The Best 3 Environmental Automotive Advancements
Green cars are now hitting production lines, and the waves are hitting the marketplace. Every major manufacturer is developing electric cars, most are looking at hybrids in some form. If you’re a driver, this could be the best thing to happen to your wallet since customizable car insurance.
Ideas are now the big issue in auto technology. The old petrol monsters are definitely on the way out, and the race is now to see which technology triumphs. The main criteria are range, performance, battery efficiency and recharging.
The new species of cars are providing a running commentary on the transport of the future:
Peugeot iOn: electric car
This is a full size family car, with a CO2 output of 0. Created in partnership with Mitsubishi, the iOn is a suburban runabout, with a range of 100km, or to the local mall and back 20 times, on one charge. Recharge of lithium batteries is a 3 point pin system, and takes 6 hours. Top speed is said to be 110kmh.
What’s important about this design is that it’s clearly a purpose built design working on an obvious market segment. This is the family workhorse, the shopping cart and kid’s taxi. Functional designs like this are always successful, and form a huge part of the retail market.
Nissan LEAF electric car
In the same demographic, but with extras and expected to be expensive, the LEAF is a high response vehicle which behaves like a “normal” car. It has a quick charge capability which means it can be 80% recharged in half an hour.
Range and performance are similar to the iOn, and design factors indicate it’s targeted to the same market. The technology has been ramped up a lot, to include the performance factors. The LEAF will be the suburban showcase type of electric car when it hits the market.
(It will be noted that “features” and “extras” are already creating a dichotomy in high and low range electric cars. This is a typical branding approach to vehicles, and you can expect a lot more of these additions in future.)
Audi 1- First full conversion from diesel to electric?
The Audi 1 is a new diesel car which is being realistically touted as the basis of an electric version. This is a particularly important design technology issue for electric cars. The Audi 1 is a direct challenger to the new Mini. Its frame is therefore very well suited for conversion to both electric and hybrid designs. That also minimizes retooling for manufacturing purposes, reducing cost to produce.
That’s a particularly relevant issue in the production of green cars, reducing the need for outlay on specialized production. Car manufacturers have been understandably unenthusiastic about the possible costs of tooling up to produce the new electric cars, and this is definitely one of the solutions. Don’t be surprised to find Audi 1 electric and hybrid models coming onstream soon, because this car is an obvious prototype for future production.
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