Tech details of first all-electric Aston Martin released

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Aston Martin Rapide E

Images from Autocar Photography : Nick Dungan

Aston Martin’s first all-electric production car the Rapide E will be a limited 155-unit special edition. The company have however now released technical details for the Rapide E.

Aston Martin has utilised Williams Advanced Engineering’s successful Electric Vehicle (EV) technology to kickstart a new era for their powertrain technology. The aim is to overcome the technical challenges associated with packaging the battery system and motors within the small space available.

A focus has been put on achieving effective cooling of the batteries and motor to ensure consistent performance. Strict weight targets have also been stringently observed. Rapide E will be powered by an 800V battery electrical architecture with 65 kWh installed capacity using over 5600 lithium ion 18650 format cylindrical cells. This battery system powers two rear mounted electric motors producing a combined target output of just over 610PS and a colossal 950Nm of torque.

Rapide Es Technical Details:

  • Projected top speed for the Rapide E is 155 mph, with a sub-4.0sec 0-60 mph time and a 50-70 mph time of just 1.5sec.
  • Range target is over 200 miles
  • Charging at a rate of 185 miles of range per hour using a typical 400V 50 kW charger.
  • The 800V high-voltage battery enables faster charging of 310 miles of range per hour, using an 800V outlet delivering 100kW or higher. 
  • Shod with Pirelli P Zero, Rapide E’s bespoke tyres aim to deliver a lower rolling-resistance and reduced cavity noise.
  • The rear-wheel drive twin electric motors will drive through a Limited-Slip Differential.

Though the Rapide E will be built in low volumes, it is being subjected to Aston Martin’s stringent and exhaustive testing protocols. The dedicated Williams Advanced Engineering team are working closely alongside Aston Martin to ensure every aspect of the prototype test programme follows the established procedures. Uniquely, customers will be an extended part of the ongoing Rapide E programme, with their comments and driving experiences providing an invaluable stream of feedback that will help shape and improve future Aston Martin EVs.

Why you shouldn’t be put off working on your car

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car servicingThere is a common feeling that cars have now become too mechanically complicated to work on unless you are a qualified technician. Since carmakers started putting covers over the engine and undertrays beneath it people often feel intimidated forgetting that under the cover there’s everything the internal combustion engine has always had. And with the AA saying that half of the 3.4 million call-outs it attends annually are caused by poor maintenance maybe we should all take a little more interest in what’s under the hood.

Drivers who can’t afford regular servicing or those who simply want to attempt it themselves as a hobby, shouldn’t be put off. A year is considered the maximum time your car should go without a service, it could save you a lot of money in the long run. If early signs of damage are spotted and taken care of before they worsen then you will save the inconvenience of a breakdown. A well-maintained car is also more efficient, so not only will you spot problems early you’ll also save money on fuel.

The AA’s patrolman of the year, Keith Miller: “The fundamentals of looking after an internal combustion engine haven’t changed over the years, so it’s actually a bit of a myth that you can’t service a modern car yourself,” he says.

Things to check when servicing a car

  1.  Change your oil
  2.  Replace your filters
  3. Change spark plugs
  4. Check your brake fluid
  5. Check your tyres
  6. Check brake pads for wear
  7. Check lights and wipers for correct operation

If you love working on your car then check out our 8 ways to upgrade your car blog from earlier this year.

You’ll also find loads of automotive upgrade products in our online shop.

 

 

 

 

Which Washers to choose?

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Specialist WashersViper Performance have a range of specialist washers for professional hose connections such as oil lines and fuel lines, bulkhead fittings. All washers are manufactured for AN/JIC fittings and are sold in boxes of 70 pieces. We have three different materials to choose from:

Aluminium Crush Washers

Aluminium crush washers are specifically designed to form against the sealing faces. These single layer aluminium washers are popular with fuel systems when sealing banjos or adaptors. Once they are formed they should not be re-used.

Mixed box of sizes AN-3,4,6,8,10,12    Buy Now

Teflon Washers

These Teflon washers are particularly well suited for use on bulkhead fittings. When a bulkhead fitting is installed on a fuel tank they offer excellent resistance to fuel and seal the fittings. They can be used for a number of oil/fuel resistant applications.

