German automaker, Artega, first unveiled the Artega SE at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show last March, showing the promise of what a German electric sports car could look like. Of course, their purpose was to also give the US-based Tesla and their pride and joy, the Roadster 2.5, something to think about.
Recently, the Artega SE was in attendance at the Frankfurt Motor Show with plenty of updates on the vehicle. The model that we saw at Frankfurt looks to be one of the few test prototypes of the electric sports car. While expectations are understandably high for the SE, Artega is tempering its expectations on the car, leaving it with a concept tag while it still undergoes testing and development.
Ultimately, the company has made no bones about its intention of bringing the Artega SE into something more than just a concept car. Artega chief executive, Peter Müller, put it in simple terms: "Our aim is to combine environmental responsibility with the passion for automobiles."
The Artega SE is an electric version of the company’s initial offering, the Artega GT. The two cars sport the same body and aluminum spaceframe with the only notable difference being the powertrain fitted under its hood.
UPDATE 09/20/2011: Engadget has received confirmation that the Artega GT’s younger brother - the Artega SE - will indeed be heading to US shores. There’s no specific timeline as to when this will happen, but at least we know it will!
Details on the Artega SE after the jump.
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After trudging along with the production of the Karma and introducing the Karma S Convertible Concept, Fisker has moved right along to the Frankfurt Motor Show with a new concept: the Surf. The Surf concept is an electric shooting brake model with extended range (EVer) capability and represents Fisker’s vision of a crossover between a sport car and a station wagon. It shows how Fisker is expanding its Karma platform rapidly with additional models that again create a new market niche. A production version will follow in 2013.
The company has described the concept as follows: "The Fisker Surf delivers a bold new twist and is sure to ‘wow’ global audiences with its combination of Uncompromised Responsible Luxury and head turning design."
We expect the Surf Concept will have something similar to the aluminum spaceframe architecture and Q-Drive powertrain as used in the Karma. Of course, we don’t anticipate that this concept to have two electric motors with an output of about 408 HP like the Karma, but a less powerful setup powered by the same lithium-ion battery pack will more than likely be available. The sprint from 0 to 60 mph will be made in 5.9 seconds and top speed will go up to 125 mph. The concept can travel up to 50 miles on electricity only and a turbocharged 2.0-liter petrol engine will act as a generator and will extend the range an additional 250 miles.
Toray Industries is a multi-national company based in Japan that is considered as one of the foremost carbon fiber makers in the world. With all the resources it has on tap, Toray is venturing into the world of automotive building with the help of renowned auto designer, Gordon Murray.
Their first project, a two-seat electric concept, is called the TeeWave AR1 Concept and it has got enough carbon fiber to last multiple lifetimes. That’s hardly surprising, either, considering that they have all the carbon fiber they need at their disposal. Almost every panel of the car is made from carbon fiber, reducing the body’s weight to just 846 kg (1865 lbs) while also making it roughly ten times stronger than reinforced steel. By comparison, the Tesla Roadster weighs 1,220 kg (2689 lbs), 44% heavier than the AR1 Concept.
According to Toray, the TeeWave AR1 can reach a top speed of 91 mph with a range that hits 115 miles. The extensive use of carbon fiber on the AR1 Concept allows it to be as light as it is, but the cache to all that is the tremendous cost that comes with building just a prototype. Word has it that one prototype of the carbon fiber-decked AR1 Concept comes with a price of $3.88 million, a number that’s ridiculously expensive even by the standards of the most exotic of supercars.
That’s not to say that there’s no future for the AR1 Concept past the prototype phase, but the whole point for Toray has always been to introduce the prevalent use of carbon fiber, not just on high-priced exotics, but on everyday vehicles as well.
Hit the jump to see a video of the TeeWave AR1 Concept during its debut at the 2011 Toray Advanced Materials Exhibition.
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Noted Mercedes tuner, Brabus, may be famous for all their high-powered tuning programs, but their penchant for power doesn’t necessarily mean they don’t have eco-friendly bones in their bodies.
