Super Concept Cars Blog

The Italdesign Quaranta was designed to celebrate Italdesign Giugiaro’s forty years of business in styling and technological research. The concept was inspired by the Bizzarrini Manta concept from 1968. But in reality the Quaranta has a lot more in common with the Volta concept created by Italdesign for Toyota in 2004.

The Quaranta uses a 3.3 litre V6 Toyota engine with Hybrid Synergy Drive to provide 268 horsepower and 212 lb-ft of torque. The innovative aspect of this engine lies in the ability of the electronic control system to regulate the power distributed by the electric motors to the wheels, making the clutch-gearbox-transmission block superfluous.

The batteries which power the electric motors are located between the engine compartment and the cockpit. These are replenished by the solar panels positioned on the roof and through regenerative braking. The Toyota Hybrid Synergy Drive system also includes the E-CVT Electronic-Continuously Variable Transmission, an automatic planetary gear transmission with ratios varying infinitely as speed changes. This power source and transmission system gives the concept a rapid 0-60 mph time of just over 4 seconds as well as a massive 621 mile range.

Access to the Italdesign Quaranta’s cabin is “step-in” via an upper door incorporating the side ones. At the touch of an electric button, the door opens upward while regulated by proximity sensors for safety.

Inside, the most striking features are the central driving position and multi-control steering wheel which houses all the vehicles driving and control functions on the spokes.

The dashboard has been conceived with a sporting, modern look, with clean-cut details matching the style of the exterior, and equipped with a vast array of instruments. These are organized on two levels: the screens of the side and rear TV cameras are positioned on the upper level, with particular attention to the left-hand view mirror, useful when overtaking; the lower level is dedicated to the management of the vehicle. The drive-panel also includes a visor for X-ray sensors for night driving.

A company planning to build a hybrid car plant in Baldwin County today made a pact with a well-known Italian firm to design those vehicles during a splashy ceremony in Montgomery.

Representatives of Hybrid Kinetic Motors and Italdesign Giugiaro signed a contract for the styling and engineering of a line of hybrids that are slated to be produced in Alabama starting in 2013.

Italdesign Giugiaro has worked with major automakers around the world and has developed more than 200 car models over the past 40 years.

Red carpet, spotlights and music marked Tuesday’s ceremony, which culminated with the unveiling of the Quaranta concept car designed by Italdesign Giugiaro to mark the firm’s 40th anniversary. It’s a 156 mph supercar powered by a hybrid system.

The Quaranta was shown in Montgomery as an example of the style and engineering that will be a part of the Alabama-built hybrids, said CT Wang, CEO of Hybrid Kinetic Motors.

Many people think hybrid vehicles are small with limited horsepower, but “the hybrid can be exciting,” he said.

Media from Europe and Asia attended the ceremony, along with local and state leaders including Gov. Bob Riley and Lieutenant Gov. Jim Folsom.

Hybrid Kinetic Motors’ founder and chairman is Yung Yeung, a former Chinese auto executive.

Coming to the next North American Auto Show in Detroit, BMW will show a 1 Series based EV called the Concept ActiveE. This is yet another piece of evidence that all of the big auto manufacturers will be getting into making electric vehicles in one way or another. And, since this is a BMW, it looks like they’re tying to keep it as fun to drive as possible.

Let’s deal with the specifics first, and then we can talk about the potential impact after that. The BMW Concept ActiveE is rear wheel drive and that means it should be fun to drive, especially when you consider all the torque that electric motors can churn out. And speaking of the EV 1-Series is powered by synchronous electric motor that is all new and was designed and will be purpose built for this car. The motor develops 125 kW/170 bhp, and puts out a maximum torque of 250 Nm / 184 lb-ft. The electric motor gets its juice from a lithium-ion battery pack that was jointly developed by BMW and SB LiMotive (a German electronics firm). The custom tailored battery features a new stable temperature regulating function that optimizes the battery packs performance.

Weight? Well, as for all things EV, it’s kind of on the porky side. The BMW Concept ActiveE tips weighs 1,800 kilograms or 3900 lbs. Given the size of the BMW 1 Series, that is pretty hefty, but not all that bad for an EV.

In wanting to bring the performance up to BMW standards, they have kept the center of gravity low and have kept weight distribution as even as possible. When you add this to the rear drive layout, then it’s easy to believe that the BMW Concept ActiveE ” … has everything it requires to provide the dynamic driving properties and agile handling in the style of the BMW 1 Series,” as BMW says.