Mixed box of sizes AN-3,4,6,8,10,12. Buy Now

Rubber Washers/ O rings

Or you can choose a more tradditional rubber washer for less demanding applications.

Mixed box of sizes AN-3,4,6,8,10,12 Buy Now

Hybrid cars exempt from 2040 Petrol & Diesel ban

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Hybrid Car EngineIn a move that has frustrated environmental campaigners, the government confirmed that Hybrid petrol and diesel cars will still be available for sale in 2040. This was however welcome news for the car industry.

Last year, ministers pledged to ban the sale of new cars powered with fossil fuels by 2040. However the transport secretary (Chris Grayling) confirmed on Monday ‘hybrid cars powered by both electricity and diesel or petrol – would be exempt’.

As well as the Petrol & Diesel ban the governments road to Zero strategy to reduce car pollution includes a further target. By 2030 their aim is for at least 50% of new cars to be ultra-low emission. If this target is successful it is stated that they expect “all new cars and vans to have significant zero-emission capability” by 2040 and “almost every” car and van to be zero-emission by 2050.

“I want it to be easier for electric vehicle drivers to recharge than for motorists to visit a filling station. I want them to choose electric cars because they are so convenient.”

This statement by Chris Grayling implies that the best method is to influence car buyers. He said that a delayed 400 million electrical charging fund would be put into action this summer. This is aimed to help expand infrastructure throughout the country, with hundreds of thousands more charging points on streets, in new homes and in workplaces.

Grayling also said that as well as reducing pollution, the new strategy set out a clear pathway for Britain to be a world leader in zero-emission transport. This strategy could represent a “huge global opportunity for industry and business” which could be worth £1tn a year by 2030.

Nevertheless, environmental groups have accused the government of weakening its commitments. The environmental group Greenpeace stated that the car industry was “yet again being given a free pass”. The Campaign for Better Transport also stated it was substandard, describing it as “a step backwards, giving concessions to keeping hybrids on the road, which will water down the already inadequate 2040 target”.

Although, Chris Grayling had told the Guardian – “I don’t think it’s watered down at all … We want to get rid of classic petrol and diesel engines. It’s about supporting the industry to deliver it and encouraging changes to consumer behaviour. I expect by 2040 every vehicle to have substantial zero-emission capability and most to be 100% zero-emission.”

Overall the car industry had disputed that these new 2040 targets have been adding worry for consumers. Which has contributed to fears over diesel cars, whose UK sales have slumped in the last 15 months. The chief executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (Mike Hawes) believed that the strategy acknowledged, “The vital role conventional engines, including diesel, will continue to play in the transition to 2040 and beyond”.

Hawes said that this was greatly received news for the car industry, and that they welcomed the “technology neutral approach”.

“We need realistic ambition levels and measures that support industry’s efforts, allow manufacturers time to invest, innovate and sell competitively, and provide the right incentives and infrastructure to take the consumer with us,”

The news that hybrids will not be banned allows a progression period in the industry. However, the 2030 targets for ultra-low emission vehicles remains a concern.

What are your thoughts? Head over to our Facebook page we’ve put together a poll to see what is powering our customers cars.

Two new products launched this month

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aluminium pipesAugust has been a busy month here at Viper Performance and we are excited as we have two new products launching at the end of August. Hose Joiners are ideal for joining hoses for Intercoolers, Radiators, Air inductions or superchargers. The two additions to our product range this month are:

Super Long 90° Elbow Aluminium Hose Joiner

Our first product launch will be a super Long 90° Elbow Aluminium Hose Joiner. Manufactured from 6063 billet aluminium these are high quality hose joiners with a super long 300x300mm leg length. They are roll beaded and polished so they look great.