Somewhat surprisingly, Brabus is tapping into their inner affinity towards the environment with the introduction of the new BRABUS Technology Project HYBRID. The vehicle hybrid program is based on the Mercedes E 220 CDI, but instead of its usual powertrain, this particular car has been fitted with four electric motors. There’s one motor on each wheel and each carries 50 kW (67 horsepower) apiece in Eco mode and up to 80 kW (107 horsepower) each in Sport Mode. The four electric motors are then joined by a 56 kWh lithium-ion battery that further increases the car’s total output to 320 kW (435 horsepower) and - prepare yourself - 2,360 lb/ft of torque. Whoa.
The numbers translate to performance figures that include a 0-62 mph sprint time of 6.9 seconds, an ECO-mode top speed of 118 mph and a Sport-mode top speed of 137 mph. As a hybrid, careful attention has to be paid on the car’s driving range and the BRABUS Technology Project HYBRID returns a very impressive 217 miles on the dot with the battery taking 90 minutes to recharge at a 380 V three phase grid and up to five hours through a normal 220 V AC outlet.
The Mercedes B-Class E-Cell Plus Concept was officially introduced at the Frankfurt Motor Show with an eye towards production sometime in 2014. The electric B-Class concept carries the same exterior and interior dimensions as that of the standard B-Class, including the five-seat interior lay-out.
As you can imagine, the notable difference between the two lies in the powertrain. Whereas the regular B-Class carries a fuel powertrain, the B-Class E-Cell is powered by a permanently excited synchronous machine that develops 136 horsepower of maximum power and 95 horsepower of contiguous power. On top of that, the B Class E Cell-Plus also has a 1.0-liter three-cylinder turbocharged range extender engine, producing an output of 50 kW (65 horsepower) at 3,500 rpm while also being used to re-charge the vehicle’s battery. Then there’s the lithium-ion battery, which the B-Class E-Cell also has and can be recharged through a socket and a 3.3 kW board charger.
All in all, the vehicle can sprint from 0-62 mph in 11 seconds with a top speed of 93 mph and a CO2 emissions level of 32g/km. The electric range of the concept allows the car to run for just 62 mph, although thanks to the vehicle’s internal combustion engine, that range can be extended up to 600 km (373 miles)
No word yet on how much Mercedes is thinking of pricing the vehicle. Since production has been set for 2014, expect the announcement to come at a much later date.
On January 29, 1886, Karl Benz received an official patent for his "automobile fueled by gas." Now, 125 years later, Mercedes is celebrating that event with the unveiling of the F125 - a concept car that previews the next generation S-Class and CL-Class.
The F125 concept is powered by four electric motors that take their power from a hydrogen fuel cell stack. The four electric motors deliver a total output of 231 HP and will sprint the concept from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.9 seconds on its way to a top speed of 136 mph - quite impressive performance numbers for a car in this class.
Even more impressive is the fact that the concept has an autonomy of 620 miles. It also comes equipped with a chargeable lithium-ion battery that will help the F125 to run only on electricity for a total length of 31 miles.
UPDATE 10/24/11: Mercedes has released the first presentation video of the F125 Concept detailing how the car’s concept form came into fruition, as well as how the car’s characteristics will help in determining the automaker’s future auto line-up. It’s a good watch that’s definitely worth your time!
A few days ago, a mysterious Audi prototype was spotted in Berlin decked in camouflage, leading to the proverbial question as to what kind of car it was. Fortunately, the mystery didn’t last long.
The German automaker has released the first details of its new Urban E-Tron Concept that will be gracing us with its presence at the coming Frankfurt Motor Show. It took a while for Audi to release all the information of the Urban E-Tron Concept, but thankfully, did so just in time for the opening of Frankfurt, complete with all the performance numbers that might not tickle the fancies of those looking for some speed to go with the cool city car concept.
UPDATE 11/02/2011: We thought the Audi Urban E-Tron Concept was a huge waste of time because there was no chance Audi would ever actually put it into production. Turns out, we were absolutely wrong.
Audi has just announced that the Urban Concept will indeed go into production and that it will be limited to only 999 units. Sales will begin in 2013 at a starting price of £8,800 or about $14,000 at the current exchange rates.
Check out more details on the Audi Urban E-Tron Concept after the jump.
