StarOnline Car News

[StarOnline]

Meet Vega, Sri Lanka's all-electric supercar: BBC Autos

At first blush, it’s lunacy – a 900-horsepower, all-electric supercar from an island nation best known for tea and tourism, not tech.

Yet the team behind the stunning Vega sports car has credentials – and financial backing – befitting similar passion projects emerging in California’s Silicon Valley. The effort is the brainchild of technology entrepreneur Harsha Subasinghe, chief executive of Colombo-based CodeGen, a developer of software for the travel and tourism industry. Building a luxury sports car is certainly a departure for Subasinghe, but one with broader objectives than simply a quick zero-to-60mph time. (That’ll be 3.5 seconds, according to the Vega’s builders.)

Subasinghe envisioned the Vega not only as an all-electric thrill machine, but a demonstration of Sri Lankans’ ability to develop advanced transportation technologies.

“Getting people to believe that a complex engineering project like a supercar can come from Sri Lanka is a huge challenge for us,” says Beshan Kulapala, the car’s project manager. “This country produces some of the best engineers in the world, but in the past we’ve been afraid to commit to innovative product development for fear of losing, or being ridiculed.”

From a purely technological perspective, there seems little chance of that. The car bears a sophisticated silhouette befitting a boutique hypercar, and considerable innovation beneath that sheet metal. Dual electric motors power the rear wheels, producing a combined 900 horsepower with 530 pound-feet of torque. Carbon-fibre construction helps hold vehicle weight to about 3,000lbs – rather remarkable, given the density of the on-board lithium-ion battery packs. The team, comprising over 30 engineers and other personnel, is developing what Kulapala – a 13-year veteran of Intel with a PhD in electrical engineering – calls a state-of-the-art motor controller, and new thinking around battery packaging. Says Kulapala: “The lithium battery modules have a number of innovations in packaging, safety, battery management, system hardware, and firmware and software., “Our eDiff [electronic differential] will also run cutting-edge algorithms to control the vehicle in different road and driving conditions.

More Info - http://www.bbc.com/autos/story/20150211-meet-vega-sri-lankas-900-horsepower-supercar

[StarOnline]

What are your thoughts members?

This is my first post here

[Crosswind]

my thoughts are you should search the forum before posting...

this was discussed, laughed at and forgotten long time ago...

[Crosswind]

and if you want to know how difficult it is to build a car from scratch, I suggest talking to Dr. Lawrence Perera of Micro Holdings. It took decades of effort for him and his dedicated team to come up with the original micro car... and finally they gave it up cos the post-production problems were not worth it.

These IT guys live in a fancy world, where a crash is simply resolved by restarting a server or something... real life is much more different than that.

[MasterDon]

Discussed before I think.Maybe mods can merge threads.

As Crosswind mentioned it is a daunting task designing and building even a single prototype let alone putting it in to production.The probability of failure is very high.However I shall remain cautiously optimistic and hope these can guys turn out something great.

[bycap]

and if you want to know how difficult it is to build a car from scratch, I suggest talking to Dr. Lawrence Perera of Micro Holdings. It took decades of effort for him and his dedicated team to come up with the original micro car... and finally they gave it up cos the post-production problems were not worth it.

These IT guys live in a fancy world, where a crash is simply resolved by restarting a server or something... real life is much more different than that.

lol.. this is very true. solving problems much easier in software development. no matter how many times you test it. fix it, run it, fix it, run it .... :D

[The Don]

The $400,000 price tag will raise a few eye brows I guess as its more expensive than a Tesla. The car is purely aimed at the Hyper car market and probably Arab playboys, the biggest customers of those cars.

A few things worried me in the article, particularly when they talk about driver engagement and how they say it might not be up to current super cars. That itself is not a good way to think about it, as your product will have to exceed or meet current standards to have any chance finding a market.

The other issue is funding, and they will have to go out to venture capitalists and fund the project. 0.5 million for a hyper car is just not enough, however impressive it to have found that much in initial capital.

I'll keep an open mind, but lots of challenges lie ahead.

[tux]

I have seen this car under development couple of weeks back.

It's powered by 2x 450hp 3 phase, permanent magnet motors. Each motor powers a rear wheel independently. There is no diff. Just 2 x single speed reduction gear set. So differential behavior need to simulate using software by controlling power separately to each motor.

Car internal frame is made by welded pipes and I have no idea how welded pipes going to survive with 900hp output and super speed

[Crosswind]

I have seen this car under development couple of weeks back.

