Drifting karts in accordance with embodiments of the invention are described that include a front wheel drive train and rear caster wheels that can be dynamically engaged to induce and control drift during a turn. One embodiment of the invention includes a chassis to which a steering column is mounted, where the steering column includes at least one front steerable wheel configured to be driven by an electric motor, a battery housing mounted to the chassis, where the battery housing contains a controller and at least one battery, wiring configured to provide power from the at least one battery to the electric motor, two caster wheels mounted to the chassis, where each caster wheel is configured to rotate around a rotational axis and swivel around a swivel axis, and a hand lever configured to dynamically engage the caster wheels to induce and control drift during a turn.
1. A drifting kart, comprising:
a chassis to which a steering column is mounted, where the steering column includes at least one front steerable wheel configured to be driven by an electric motor;
a battery housing mounted to the chassis, where the battery housing contains a controller and at least one battery;
wiring configured to provide power from the at least one battery to the electric motor; and
two caster wheels mounted to the chassis, where each caster wheel is configured to rotate around a rotational axis and swivel around a swivel axis;
wherein the caster wheels are mounted to the chassis such that they can be dynamically engaged to induce and control drift during a turn;
the two caster wheels are mounted to the chassis via a rotatable member that is connected to the hand lever; and
rotation of the hand lever rotates the caster wheels from a first position where the caster wheels are aligned so that the weight on the caster wheels limits the ability of the caster wheels to swivel about their swivel axes, to a second position where the caster wheels are aligned so that they are free to swivel about their swivel axes.
2. The drifting kart of claim 1 , wherein the steerable wheel is mounted to a zero camber zero rake fork.
3. The drifting kart of claim 2 , wherein the steering column is configured to rotate through 360 degrees.
4. The drifting kart of claim 3 , wherein each caster wheel is configured to rotate 360 degrees around its rotational axis.
5. The drifting kart of claim 2 , wherein:
the electric motor is a variable speed electric motor; and
the power delivered to the variable speed electric motor is controlled by an acceleration pedal.
6. The drifting kart of claim 5 , further comprising a seat mounted to the chassis and positioned in front of the battery housing.
7. The drifting kart of claim 6 , wherein the seat is mounted to the chassis so that a steering wheel fixed to the steering column and the hand lever are within reach of a driver seated in the seat and so that the driver is seated low to the ground.
8. A drifting kart, comprising:
a chassis to which a steering column is mounted, where the steering column includes at least one front steerable wheel configured to be driven by an electric motor;
a battery housing mounted to the chassis, where the battery housing contains a controller and at least one battery;
wiring configured to provide power from the at least one battery to the electric motor; and
two caster wheels mounted to the chassis, where each caster wheel is configured to rotate around a rotational axis and swivel around a swivel axis and wherein the caster wheels are mounted to the chassis such that they can be dynamically engaged to induce and control drift during a turn;
a pair of fixed wheels connected via an axle;
wherein the hand lever is configured to raise and lower the pair of fixed wheels; and
wherein the casters are mounted to the chassis and the hand lever engages the caster wheels by raising the fixed wheels.
9. The drifting kart of claim 8 , wherein the fork is a zero camber zero rake fork.
10. The drifting kart of claim 9 , wherein the steering column is configured to rotate through 360 degrees.
11. The drifting kart of claim 10 , wherein each caster wheel is configured to rotate 360 degrees around its rotational axis.
12. The drifting kart of claim 8 , wherein:
the electric motor is a variable speed electric motor; and
the power delivered to the variable speed electric motor is controlled by an acceleration pedal.
13. The drifting kart of claim 12 , further comprising a seat mounted to the chassis and positioned in front of the battery housing.
14. The drifting kart of claim 13 , wherein the seat is mounted to the chassis so that a steering wheel fixed to the steering column and the hand lever are within reach of a driver seated in the seat and so that the driver is seated low to the ground.
15. A drifting kart, comprising:
a hollow tube chassis to which a steering column is mounted, where the steering column includes at least one front steerable wheel mounted to a zero camber zero rake fork that is configured to rotate through 360 degrees and where the at least one steerable wheel is configured to be driven by a variable speed electric motor;
a battery housing mounted to the chassis, where the battery housing contains a controller and at least one battery;
wiring configured to provide power from the at least one battery to the variable speed electric motor;
an acceleration pedal connected to a throttle that controls the power delivered by the at least one battery to the variable speed electric motor;
two caster wheels mounted to the chassis via a rotatable member, where each caster wheel is configured to rotate 360 degrees around a rotational axis and swivel 360 degrees around a swivel axis;
and where rotation of the rotatable member dynamically engages the caster wheels to induce and control drift during a turn by rotating the caster wheels from a first position where the caster wheels are aligned so that the weight on the caster wheels limits the ability of the caster wheels to swivel about their swivel axes, to a second position where the caster wheels are aligned so that they are free to swivel about their swivel axes;
and a seat mounted to the chassis and positioned in front of the battery housing so that a steering wheel fixed to the steering column and the hand lever are within reach of a driver seated in the seat and so that the driver is seated low to the ground.