Follow UK Investment Immigration and Life in the UK: Lord Drayson was awarded the Simms Medal for setting four electric vehicle land speed records with the revolutionary all-electric B12 69/EV.
The Simms Medal award ceremony took place yesterday afternoon at the Pall Mall Clubhouse, aimed at recognizing innovation and individual contributions to the automotive industry.
After Lord Drayson bravely challenged and successfully set the World Electric Land Speed Record, the Technical Committee of the Royal Automobile Club of the United Kingdom awarded him the prestigious Simms Medal in recognition of his contributions to automotive innovation.
This year's Simms Medal acknowledges Lord Drayson's advocacy for new automotive technologies and his boldness in showcasing their potential in the most extreme manner, which has proven to be very successful. The Technical Committee believes that while setting four electric vehicle land speed records with a car weighing less than 999 kilograms, Lord Drayson also exemplified a spirit of adventure.
Lord Drayson drove the B12 69/EV, sponsored by Qualcomm Halo and built by his company Drayson Racing Technologies, at a remarkable speed of 205.139 miles per hour, creating a new electric vehicle land speed world record recognized by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). He also set the British Land Speed Record for a car powered entirely by tire-driven propulsion components. In October 2013, Lord Drayson set a new world record for static quarter-mile acceleration with a time of 9.742 seconds.
In commenting on receiving the Simms Medal, Lord Drayson stated: “I am extremely honored to receive the Simms Medal awarded by the Royal Automobile Club of the United Kingdom, and I am very pleased that we could showcase the potential of electric vehicle (EV) performance in the most extreme environments. These records would not have been possible without the support of our partners Qualcomm, Multimatic, Cosworth, and Michelin. These innovative companies are eager to join us in attempting to break these records.”
Ben Cussons, Chairman of the Automobile Committee of the Royal Automobile Club of the United Kingdom, said: “We are delighted to recognize the outstanding achievements of the British automotive industry. One of the missions of the Royal Automobile Club is to continually promote the development of all automotive endeavors, even in times of economic hardship. Attracting attention to automotive innovation is an important part of our work in advancing this vibrant sector of manufacturing.”
He added: “From Segrave to Cobb, to Campbell, Noble, and Green, the Royal Automobile Club has recognized many land speed records set by renowned British drivers over the past decades. Today, Lord Drayson joins this illustrious group. We have previously honored land speed records set by vehicles powered by gasoline, diesel, steam, and gas turbines, and now we are pleased to add the first electric vehicle land speed record to that list.”
