Introducing the World's First, Fastest (and Only) Electric Log Car

The Pioneer "Cedar Rocket" holds a few titles. In addition to being the world’s fastest log car, it also happens to be the world’s first and only log car, at least as far as Road & Track knows. Its Guinness World Record is in a category unto itself, but that doesn’t mean the cruiser isn’t impressive. 

The vehicle was constructed by log house builder Bryan Reid Sr. (you might know him from the HGTV Canada show Timber Kings) and two of his friends, a mechanic and a turbine manufacturer. Reid had been considering a log car for a while, but the idea started to pick up steam when the three friends found themselves chatting at an auto auction in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Reid told Road & Track: “We're standing there, the three of us—there's a turbine manufacturer, a mechanic, and a log builder. Gerald started doing a little sketch, and pretty soon he had a fun-shaped log with tires and wheels. And then he sketches turbines on it. Gerald's doing this diddly-doodlin', and all of the sudden the idea comes."

The single-passenger car took more than 3000 hours of work to build. It’s made from a Western Red Cedar log (the rings suggest it’s as much as 240 years old) with repurposed parts from a Mazda RX-8. It’s an electric car powered by eight very heavy lithium-ion batteries, and weighs, in all, about 2200 lbs.

To achieve the world record, Guinness required the Cedar Rocket to make a run of 31 miles per hour within an hour, which it did, at the Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park in Chandler, Arizona.

Reid told Autoblog that the builders briefly considered a fuel engine but, "Then we starting thinking, man, this is 2016, and that's why we went totally electric. We're glad we did. It worked out great."

The car will be auctioned off at the place where the concept initially came together: the Barrett-Jackson car auction. Until then it will be on tour, impressing onlookers and raising money and awareness for veterans groups.

To see more awesome photos of the world’s first, fastest, and only electric log car, scroll below, and check out the websites for Pioneer Log Homes and The Pioneer Cedar Rocket.

Banner image via Instagram // timberkingbryansr.

[h/t Digg]