originally posted 07-30-2007
updated 12-28-2015
Best lead acid powered acceleration: 0-60 in ~ 3.5 seconds !
Best lithium ion powered acceleration:
0-60 in ~ 1.8 seconds !
10.258 sec. @ 123.79 mph : Sept 11, 2010
He attributes the faster times and longer range to a new lithium manganese cobalt polymer pouch battery from Dow Kokam. He also has boosted the size of the White Zombie’s electric motors from 772lb-ft of torque in 2009 to 1,250 today.
1-18-2011
http://nedra.com/
PORTLAND, OR (JULY 30, 2010)
Returing to the track after a few adjustments from the Wayland Invitational the weekend before, the White Zombie and crew’s efforts were rewarded with a 1.5 second improvement turning a 10.4 second run against Nissan’s Godzilla, a pocket rocket gasser GTR.
To get the record for a 10 second Street Legal EV the White Zombie needed another run within 1% of the 10.424 run and what better way to take the record then to race a gasser. The Taunter jumped into action to find the ultimate competitor to take on. He found it in a Skyline GTR that had been stoking the crowd – Japan’s super car, affectionately called Godzilla by the automotive press and road tested with 0-60 at 3.3 seconds. This rare and exotic 485 hp twin turboed monster had already run an 11.4 at speeds approaching 120 mph on this evening! Matt, the owner and driver was a very good sport and agreed to take on the Zombie, knowing John’s crew had just ripped off a 10.424 ET. With cameras rolling, Nissan’s Godzilla lined up against a 38 year old Nissan. At 9:47 pm history was repeated as the Zombie launched hard, immediately pulled away from the potent super car, and ripped off 10.400 on the nose with a slightly lower trap speed of 117.21! But enough to get the record.
Portland International Raceway
July 23 to 24
White Zombie makes the first 6 second 1/8 mile run for a Street Legal EV
August 01, 2007
I’ve never been a big fan of motor sports, but here’s a story that makes me want to jump in my car, drive down I-5 to Portland, Oregon, and cheer on the White Zombie.
On a recent Friday night at the Portland International Raceway, John Wayland scanned the dragsters, looking for an opponent for his geeky looking 1972 Datsun 1200 sedan. Finally, he challenged the owner of a souped-up 2005 Corvette, the hottest-looking car at the track, to a quarter-mile race.
When the starting light flashed, the Datsun, known as White Zombie, shot silently past the Corvette and kept widening the lead as the two cars faded into the distance. “Oh man, right off the [starting] line he had me,” said the Corvette’s owner, Robert Akers, shaking his head.
March 18th 2007
White Zombie will be running for the first time this year on its new more powerful battery pack, at PIR Sunday afternoon. The new twin pack of Genesis batteries (2 X 360V) can output 1500 amps,
Electric cars are typically known for their fuel efficiency and environmental bona fides, not for their speed and muscle. But Mr. Wayland, 47 years old, is changing that, and has become something of a hero to a small group of hot rodders dedicated to humiliating gasoline-powered cars. The night White Zombie beat the Corvette, it also trounced two other “gassers,” as Mr. Wayland calls them — a blue BMW and a bright orange 1964 Pontiac Tempest.
Just looking at it, you wouldn’t think the White Zombie would strike fear into the hearts of drivers of souped up muscle cars. In fact, it looks like it has no business being on the track…until it gets the green light.
“One of the scariest-fastestest cars I have ever been in! White Zombie is a great name for that car…I got out I was probably White as a ghost and felt like a Zombie!”
– Quote from Derek Barger, a member of the Killacycle Racing Team, after his ride in White Zombie at PIR
Powered by dual 8 in.(“Siamese 8”) Warfield Dual armature series-wound motors for 240+ hp w/ 772 ft. lbs. torque.
Roderick Wilde
September 29, 2005
The Zombie did its best time of the night with only a two thirds charge. It turned a 12.151 second ET at 106.25 mph which is also its top speed so far.
July 13-14 2007 ‘Wayland Invitational III’
Portland International Raceway, Portland, OR
Bill Dube and his racing team coming to Portland with Killacycle, the world’s quickest electric vehicle. Powered by A123 Systems lithium Ion batteries. Bill is loaning his spare bike pack for use in White Zombie. Bill and his team are shooting for the 7s, while the 700 lbs. lighter lithium powered Zombie shoots for low 11s!
July 14, 2007
1/4 mi in 11.466 sec’s. @ 114.08 mph
see a few good photos of the Zombie and Wayland