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Originally Posted by Mshkttck
um... Will there be a secondary engine for low-speed manuvering?
or could there be a turbo-prob like device that could somehow transfer thrust from the Ion engine to the wheels for cornering?
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that is a very good question.
hmm. yes. there will need to be a means to generate power to the wheels distinct from the ion power. i would guess at this stage it would need to be some form of a very hi-performance electric set up.
i want the vehicle, then, to be capable of AWD, similar to, but beyond, the GT-R's ATTESA system. i am thinking, as i type this, that each wheel will have it's own individual electric motor, maybe even having each wheel itself being an actual driving motor. this will eliminate the need to create a transmission/ transaxle/ half-shaft/ VLSD type of mechanical design, thus eliminating gears.
another huge issue is tire compound design. at speeds of over 700 mph, there will need to be a tire, as well as a rotating assembly design, that will not disintegrate. i have thought that the vehicle can actually retract the wheels and hover over longer, faster, straightaway sections of track to eliminate the need to constantly have tires on the ground. the 30% earth gravity will allow for distance gliding at the driver's descretion:
when a certain velocity is reached, higher or lower, the wheels can either retract or emerge, necessitating a vigilance when driving, similar to anticipating gear shifts. perhaps the wheels can remain as they are, but are covered up by a movable/ retractable aeroshell for each individual wheel.
curved sections of track will need to be extremely raked/ bermed to keep the car glued to the surface. i imagine some curved sections of track reaching a totally vertical "centrifuge" type of angle. this will create fantastic g-forces upon the drivers.
in this scenario, the driver(s) will be more like pilots.
mshk, your ideas are very helpful to me. i enjoy this meeting of the minds.
