"While many green gear-heads argue whether electric vehicles are better than hybrids, Slovak designer Matúš Procháczka has brought the debate one step further. His innovative concept car foregoes these trifling 21st century technologies and fast-forwards straight to the future. Instead of an internal combustion engine, his vehicle is driven by an electric engine that generates a magnetic field capable of propelling the vehicle down the road!

While many green gear-heads argue whether electric vehicles are better than hybrids, Slovak designer Matúš Procháczka has brought the debate one step further. His innovative concept car foregoes these trifling 21st century technologies and fast-forwards straight to the future. Instead of an internal combustion engine, his vehicle is driven by an electric engine that generates a magnetic field capable of propelling the vehicle down the road!

Caveat first: the MAG car would require that all automotive infrastructure be magnetized in order for it to work, a task well-neigh impossible for any large-scale implementation. However such a system would tremendously reduce the energy required to propel the car, as it’s electromagnetic motor would be calibrated to reduce the car’s weight by 50%. The seats are created by two fabric nets which are adjustable to suit the occupant, and consume a minimum of materials.

The winner of the Unseen Technology Award at the Interior Motives Design Award 2007, the MAG is an extremely futuristic vehicle that requires technologies that are far away from being developed and deployed. Still, it presents a striking concept for future-foward transport that was too intriguing for us to resist."

Via thedesignblog.org

http://inhabitat.com/mag-concept-car-by-matus-prochaczka/

Linear Motor EV Super Highway concept


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9isV-rX4YMo&feature=player_embedded

Here's an interesting idea. German designer Christian Förg has fleshed out his concept for extended range electric vehicles, without carrying an on-board generator. Put the motor itself in the road. While the vehicle concept may not be to everyone taste, this concept could in fact work with any electric vehicle.

Förg calls it a Speedway Transport System concept. The idea is, around town a car has it's own EV powertrain including motor, inverter and battery, a standard EV. When on the highway the power source is a linear induction motor embedded into the road surface. When the EV is on the linear motor road system the entire powertrain in the EV can either shut down or remain on stand by.

Förg says the linear motor can also charge an electric car’s battery so it’s ready for urban travel. “Only highways for long range distances will need to be upgraded,” he says “But even with this upgrade, the streets still can be used by conventional cars.”

[img]http://3.bp..com/_fSvarQSvbd0/SoC1G-YRAlI/AAAAAAAAAaM/CbK3LiaX7-o/s400/project_14_img1.gif[/img]

We've seen linear motor systems before, the most successful being the German Maglev train running at 420 km/h in China and also as high powered launch systems for roller coasters. The main factor holding back the widespread adoption of super fast and efficient Maglev trains has been the construction costs of building the track.

A Maglev linear motor track is the world largest electric motor as the stator and motor windings cover the entire length of track. If the Maglev track is 100 km long, then the linear motors stator is 100 km long. With the levitation magnets on the train flying at 400+ km/h (250 mph) just 10 cm away from the motor windings in the track a major expense in constructing Maglevs is the extra engineering required to build and maintain track precision to extremely small tolerances to avoid high speed train to track contact.

[img]http://3.bp..com/_fSvarQSvbd0/SoC06NSkQSI/AAAAAAAAAaE/7kKIeG5COEQ/s400/project_14_img6.gif[/img]

In a roadway based propulsion only system with no levitation component this precision requirement in not needed and entirely new structures do not need to be built as the motor is burried in existing roads.

In combination with automated braking, steering and parking technologies already making their way into production cars, this concept could also form the back bone of an automated highway system. With current genertion Maglevs in routine service at 431 km/h (268 mph), able to cruise at up to 580 km/h (362 mph) in testing and with proposed enclosed systems where air resistance is removed being capable of up to 3,500 km/h the future potential is for this type of propulsion system is enormous.

[img]http://1.bp..com/_fSvarQSvbd0/SoC1ZwxLzMI/AAAAAAAAAaU/cLhOnnfQ_DE/s400/project_14_img4.gif[/img]

http://www.electric-vehiclenews.com/2009/08/linear-motor-ev-highway-concept.html

http://www.christian-foerg.de/portal/project14_1.html

Gamma Concept

Automotive Design








The Gamma Concept is focused on modern materials and the new possibilities given by these, and the car features an extensive use of modern materials such as Polycarbonate and composites. Not only is the emphasis on designing a lighter and more fuel-efficient car, but also to draw an example of how new materials can be applied and make basis for the development of a new visual language.The visual language features large transparent areas to show the underlying structure and engine parts; to remind how the car works and present a more honest (transparent) design, than contemporary car design. All body panels are made from polycarbonate, to keep manufacturing costs at a minimum the panels are shaped using thermoforming, and then glued onto the Carbon-Kevlar reinforced Aluminium chassis.

http://www.behance.net/gallery/Gamma-Concept/153318

Bridgestone Falcon Concept Car

Automotive Design, Industrial Design, Product Design

Falcon is an innovative concept both "unprecedented'' and dynamic suggesting an elegant synthesis between two worlds - that a car by its front aspect and double rotatable jet propelled engines by its rear aspect. These engines are giving a lot of extra power when you do race, and they push up the rear of vehicle to reach the vertical position for the city mode then they turn off and the vehicle works like a big SEGWAY for using less space on ground to enlarge the parking place for people.