It's powered by 2x 450hp 3 phase, permanent magnet motors. Each motor powers a rear wheel independently. There is no diff. Just 2 x single speed reduction gear set. So differential behavior need to simulate using software by controlling power separately to each motor.

Car internal frame is made by welded pipes and I have no idea how welded pipes going to survive with 900hp output and super speed

[Watchman]

The last time this story was shared someone had some photos of the car/workshop. And it looked more like a dune buggy than the frame of a super-car. Seeing that frame is what makes you skeptical more than anything else. Ohh well.

[madmax]

I see it as pure marketing gimmick to get exposure the IT company that's behind it.

Edited February 13, 2015 by madmax

[VVTi]

I see it as pure marketing gimmick to get exposure the IT company that's behind it.

It is....

[Devinda_Z]

I see it as pure marketing gimmick to get exposure the IT company that's behind it.

Max do they have enough financial clout to see this through??

If it doesn't work out wouldn't the whole exercise be counter productive?

[The Don]

Tubular welded chassis by itself is not an issue for a prototype. A lot of supercars have tubular chassis, but made of composites rather than steel, but I guess you can start off with steel.....

[madmax]

Max do they have enough financial clout to see this through??

If it doesn't work out wouldn't the whole exercise be counter productive?

He's not Elon Musk is he? LOL

[Dinukap4]

This is like those Wired Remote Control Cars we used to cry about to our parents to buy when we went to Katharagama.

Edited February 14, 2015 by Dinukap4

[AbeysinghE]

I'm seriously doubt about the future of this car...still too early to comment on this...

[Pericles]

Max do they have enough financial clout to see this through??

If it doesn't work out wouldn't the whole exercise be counter productive?

You should know this company, Dev. This is where Dragster used to work. Or works. I haven't exactly kept track of the bugger.

[iRage]

Met this guy at a conference for returning expats....he is a self-proclaimed "crazy man". All in all still have to give a "A" for effort and hope for the best, What happened to the guy who started running cars on water ? He should have a joint development with these guys....

Oh wait...electricity and water....best combo ever right ?

Edited February 15, 2015 by iRage

[Devinda_Z]

You should know this company, Dev. This is where Dragster used to work. Or works. I haven't exactly kept track of the bugger.

OMG!!

Blast from the past!

Peri I noticed a new FSP as you drove in to C.G last weekend....

[madmax]

OMG!!

Blast from the past!

Peri I noticed a new FSP as you drove in to C.G last weekend....

He has a new FSP every week, I've lost track of who he's dating LOL

[killercruise]

We should be really proud of this project becuase at least Sri Lankans are trying to enter the automobile industry. Our people should not try to demotivate them,our people are best at this that's why we are still a third world country (most because of jealousy).

The problem I see in this project is that they are trying to target high end customers at the start itself. They should first target the small customers and gain reputation.

If I had so much money and I was to select between a tesla and this car, I would go with tesla because of their reputation in the automobile world(anyone's choice).

But I hope this project would turn in to a success somehow or the other.

All the best for the future of the project

[Jor-el]

What is the meaning of FSP? Fuel Sucking Pig?

[Crosswind]

We should be really proud of this project becuase at least Sri Lankans are trying to enter the automobile industry. Our people should not try to demotivate them,our people are best at this that's why we are still a third world country (most because of jealousy). The problem I see in this project is that they are trying to target high end customers at the start itself. They should first target the small customers and gain reputation. If I had so much money and I was to select between a tesla and this car, I would go with tesla because of their reputation in the automobile world(anyone's choice). But I hope this project would turn in to a success somehow or the other. All the best for the future of the project

I am going to build a bridge to maldives... will u be proud of me?

or if I say something more sensible like if I try to build a bridge over kelani river, does it sound better?

Those who know about cars, know that this is nothing different from the statement... anyway i'm almost certain that the bridge to maldives will eventually end up being a bridge over kelani river, since this is nothing but a publicity seeking exercise... sorry... not proud...

[killercruise]

I am going to build a bridge to maldives... will u be proud of me?

or if I say something more sensible like if I try to build a bridge over kelani river, does it sound better?

Those who know about cars, know that this is nothing different from the statement... anyway i'm almost certain that the bridge to maldives will eventually end up being a bridge over kelani river, since this is nothing but a publicity seeking exercise... sorry... not proud...

So what do you suggest they do then ? Stop the project because SL people are not fit enough to do it?

As per my view they are marketing the vehicle while they are building it (good way to get angel investors).

I have seen on some foreign forums some people are really appreciating their hard work unlike our people.

Cheers