ERA, Electric RaceAbout, is a next generation motor vehicle, noiseless and clean. With electric powertrain and ultra light body construction, both based on the latest technology, the energy consumption will be extremely low.
This car, designed from a clean table to adopt the latest technology of electric powertrain and battery systems as well as the light-weight manufacturing know how, will be a state of art battery driven electric-vehicle. The corner stone of the ERA vehicle architecture will be the full composite body construction, fixed to the subframes at the both ends of the monocoque.
The design of this complex unit has proceeded as planned, and the final prototyping will start in June, 2008. ERA will be introduced in summer 2009.
The ultimate target of the ERA project is to reach low volume production and the vehicle is designed accordingly. The novel break-through technology like Lithium batteries, full carbon fiber body and 4 electric drives (one motor per wheel) leads to high costs which the sportscar segment is still able to bear in limited quantities.
Era is supposed to make the 0 to 60 mph sprint in less than five seconds and hit a top speed of 160 mph.
The results of this challenging project can be evaluated in autumn 2009, when ERA will take part in the Progressive Automotive X-Prize Competition in USA. The desire of the project team is to contribute to the progress towards environmentally sustaining individual mobility.
Posted on
06.5.2008 @ 20:57