Performance-wise, the little EV should scoot from zero to 100 km/h (62mph) in less than 9 seconds, and tops out at an electronically limited to 145 km/h (90 mph). BMW says that the “real-world range” should be about 160 km / 100 miles on a single charge, depending on conditions.

And speaking of charging, keeping the lithium-ion battery pack topped up is handled via conventional power outlets at public charging stations or at a special wall box at home. In Europe, the battery pack can be fully charged at a 50 ampere high-current power outlet in as little as 3 hours. And in North America, using a 32 ampere continuous high-current residential wall box, the charge time is around 4.5 hours.

The ActiveE is just a concept, says BMW, but I wouldn’t be too surprised to see this one on the road soon.

What is it
An electric car based on the i10 city car, which is enjoying booming sales under the scrappage scheme.

Hyundai says electric cars are crucial if it is to meet its target of bringing down the average CO2 emissions of its range to 95g/km by 2020, but it plans a low-key start with the battery-powered i10.

Limited production of the car will begin late next year, with vehicles going on trial with Korean government departments and domestic fleets.

However, UK importers have expressed interest in conducting tests with the car. ‘We would be very interested in taking it,’ said a Hyundai UK spokesman.

The British importer believes the plug-in i10 could do particularly well in London, where Mayor Boris Johnson wants to create the electric-car capital of the world.

Hyundai says it is unlikely that the car will have any significant presence in Europe until 2012 at the earliest.

‘The problem is that there would be a very high cost for the batteries alone – perhaps €10,000 (£8000),’ says Hans-Ulrich Goebel, Hyundai’s European product planning manager.

‘It is likely to be some time before we could expect to see acceptance of such a cost by private customers, but there is potentially a big market for electric small vans.’

Allan Rushforth, vice-president of Hyundai Europe, added: ‘The threshold of what is acceptable varies from country to country and is dependent on what incentives governments are prepared to offer motorists to take up such systems, but ultimately, the customer will have to pay.’

Hyundai i10 Electric

Performance and range
The electric i10 is driven by a 49-kilowatt (65bhp) electric motor powered by a 16 kw/hr lithium ion polymer battery.

Hyundai claims a range of 100 miles on a full charge and a top speed of 80mph.

Recharging takes five hours using a standard domestic socket, but the batteries can be restored to 85% of capacity in 15 minutes through an industrial (420V) power point.

 

At this year’s Frankfurt Motor Show, the German E-Wolf’s show is shaped like a Lotus 7-type while the former face of the E1 resembles a shark single-seat electric car, carbon-fiber body makes the use of vehicle weight of only 500 kg, its advantages can be everyone’s attention.

E-Wolf Car Standard

E-Wolf does not meet the E1 results in order to concept cars with E1 as the Frankfurt Motor Show this year, appeared in front of us the E2 two-seater electric concept car, has also released the first official map, and will be officially listed in 2011.

E-Wolf E2 electric concept car

E-Wolf E2 electric concept car

E2 electric concept length 5000mm × width 1900mm × high-1200mm, learned in the appearance of many classic sports car design, and their. The exaggerated front air intake resembles Ferrari Enzo, while the wedge-shaped lines will have to reminds us of the Lamborghini, to the tail while showing a hint of Broadcom Mantide taste. As a zero-emission electric vehicles, vehicle quality and only 900 kg, is really something to raspberry.

E2 is full of electric power can be an ultra-endurance running 300km, while the use of fast charge, then half an hour you can reach a certain level of power, E2 lithium battery design life of at least 10 years. It is learned, E-1 will be on sale in early 2010, while the projected 2011 sales of E-2 may be better brought back everyone’s interest.

Watching futuristic movies such as the Demolition Man and Minority Report has given us an insight into what the future holds in the automotive industry. The concepts which employ a soothing high-tech styling theme could one day be seen in full production form rather than the heavily toned down models we are limited to at the moment. The new Nissan Nuvu Concept is one such model that would nicely fit into the future, the curvaceous body profile, smooth design lines and futuristic interior back up this theory. But back in reality, we are actually looking at a preview of the next generation Nissan Micra.

The mini car is just 3 meters long but the interior has been designed to provide occupants the kind of space usually accustomed to models in the C segment with its 2+1 layout.

Power for the concept comes courtesy of a zero emissions Electric drivetrain, it previews a system set to be employed in the electric vehicle Nissan plans to launch in Japan and the United States in 2010. This electric motor is mounted on the rear of the vehicle with all of it power output directed to the back wheels. Power and torque figures are being withheld at this time, but Nissan are kind enough to announce it has a driving range of 125km and a top speed of 120km/h.