With most, if not all, major car manufacturers already selling or developing electric cars, one was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show which bucks the trend. This is the MUTE – the brainchild, not of a multi-national but Munich’s Technical University – designed to cost the same or less than a comparable petrol model, while performing and looking good too, says the research group’s Michael Graf.
“This should be an affordable vehicle that is designed especially for the urban area.” Designed, built and tested at the university MUTE weighs in at 500 kg, achieved through a special lightweight frame made of a combination of aluminium and plastics. MUTE will cost less than 10,000 Euros and the academics are also working on innovative options for financing the switch to electric cars that could see buyers leasing batteries. At the other end of the budget spectrum comes Concept One. An electric car from Croatia, capable of nought to 100kph – 62mph in under 3 seconds – due to a revolutionary propulsion system, says designer Mate Rimac. SOUNDBITE: MATE RIMAC, CONCEPT ONE DESIGNER, SAYING: “The special thing about our car is our propulsion system. So, the drive chain is divided into four units. Each unit contains one motor controller and reduction gear box. Every of these units is completely independent of the other, so we can control each wheel separately and the that allows whole new possibilities for driving the (unclear word) in corners we can allow each wheel to slip a little bit and that can deliver very fast times in tracks and also on the every day use it is very safe and everyone can drive a 1000 horsepower car.” The independent drive units allow the wheels to slip a little as the car takes corners at speed – which Rimac says increases safety. A lightweight carbon body and battery give it a range of up to 600km or 375 miles. The company plans to make just 88 of the cars at a price yet to be announced
[Reuters]