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After the E-tron concept and the E-tron Detroit Show car, Audi has brought us the e-tron technology platform based on the R8 from the 24 Hours of Le Mans race. This has turned out to be more than just a publicity stunt or science experiment. Audi is serious about bringing this car to market and has taken the time to develop a completely new ideology behind this electric R8 and the normal gasoline version.
Having the exterior design of the car already completed and in supercar form it was an easier job for the Audi engineers to develop an electric version than if they would have had to start from scratch. The mid-engine design of the R8 provides the perfect location to store heavy batteries without distorting the weight balance that Audi wanted to achieve. In essence, this electric version should be able to compete on the same levels as its V8 and V10 brothers, but will it be as exhilarating?
That all depends on what the driver sees as excitement – The V10 version will provide an unbridled amount of power and harmonious soundtrack to go along with it, but the electric version will incorporate some of the most innovative technology available today. Being able to reach high top speeds in the least amount of time is the most important thing that a sports car can deliver, if it can do it by using batteries than we don’t really see a problem. If Audi can truly create an exciting Quattro experience with its new E-Tron R8 than they will have accomplished something truly special in this emerging market.
UPDATE 09/12/2011: Audi is trying to keep the market’s interest on their new R8 E-Tron by bringing a near-production model to the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show. They are calling it the "technology demonstrator" and showing off its four electric motors and a new exterior design. This pre-production model features a new grille, new carbon fiber front and rear bumpers, new rims, LED lights, and, as the most impressive addition, a highly ventilated hood.
Hit the jump for more details on the Audi R8 E-Tron.
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No, your eyes aren’t deceiving you; Volkswagen’s Nils Concept is eerily similar to the Audi E-Tron Urban Concept. The design is different based on the one rendering Volkswagen released of the Nils Concept, but the overall set-up of a study for a future urban city car makes these two cousins of the first degree.
As far as the Nils Concept goes, the concept is the result of hours upon hours of time spent researching and developing a city car for the future. The whole scope of information regarding the vehicle won’t be revealed until the Frankfurt Motor Show, but some pertinent characteristics of the Nils Concept’s powertrain have been released.
Word is that the car will carry an electric motor that produces an output of 34 horsepower with a 5.3kWh battery that takes less than two hours to fully charge. These figures translate to a 0-62 mph time of 11 seconds with a top speed of just 81 mph. The numbers aren’t overwhelming by any stretch of the imagination, but you really couldn’t have expected anything more given the whole point of it being an eco-friendly city car.
As it stands, Volkswagen has no plans of pushing the car for production anytime soon, but the Nils Concept could very well end up being a peg for a possible production version in the future.
The Peugeot EX1 Concept’s hold on the electric vehicle speed record at the Nurburgring may soon be under siege by a Japanese automaker that’s looking to blow away the EX1’s record time of 9:01.1338.
The car comes courtesy of Toyota and while they’ve yet to say the official name of the EV racing prototype, they’ve made no bones about their intention of destroying the existing EV record lap time at the Green Hell on August 29, 2011.
According to Toyota, the EV Racer - we’ll call it that for now - comes with a 41.5 kWh lithium-ceramic battery that powers two electric motors, producing an output of 375 horsepower and 590 lb/ft of torque. The whole set-up allows the race car to hit 0-62 mph in just 3.9 seconds and a top speed of 162 mph.
We’ll reserve our judgments until Toyota hits the Nurburgring for their record-breaking attempt because the EX1’s time for an EV is pretty impressive. Having said that, we’re pretty optimistic that they’ve got the resources to stake claim to the record once they’re attempts are all said and done.
UPDATE 08/30/2011: After over a month of anxiously awaiting the specific date for the attempt, we now hear that the Toyota EV Racer has finished with a record time of 7:47.79 - smashing the previous record of 9:01.338 established by the Peugeot EX1 Concept back in May 2011. With this time, the Toyota EV Racer created by Toyota Motorsports GmbH (TMG) can brag of being 30 seconds shy of times achieved by some great sports cars, like the Nissan GT-R, Chevrolet Corvette ZR1, and Dodge Viper ACR.
