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What is the amount of electrical energy need to propel an electric car?

What is the amount of electrical energy needed to move one pound of weight, X number of feet, in a typical all-electrical car? For example - you have an electric car that weighs 1,000 pounds. How much electricity will you need to pull from your batteries to propel the car to various speeds? I am guessing that this output will also determine the amount of stored energy (in batteries) that will be needed to propel the car X number of miles. Is there a formula to determine the electrical output needed? Thanks

Public Comments

1. a horsepower is 750 watts. assuming the car makers don't put larger than needed engines in regular cars, those engines are 150 or so hp. so you need a 112 kW electric motor. Power needed depends on, as you mentioned, weight, but also wind resistance and more importantly uphill/downhill and stopping and starting......
2. The real problem is that the electric car has a very short range. Well U could double the batteries . Well batteries are very heave and that will not double the range. There is another problem that as batteries age the power will be lowered.
3. Weight/horsepower ratio's are fine and dandy for a 'fair-weather 'car'.' The forgotten aspect here,of a 3 season car is the addition of how to address wet and freezing and sub-0 external weather conditions. Most northern hemisphere cars are designed to create a comfort zone internally while at the same time produce real-time solutions to external weather situations. You must address the entire driving scenario-not just the minimal mechanical aspects.