers during high-speed validation testing in the US. The hybrid hypercar boasts a combined output of 1150Nm of torque and will get to 300km/h from a standstill in just 13 seconds.
McLaren reckons the secret is the vehicle’s electrical system which is derived from learnings in Formula One. The battery pack, which is four times the size of the battery in the McLaren P1, is thermally controlled by a “dielectric cooling system and permanently immersed in a lightweight, electrically insulative oil which quickly transfers heat away from the cells. This system, the first of its kind in a production road car, is highly efficient and allows the cells to run harder and for longer”. This, according to McLaren, is how the thing is able to repeatedly hit 403km/h in quick succession.
Sounding a lot like an Arc Reactor, the McLaren Speedtail’s battery is set up as “a high power cylindrical cell arranged in a unique array, the 1.647kWh unit is at the cutting edge of battery technology, being extremely compact and delivering the best power-to-weight ratio of any high voltage battery available today – providing 5.2kW/kg and an output of 270kW”.
The electric motor, which uses Formula E-derived technology, generates more than 230kW. Power delivery is 8.3kW/kg, which is twice the efficiency of an average sports car. This electric motor is mated to a 4.0-litre V8 petrol engine.
“Engineers from McLaren Applied ‒ the McLaren Group division that focuses on virtual product development, telemetry, electrification and control ‒ worked with the Speedtail Electric Drive Technology team to integrate its ground-breaking motorsport-developed inverter and DC/DC converter technology into the electric drive system, ensuring the levels of control and power management required for the hybrid Hyper-GT to realise its extraordinary performance,” McLaren said.
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