Here is what they say. Lawrence Rhodes..... VALIDATING THE TEV TECHNOLOGY
Validation Test at Nashville SuperSpeedway Testing Saturday, September 7th was halted prematurely as a result of an axle bearing failure after only 17 miles. While this was certainly a disappointment it is not considered the end of the program by any means. Immediately upon returning to the workshop in Lebanon planning began for repair of the DeLorean which will include close attention to all mechanical systems, including bearings all around . At this point a date for a repeat of the validation test has not been established as we have to access the time it will take to be fully prepared. In addition, strong consideration is being given to convert a more modern vehicle, perhaps an SUV, that may be more capable of handling the stress inherent in this type of testing. The intention would be to run both the DeLorean and this "second" vehicle at the same time. While, understandably, Saturday did not turn out as anticipated several positive statements can be made: Bobby Allison, after taking three laps at speeds up to 85MPH, commented he was impressed with the car's power and performance. He commented to the media it was a shame to have a $25 part cause the test to stop. He is still interested in the technology and we will keep him updated on a regular basis. Several independent engineers on hand to witness the test and inspect the DeLorean filed Validation Certifications before they left the racetrack. Their comments include: "fast and only an increasing pitch hum" " Using a Wavetek 27XT multimeter the batteries tested at 144.8 V after the drive" "silent , smooth and compelling" "I feel the technology is there , I feel the chassis was not fully prepared for the banking on the Superspeedway" " top speed was 96MPH" (used stopwatch and lap distance) "I built an electric car. I know this vehicle could not go more than 10 miles without recharging it's batteries so the TEV charging system must work" This test is not considered a failure, however we acknowledge it did not provide the irrefutable evidence we need to provide for the wide acceptance of this technology. We view the difficulty encountered as minor and we will shortly announce the next test date...stay tuned !!!
