Altair Nanotechnologies Inc., a leading manufacturer of safe, high-performance lithium-titanate battery pack products and energy-storage products, announced that Dennis “Kilowatt” Berube set the National Hot Rod Association’s (NHRA) Super Pro class world speed record for electric dragsters by driving an electric vehicle powered by Altairnano battery packs.
Powered by Altairnano’s lithium-titanate battery packs, Berube's electric dragster, named the Current Eliminator V, accelerated to a speed of 153.6 mph at the Speedworld Motorplex drag strip on December 15, covering a quarter-mile in 8.10 seconds, setting a new electric dragster world speed record. Dennis Berube started his first day at the track with the Altairnano battery pack and with limited time, on a single day, ran times of 10.04, 8.84, 8.40, 8.23 and finally a 8.10-second run – very significant improvement, with three of these times breaking his old record of 8.801 seconds.
“We are truly thrilled for Dennis,” said Dr. Alan Gotcher, president and CEO of Altair Nanotechnologies. “Not only is it a great milestone for Dennis, but it is a great milestone for the alternative energy transportation industry. People think of electric vehicles as golf carts, but as Dennis’s new world record shows, electric vehicles are extremely powerful and capable of impressive speeds.”
In 2006, Berube’s Current Eliminator IV, the predecessor vehicle to his Current Eliminator V, earned more prize money than any other dragster in
A founding competitor of the National Electric Drag Racing Association (NEDRA), Berube holds several records for his speed and racing accomplishments.