  1. 1.5 wall – 32mm outer diameter – 32mm centreline radius – BUY NOW
  2. 1.8 wall – 51mm outer diameter – 63.56mm centreline radius – BUY NOW
  3. 1.7 wall – 63mm outer diameter – 73.025mm centreline radius – BUY NOW

Quality L Shape aluminium 90° elbow hose joiner

Produced from 6063 billet aluminium these L shape hose joiners with a 500x150mm leg length. These L shape hose joiner are available in the following sizes:

  1. 1.5 wall – 32mm outer diameter – 32mm centreline radius – BUY NOW
  2. 1.8 wall – 51mm outer diameter – 63.56mm centreline radius – BUY NOW
  3. 1.7 wall – 63mm outer diameter – 73.025mm centreline radius – BUY NOW

 

Would you pass a theory test?

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Theory TestIf you’ve been driving for years then chances are it’s been a long time since you clued up on the theory behind the driving. So the question is would you still pass?

We all like to think we have retained the knowledge from when we learnt but do you really know your stuff. Some questions on the theory test can seem simple and completely obvious but others testing signage knowledge or scenario based questions can catch you off-guard.

Theory Test

The theory test requires you to answer 50 questions in 57 minutes and you must answer 43 correctly, which is an 86% pass mark. In 2016/17 the pass rate for the theory test was 48.7%, which means over half of all people who take the test fail.

If you are intrigued as to how you would do in a theory test, then why not take a practice to see how you get on. There is a practice theory test available on the gov.uk website.

Hazard Perception

Whilst you’re at it see how you fair with the hazard perception test as well. The hazard perception segment of the test was introduced in 2002 so anyone over the age of 33 won’t ever have taken this test.

There are 14 questions in the hazard perception test and you will need to get 44 marks out 75 available to pass. This test is scored a little differently. In 13 of the questions, there is one developing hazard you need to spot. One question, which can appear at any time, will have two developing hazards. You need to click the mouse as soon as you see a danger ahead. Each question carries a maximum of five marks dependent on how quickly you click the mouse. Don’t be tempted to click too early though as you will get no marks for that question.

It can be great fun to see what the test entails and what your hazard perception skills are like.  You can take the free hazard perception test on the Safe Driving for life website.

*Both of these free tests are just for practice and the real tests may differ in content.

 

Regardless of whether you pass or not I’m sure you love to drive. Check out our online shop we have lots of products available to boost the performance of your car. 

 

 

 

 

Adding your logo to a silicone hose

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own logo on silicone hoseOne of the things we pride ourselves on, here at Viper Performance, is giving our trade customers the best possible product but still giving them the freedom to build there own brands. As such, unlike other silicone hose manufacturers, we are happy to add your own logos to our silicone hoses. This means you can have our great quality hoses with your own branding. In most cases we even offer a 3 year guarantee on non Viper branded hoses.

The process of applying a logo to a silicone hose

We have two methods, which we use to add a companies logos to a silicone hose.

Method 1 – Colour Logos long term regular orders

The most common method for branding hoses is a special printing method where we print your logo onto a run of plastic material. This requires artwork setup, printing plates and a minimum print run. The miniumum print run will give you anything from 800-1200 meters. Each metre will have your logo repeated many times. Budget £280-£380 depending on the size and colours. The process of adding the logo can only be done at the time of building the hose onto uncured silicone. The ink material will bond into the silicone at the curing stage in the oven. It is impossible to add a logo at a later stage. We don’t charge any more for

Method 2 – Black and white logo for small batches

We have developed a stencil, which costs just £90. The ink is hand painted, there will therefore be an addition charge to apply the logo.

Please Note: We will not print 3rd party brands or registered trade marks, you must own the rights and we will not accept and liability for artwork supplied to us.

For more information about custom logos please watch our YouTube video demonstrating how our process works below:


Are you a fabricator? We have recently written a blog on how we can help fabricators  take a look to see how we could supply you with the highest quality products for producing a range of car systems.

How we can help fabricators

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Car fabricatorsWe love helping fabricators by supplying high quality, reliable and superbly priced aluminium pipes and silicone hoses. Our team is passionate about producing high quality parts and we only use the best materials.

By creating strong relationships with fabricators of car parts we are been able to supply high quality parts, which can be turned into even better systems and resold for great returns. Our customer service is at the heart of what we do and we will always be on hand to help you with any query you have. We have an array of products available from stock or can create bespoke products if minimum orders are met.

