The Delta is not what you would call a nice-looking car. It has three doors, 2+2 seating, molded windows, a magnesium frame, and a fiberglass-polyester body. It has a single DC motor and a front transaxle underneath its hideous facade, and about 40% of its 2,300-pound curb weight is for the battery pack — a unique blend of lead-acid and nickel-cadmium. Moreover, it could go 100-120 miles per full charge, but only if it went 30 to 35 mph on level terrain. Otherwise, it could reach a 55 mph top speed.
In an archived PDF file from the Museum of Innovation & Science, the NBDO’s vice president of R&D, Dr. Arthur M. Bueche, spilled more about the Delta EV’s speed and driving range. “From a standpoint of quietness, cleanliness, convenience, economy, and safety, electric vehicles offer many potential advantages,” said Dr. Bueche. “But there are still many unsolved problems, and a great deal of research and development remains to be done.”
The driving range suffers when driven at higher speeds (55 mph), and then there’s the issue of battery density and the recharging times. “We need to pack more kilowatt hours of electricity into each pound of battery and still keep costs under control,” added Dr. Bueche.
The folks at GE had a three-electrode battery that recharges in under an hour, but it’s expensive and is mainly for space and defense purposes. The Delta utilized a proprietary battery that recharges in eight hours via a standard 110V outlet.
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