Thirty Odyssey batteries are used to feed an electric motor rated at 260-kilowatts (the equivalent of 350 horsepower) and an impressive 850 pound-feet of torque. Public preconceptions of electric cars as wimpy fiberglass golf carts are starting to wane, ever so slowly.
Like the monster trucks you can see at just about any stadium around the country, this Bigfoot has tires that make crushing cars easy and four-wheel steering for better maneuverability. In all, the truck's 36 batteries add an extra 1,375 pounds, and while the system includes on-board battery chargers, there is no word on how long such a job would take.
Besides having an electric powertrain, the #20 BIGFOOT is equipped with heavy-duty ZF planetary axles, a ProFab transfer case and 25-inch steel wheels with 66-inch tall Firestone tires. The model has also switched back to a Ford body after briefly using a Chevrolet body in 2010.
Do we need to remind you that, because it’s electric, the truck has all that torque on tap at zero rpm?
Press Release
ODYSSEY® Battery BIGFOOT® No. 20 Monster Truck, World's First Electric Monster Truck
READING, Pa. (Nov. 27, 2012) – ODYSSEY® battery by EnerSys, a primary sponsor of the 2012 BIGFOOT 4x4, Inc. monster truck team, provided ODYSSEY® batteries to power the world's first electric monster truck: the ODYSSEY® Battery BIGFOOT® No. 20 Monster Truck.
Each of the 36 ODYSSEY® PC1200 batteries that power the ODYSSEY® Battery BIGFOOT® No. 20 Monster Truck weighs 38.2 pounds, but provides 1,200 five-second pulse hot cranking amps (PHCA), as well as 540 cold-cranking amps (CCA), 78 minutes of reserve capacity and 400 cycles of deep cycle capability at 80 percent depth of discharge (DOD).
The ODYSSEY® Battery BIGFOOT® No. 20 Monster Truck carries a custom-designed 2012 fiberglass body and includes a battery-powered electric motor, which was designed and built by Dennis Berube of Phoenix to wield 350 horsepower and 850 foot-pounds of torque. Three banks of 10 ODYSSEY® batteries power the engine for a total of 360 Volts. The additional six ODYSSEY® batteries power the brakes and steering systems. Other custom features include onboard battery chargers and variable-speed programmable speed controller.
"We've been sponsoring BIGFOOT® monster trucks for almost 10 years," said Dave McMullen, director of commercial marketing for specialty and UPS markets at EnerSys®. "The punishing conditions of a monster truck race are a perfect demonstration of ODYSSEY® batteries at their rugged best. We are particularly excited to be part of the world's first battery-powered monster truck, and are proud of BIGFOOT 4X4, Inc.'s confidence in our batteries that they play such a
"ODYSSEY® batteries have helped our team to win more than 20 monster truck championships," said Jim Kramer, vice president of research, technology and driver development of BIGFOOT 4X4, Inc. "We're happy to have ODYSSEY® batteries as a partner in the development of the ODYSSEY® Battery BIGFOOT® No. 20 Monster Truck. Developing a custom electric monster truck is part of our efforts to keep up with ever-changing technology. For now, the ODYSSEY® Battery BIGFOOT® No. 20 Monster Truck will be used in static displays and parades, but as we become more experienced with the electric power unit, battery maintenance, controller adjustments, drive lines and weather, our fans may just see it perform car crushes or even compete in monster truck shows."
About EnerSys®
EnerSys®, the world leader in stored energy solutions for industrial applications, manufactures, distributes and services reserve power, motive power and starting, lighting and ignition (SLI) batteries, chargers, power equipment, and battery accessories to customers worldwide. SLI batteries are used for trucks and buses, passenger cars, boats, personal watercraft, ATVs, motorcycles and garden tractors. The company also provides aftermarket and customer support services to its customers from more than 100 countries through its sales and manufacturing locations around the world. For more information about EnerSys® and its ODYSSEY® batteries, visit www.enersys.com or www.ODYSSEYbattery.com.
About BIGFOOT 4x4, Inc.
Since its inception in 1975, BIGFOOT, The Original Monster Truck®, has gone on to achieve worldwide notoriety, and spawned an entire family of BIGFOOT monster trucks that have pioneered the growth of the monster truck industry. Created by St. Louis-area contractor Bob Chandler and his wife Marilyn in 1975 as a promotional tool for their Midwest Four Wheel Drive business, the BIGFOOT fleet has captured 29 National Championships, set numerous world records for monster trucks, and travelled to more than 26 countries. In 2009, BIGFOOT was named one of the "Top 5 Marketing Vehicles of All Time." Since 1975, more than 20 BIGFOOT vehicles have been constructed, and today the team campaigns seven (soon to be nine) BIGFOOT monster trucks full-time in North America, in addition to one based full-time in England. The team achieves in excess of 4 million live impressions each year and will have over 800 appearance days in 2012 with more expected in 2013. Over half-a-million BIGFOOT toys are sold every year. Visit the team online at www.bigfoot4x4.com