Car systems that can be fabricated from our products:

  • Intercooler systems
  • Radiator hoses
  • Air induction
  • Superchargers
  • Intercooler systems

Benefits of choosing Viper Performance:

  • Trade accounts can buy direct from Viper at discounted
    prices (minimum orders apply).
  • The largest range of shapes, sizes, and diameters available immediately from stock.
  • Professional team always on hand to help
  • Confidentiality and integrity is always assured.
  • Unlike many other suppliers we are happy to put your branding on our products

If you are interested in our services and products then drop us an email at sales@viper-performance.co.uk or call us on 01952 670 702.

5 Tips to keep your car cool

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keep car coolWe are in the midst of the longest heatwave to hit the UK in 5 years. The Met Office stated that Sunday 8th was the hottest day in England this year when Gosport, Hampshire, reached 32.4C (90.3F). Porthmadog in north Wales holds the UK record for 2018 of 33C on 28 June. So with temperatures in excess of 30C how can you keep your car cool?

Air conditioning is great, for those who have it, but it doesn’t eliminate the issues when you first enter the car. If you’ve been parked directly in the sun for a long period of time then seats and steering wheels can become unbearably hot. To help you out we have compiled some tips on keeping your car cool:

1. Park in a shaded area

If possible the best way to keep your car cool is to find a shaded area to park. Try to ignore your instinct to park in the closest parking space, instead opt for a shaded spot. A slightly longer walk will be worth it when you enter a cooler car.

2. Cover your steering wheel

Probably the worst part of your car to sit in the sun is your steering wheel. Any driver will now that especially leather steering wheels are sometimes too hot to handle. Popping a small towel over your steering wheel could prevent temperatures getting too hot.

3. Use a sunshade

One of the most successful ways to keep your car cool is of course to invest in a sunshade or visor.

4. Throw blankets over your seats

If your car has leather seats you know just how hot these materials can become when exposed to sunlight and high temperatures. A quick and easy way to keep car seats cool is to throw blankets over them. Keeping your seats cool will make your car a much more pleasant place to be on a hot summers day.

5. Keep your possessions out of sight

As well as the car components themselves getting too hot any possessions left in the car are susceptible to rising temperatures. Metal items for example sunglasses can quickly become extremely hot. Try to keep everything out of direct sunlight.

We hope these tips make your car a more habitable space until that lifeline of air conditioning kicks in. If you’re enjoying the sunshine why not check out our blog on the best UK driving roads a great guide to making the most of your driving experience.

We have also produced a blog on how to prepare your car for the summer here.

 

Jaguar I-Pace wins Car of the year 2018

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Jaguar I-PaceI like driving in my car, it’s not quite a Jaguar!

Oh how I wish it was after Auto Express made the all-electric Jaguar I-Pace its Car of the Year for 2018.

In a world, which is on the precipice of an electric car revolution, the I-Pace really is a look into the future. Pushing the boundaries of technology but without compromising on quality or performance this is a car to envy.

Jaguars first all electric vehicle

Many have heralded the I-Pace as a triumph especially as Jaguar’s first effort at an electric vehicle. They have taken all the elements that people want in a car and fused them into one premium, high performance and practical vehicle.

With a top speed of 124mph and a 0 to 60-acceleration time of 4.5 seconds, the I-Pace is set to rival Tesla in the world of electric vehicles. With speed, comfort, refinement and practicality, it covers so many bases. The fact Jaguar has achieved this in an all-electric vehicle first time is something that should be commended.

The I-Pace’s Impressive Stats

Eurekar wrote a great article back in March detailing some of the impressive stats of the Jaguar I-Pace:

• Top speed of 124mph
• 0 to 60 acceleration time of 4.5 seconds,
• zero Emissions
• potential range of almost 300 miles on a single charge
• Powered by two electric motors – with a combined 400ps and 696Nm of torque on tap.
• Charging to 80 per cent can be done in 45 minutes from a rapid charger

We are bound to see many manufacturers releasing premium electric cars over the next few years, but at this particular moment in time Jaguar has beaten all of its established competition. A worthy winner of Car of the Year 2018.

If you’re not lucky enough to have a Jaguar either then maybe we have some products that could upgrade your existing car. Take a look at our shop here.