1. What is the Quarter Mile Time Equation?

The Quarter Mile Time Equation estimates a vehicle's elapsed time (ET) for a quarter mile drag race based on its weight and horsepower. This provides a theoretical performance benchmark for comparing vehicles.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the equation:

Where:

• \( Weight \) — Vehicle weight in pounds (lbs)
• \( HP \) — Engine horsepower (hp)
• 6.29 — Empirical constant

Explanation: The equation shows that quarter mile time is proportional to the cube root of the weight-to-power ratio.

3. Importance of Quarter Mile Calculation

Details: Quarter mile time is a standard performance metric that helps compare acceleration capabilities between different vehicles under standardized conditions.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter vehicle weight in lbs and horsepower in hp. All values must be valid (weight > 0, hp > 0). The result is a theoretical estimate under ideal conditions.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: How accurate is this calculation?
A: This provides a theoretical estimate. Actual times vary based on traction, gearing, aerodynamics, and driver skill.

Q2: What's a good quarter mile time?
A: Under 12 seconds is excellent for production cars, 14-15 seconds is average, and over 16 seconds is relatively slow.

Q3: Does this account for drivetrain loss?
A: No, this uses raw horsepower. For wheel horsepower, multiply by ~1.15 for rear-wheel drive or ~1.25 for all-wheel drive.

Q4: What about electric vehicles?
A: EVs may perform better than calculated due to instant torque delivery, especially at lower speeds.

Q5: Why the cube root relationship?
A: The cube root accounts for the fact that acceleration improves disproportionately as power-to-weight ratio increases.