GT5 Fun with i-MiEV on Two Wheels

Several searches of this forum failed to find this fun video showing an i-MiEV in a GT5 race repeatedly cornering on 2 wheels with the other 2 wheels way off the ground! I also liked the sound it made when it passed the camera in contrast with all other cars.

No word on how it finished, but it did seem to be passed frequently by other cars. So maybe we don't need to know how it finished

Sadly, this video leaves the viewer with a very WRONG impression of the iMiEV - our North American iMiEV DOES NOT behave like that, even in the hands of a driver skilled at picking up the car onto two wheels (analogous to flying a hull on a catamaran, with similar reflex reactions).

The scenario shown in the video just won't happen that easily in our iMiEV, for two reasons:

1. The wider stance of the NA iMiEV with that battery pack centered and way down low makes it a very different car than that shown in the video. I'm curious where the battery pack is located in the iMiEV shown in the video.

2. The ASC would simply kick in and keep us from doing something like that.

I'm actually worried that in any controlled maneuverability speed tests the iMiEV might score poorly simply because the ASC will kick in and slow the car down.

Anecdote - just last week I was chased up a very very twisty climb by a beemer: the iMiEV had him going around the curves and especially accelerating out of the turns, whereas the beemer would eventually catch up on the straights… yes, I turned off ASC… with 60psi in the tires my little iMiEV is a great go-kart… and maybe the beemer driver, who seemed to be in a big hurry, didn't know his car as well … but I digress (and it sure wrecked my RR).

BTW, have any of you noticed that when on a steep downhill decelerating turn that regen cuts off unexpectedly (ASC engaged)?

JoeS said:

BTW, have any of you noticed that when on a steep downhill decelerating turn that regen cuts off unexpectedly (ASC engaged)?

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Leaving my place I'm on a downhill ride and have noticed the regen cutting short , I though it was because the battery was fully charged and did not need more charging.

sandange said:

Leaving my place I'm on a downhill ride and have noticed the regen cutting short , I though it was because the battery was fully charged and did not need more charging.

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sandange, thanks for the comment. Yes, when the battery is fully charged, then regen is indeed restricted (a good battery-management feature). My Honda Insight does something similar but also does it when its battery gets warm/hot from repeated use. What I was referring to was with an iMiEV partially-discharged battery and driving downhill fairly fast around a sharp curve with no braking and regen nicely slowing the car and then suddenly having the regen kick out and basically put the car into 'coast'. It's not really a problem, but just a 'feature' I suspect is associated with ASC. It hasn't happened enough times for me to definitely pin this down and I was simply wondering if anyone else had experienced it.