BMW 2015 Concept Car

The final projects of the Transportation Design students at Turin-based IED (istituto Europeo di Design), developed in partnership with BMW with the goal of creating a car for 2015 interpreting the language evolution and the brand’s philosophy. [link]







http://www.toxel.com/inspiration/2008/08/18/creative-concept-car-designs/

Audi RSQ



Audi RSQ
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Audi RSQ is a mid-engined concept car developed by Audi AG for use as a product placement in the 2004 sci-fi film I, Robot. It is meant to depict a technologically advanced automobile in the Chicago cityscape from the year 2035.

This sports coupé is a visionary interpretation of Audi's typical automobile design. An important challenge presented to the designers was that despite its extreme character, the car still had to be recognised by the audience as an Audi. To accommodate this demand, the engineers implemented a current Audi front-end design which includes the trapezoidal "Audi Single-Frame Grille", the company's trademark overlapping four rings, and the Multi Media Interface (MMI) driver-to-car control system.[1]

The RSQ also includes special features suggested by film director Alex Proyas.[2] The car uses spheres instead of conventional wheels.[3] Its two reverse butterfly doors are hinged to the C-posts of the body.[1]

Although this kind of collaboration was a first for Audi, a similar project was developed by Lexus for use in the 2002 film Minority Report. [4]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audi_RSQ

Daedalus Concept by Jonathan Punter

[img]http://jezzbean.files./2010/01/jonathan_punter_concept_car_2006_600.jpg[/img]



His creation, the Daedalus Concept, has won the Royal College of Art’s Best Overall Concept Car 2006 award and the ‘Best Design Interpretation Award’ at The Pilkington Vehicle Design Awards.

The Daedalus Concept is a futuristic vehicle with a design inspired by natural systems. It has received the Royal College of Art’s Best Overall Concept Car 2006 award.

Jonathn Punter is a 24-years old student at the Royal College of Art’s Masters Vehicle Design course. For his final year project he designed a concept vehicle focusing on a futuristic family car with an interior optimised for social interaction between family members.

Jonathan, who is a Bentley Motors-sponsored student, took four months to perfect the design of his concept car entry which was modelled using Maya from Autodesk and rendered using ARTVPS’ leading edge technology, RenderDrive.

Commenting on the ideas behind his design, Jonathan Punter said: "The aesthetics of my design were based around the idea of natural systems."

"The resulting vehicle is meant to represent the way a flower reacts to environmental conditions. I included seats in the vehicle which rotate to facilitate a family environment and which also maximise an individual’s personal space. Child mobility was also considered with the incorporation of seats that can be removed and used independently of the car."

Bugatti Aerolithe

"Created for the year 2025, the Aerolithe is named after a prototype vehicle Bugatti unveiled at the 1935 Paris Motor Show. That car, the Bugatti Electron Aerolithe, was the vehicle which spawned legendary Bugatti Atlantic models."

Pivo 2

The Concept: An advanced electric concept car.

The Designer: Nissan Motor Co.

The Machine: This fully electric vehicle brags a 360-degree turning cabin, 90-degree turning wheels and employs by-wire technologies for braking and steering. The compact design can twirl the bubble-shaped cabin and wheels independently to aid easy parking.

Volkswagen T-6

• The Concept: This Volkswagen Concept is something that takes technology of the future and puts it in a design of the future.

• The Designer: Alexander Zhukovsky

• The Machine: What would you say about a car that can be a mobile office that combines the functions of a working place with comfort of a business-class car? Sheer awesomeness right, well I think so too! The wheels are removed onto the periphery of the car body and revolve around the two cylinders. Thus the assembling in “T-6” helps to save enough space.

2030 Concept car

"The concept: 2030 Solar power car concept.

The Designer: Mihai Stamati

The Machine: This solar powered mini form has a top speed of 30 Km/hr and can carry 4 people. It’s said to accommodate more people in its larger and complete version. However this one certainly does fit the bill for good eye-candy."

Ok.

Old fashioned cars and water machines I'll stick to. I don't intend going back to the future