Hseih’s Aerius: The Hypercar Goes Green in a Fictional 2025

Imagine it’s the year 2025. The Bugatti Veyron is an overpriced collector’s item outlawed on U.S. streets as it doesn’t meet the nation’s recently introduced (and some say draconian) emission laws. Dozens of tired Corvette Z06’s prowl America’s heartland, their engines in need of servicing and their paint peeling, their hick driver’s desperately avoiding the iron fist of the DoT. E85 costs US$9.00 a gallon and hydrogen is relegated to interstate trucks and some high priced luxury cars.

Into this Mad Maxian world comes the Aerius: a high performance EV with electric motors in the wheel hubs, carbon nanotube super-capacitors for energy storage and solar panels to recharge them on the go. With organic, jet fighter-like styling and the green cred disenchanted motoring enthusiasts have longed for, the Aerius is sure to be 2025’s Car of the Year...

Okay, so let’s get back to reality. The Aerius is a design study by Pei-Cheng “Patrick” Hseih and frankly, it looks fantastic. We’ve seen a lot of these studies here at Carscoop, and this is my current favourite. It’s like a weird crossbreed between a shark, BMW’s M1 Homage concept and an F-35 fighter jet. And as a design it somehow works! You can check out our full gallery below and leave your piece in the comments section.

By Tristan Hankins

Source: Yankodesign

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Euro NCAP Conducts its First Ever Plug-in EV Crash Test with the i-MiEV and Gives it Four-Stars

The Mitsubishi i-MiEV is the first ever plug-in electric vehicle to be tested by Euro NCAP and marks the start of a series of EV crash-tests planned for this year. Besides the i-MiEV, the European safety institute also rated five conventional models: the BMW X1, Hyundai ix20, Dacia Duster, Mitsubishi ASX and Nissan Juke.

The EV obtained an overall four star rating, the same score being awarded to the i-MiEV's sister models, the Citroen C-Zero and Peugeot iOn, which have the same design and safety equipment. The result was judged as "creditable" by the Euro NCAP.

"We recognize the efforts done by Mitsubishi to demonstrate that plug-in battery powered cars can be as safe as others. It shows that a future 5 star accolade for EVs is not unthinkable," said Dr. Michiel van Ratinge, Euro NCAP's secretary general.

The testing procedure was similar to the that for conventional cars, with special attention being given to the battery integrity after the crash and the functioning of the battery cut-off switch, which isolates the high-voltage battery in the event of a crash. Fortunately, no electrical or fire hazards were detected during the testing of the i-MiEV.

The other cars tested were all rated with five stars, with the exception of the Dacia Duster. The small off-roader achieved an overall rating of three stars, because of scoring only 28% in pedestrian protection and 29% for safety assist. However, protection offered to adult passengers was better in the Dacia than in the Mitsubishi i-MiEV (74% vs. 73%), while child protection was at the same level (78%).

"It is disappointing that a mother company like Renault does not give safety the same priority in Dacia cars as it does in cars sold under its own brand”, concludes the Euro NCAP press release.

By Dan Mihalascu

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Renault Unveils the Kangoo Maxi Z.E., the LWB Version of its Small Electric Van

French car manufacturer Renault will use the Geneva Show to unveil the Kangoo Maxi Z.E., the newest member of its EV family that will go on sale in autumn 2011. Available in two or five-seat configurations, the Kangoo Maxi Z.E. has a maximum carrying capacity of 4.6 cubic meters (162.4 cubic feet), thanks to the 40 cm longer wheelbase (1.3 ft) than the Kangoo Z.E., while the load length is 2.9 meters (9.5 ft).

The five-seat version comes with a 60/40-split folding rear bench, which disappears into the floor to release a completely flat deck and free up almost 3.4 cubic meters (120 cubic feet) of carrying space.

The van is powered by a 60-horsepower electric motor, which has an instant peak torque of 226 Nm (166 lb-ft) and is "fuelled" by a 22kWh lithium-ion battery located under the floor. Charging time varies between 6 and 8 hours, with each full charge costing EUR1.5 ($2.05) and the average driving range being around 170 km (105 miles).

As with its other electric models, Renault will offer clients the possibility of either buying or leasing the car, with an additional monthly subscription to be paid for the battery (from EUR72/$99). Renault's calculations indicate the annual maintenance cost for the Kangoo Maxi Z.E. will be similar to the conventional model if the distance traveled is less than 15,000 km (9,320 miles), and become more competitive as the mileage grows.

Pre-tax pricing in Europe starts from €21,200 ($29,100), with prices in France after a €5,000 state subsidy beginning from €16,200 ($22,250), which is very close to the price of a diesel-engined Kangoo Maxi.

By Dan Mihalascu

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New Smart ForSpeed Concept Hints at a New Look for Next ForTwo and ForFour

At next week's Geneva Motor Show, Smart will reveal a new concept model called the ForSpeed that signals a new design direction and hints at future products from Daimler's small car brand. The ForSpeed is a zero-emissions roadster model with a unique look that is powered by an electric motor.

In a similar fashion to Smart's 2001 Crossblade that was produced in a limited run of 2,000 units, the ForSpeed has no roof or side windows and it features a low wind deflector instead of a windscreen. However, unlike the Crossblade, the ForSpeed does get a pair of doors as well a fabric tonneau cover for weather protection.

While Smart has no immediate plans to produce the ForSpeed, key styling elements such as the headlamp and tail lamp designs with the outer rings illuminated by a LEDs as well as the more prominent front grille, will be carried over to future products including the next ForTwo series and the new five-door ForFour as the company plans to create a more distinct look for its cars to better compete with the Fiat 500 and the Mini.

On the inside, Smart's designers opted for a minimalistic look with separate round turbine-like instrument clusters for the driver and passenger. Whilst the driver gets a speedometer, the passenger's side features a smartphone that can be swiveled by up to 90 degrees in its holder and towards the driver so that the driver can also take a look at the display, which include a navigation system.

The open two-seater is motivated by a 40HP / 30kW electric motor installed at the rear. A button in the centre console activates a boost function which provides an extra 7HP /5 kW of power for a short time.

The electric motor is fed by a 16.5 kWh lithium-ion battery that can be charged at any conventional 220 Volt socket. The charging device is located in the third brake light behind the Smart logo. According to Smart, quick charging from 0 to 80 percent takes 45 minutes, while a fully charged battery offers a driving range of 84 miles or 134 kilometers

The ForSpeed concept accelerates from 0 to 37 mph (60 km/h) in 5.5 seconds and reaches a top speed of 75 mph or 120 km/h.

We'll bring you more photos and details on the ForSpeed from the Geneva Show floors next week.

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