The Hybrid Race Car : Toyota CS&S Concept

Toyota CS&S was introduced at the 2003 Frankfurt Motor Show in Germany. This hybrid race car concept was designed at the Toyota ED2 studio near Nice, France. CS&S stands for Compact Sports and Specialty. The CS&S is a 4-wheel-drive mid-engine 2+2 sports car powered by a 1.5 litre hybrid petrol electric set up taken directly from the Toyota Prius powers the rear wheels and a separate electric motor is connected to the front wheels.

This cool concept car Employing Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive, an electric motor drives the front wheels, while a gas engine and electric motor in combination drive the rear. CS&S also unveils "Toyota Space Touch," where the driver able to activated functions by touching holographic projections. This future automotive has a seating arrangement with removable covers for the rear 2 occasional seats, where the car can be run as a 2 seater or if the rear canopies are removed from behind the front seats, a 2+2 seater.

Toyota A-BAT Concept

The Toyota A-BAT was on display at the Toyota exhibit in Detroit at the 2008 North American International Auto Show beginning Monday, January 14. Kevin Hunter, president, Calty Design Research, Inc said that "Driving from beyond the suburbs to the city is a way of life for many people. We've taken Toyota's truck heritage to a different level by envisioning a vehicle capable of manouvering the suburbs as well as dirt roads. This compact truck is as comfortable for long commutes as it is for road trips. It can accommodate outdoor toys and home improvement supplies. Plus, customers benefit from the hybrid powertrain's low emissions and fuel economy."

TMS Advanced Product Strategy group and Calty, Toyota's North American-based, research and design centre located in Newport Beach, California are the group that responsible for the A-BAT concept development. This team created a new genre of compact vehicle with good fuel economy, advanced functionality, manoeuvrability, unique styling within its segment, and a durable package suitable for an active lifestyle.

Beside the lightweight A-BAT concept package also coupled with Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive technology is designed to deliver excellent fuel economy. Translucent solar panels in the top surface of the instrument panel capture sunlight and convert it into energy, showcasing the vehicle's "green" character. Toyota A-BAT is an environmentally friendly cool truck.

This cool car has a unique aerodynamic exterior crafted by Calty Project Chief Designer Ian Cartabiano and Creative Designer Matt Sperling. They integrated Toyota's design philosophy, "Vibrant Clarity" into the exterior by keeping the design forward-looking, crisp and functional.

Although the A-BAT is rugged and has a spirited exterior, the interior team worked to create a modern look for the interior. The door trim, shoulder, armrest and instrument panel pads and seat cushions are made of a tough, lightweight and comfortable material that can be selected for personalization.

Daryl Harris, Senior Creative Designer said that "The inspiration behind the exposed structure on the interior was drawn from high-end mountain bike frames. "We applied lightweight construction materials, such as carbon fiber and aluminum, to the instrument panel, console and seats for increased structural rigidity while reducing mass."

The interior of this cool automotive has a retractable portable navigation unit with a seven-inch diagonal screen and Wi-Fi internet. It also includes other advanced features such as a port for portable device assistant synchronization and a hard drive for digital music. The Toyota A-Bat is the next evolution of compact truck.

Opel Flextreme Concept

Opel Flextreme Concept was introduced at the International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt in 2007. This cool car has a low emission mobility propulsion with the E Flex technology. The flextreme concept has a lithium ion battery as it’s energy source, this car also has additional energy from 1.3 liter turbo-diesel onboard CDTI engine. This innovative vehicle is expected to emit less than 40 g of CO2 per km. After charging for three hours at 220 volts this car will be at it’s full capacity. The engine also include the integration of two high tech electric personal transporters, located below the cargo floor. This electric transporters provide extra mobility option up to 38 km of clean mobility.

Opel Flextreme Concept has a dynamic and innovative exterior and interior design. Flextreme has a large transparent roof and two tailgate doors that open from the side and swing upwards it also has narrow boomerang shaped lights and sloping swage line in the side graphics. The front part is decorated with front grill and rims which are covered by lightweight transparent trim made from polycarbonate to improve aerodynamics and enhancing visual aesthetics. This concept car has a unique and practical door which they call the FlexDoors, the front door open in the conventional manner and the rear door are rear hinged.

Flextreme Concept has a futuristic interior design with honeycomb structures. The honeycomb structure is a functional, geometric structure located in the instrument panel’s lower portion, above the center tunnel where the lithium-ion batteries are located, cabin floor and cargo floor. This cool automotive has a large panoramic display located directly under the windshield and on the center console. The display are configurable with a touch screen operation to show a complete view of the car surrounding and easy access to various menu such as air conditioning, communication device, infotainment feature and navigation functions.

Lumeneo Smera

Lumeneo Smera was introduced at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show. With 144 volt lithium ion battery Lumeneo Smera can go from 0-60mph in eight seconds. The lithium ion battery is supplying the power to the dual rear wheel motors. This concept car is able to transport two passenger up to 93 miles and with 80 mph of top speed. In 2009 Lumeneo plan to produce 250 units of this cool car. The price range is starting at 24,500 euros ($33,000 US).

General Specifications :

First Introduced at : 2008 Geneva Motor Show

Country of origin : France

Dimensions :

Length / width / height : 2380 / 800 / 1450 mm

Doors / Seats : 2 / 1+1

Wheelbase : 1700 mm

Track : 655 mm

Steering diameter : 7 m

Maximum tilting angle : 25 °

Weight (with batteries) : 350kg / 770 lbs

Pneumatic dimensions : 145/70 R14

Engine :

Boot volume : 70 / 150 liters

Motorization Technology : Brushless electric motors with permanent magnets

Max Power : 30 / 40 kW / Hp

Max Torque on wheels : 1 000 Nm

Max Voltage : 144 V

Technology : Lithium

Capacity : 10 kWh

Battery weight : 80 kg / 180 lbs

Speed :

Performances Max speed : 130 kph / 80 mph

0-100 kph / 0 – 60 mph : 8.0 s

Range : 150 km / 90 miles

Pontiac Solstice SD-290

The inspiration of Pontiac Solstice SD-290 concept is coming from a vintage race car design. The design concept really capture the design of vintage race car and evoke the emotions of classic sport cars. The concept design has an old school look with a passenger cockpit tonneau cover and a driver windscreen, creating a pure race car looks.

Pontiac reduce the weight of the car, improved the aerodynamics and also redesigned the fender gill panels. They also created a new hood with heat-extracting grilles, a red paint scheme and cockpit filled with auxiliary gauges, a roll bar and racing seat.

This race car concept has direct-injected, turbocharged 2.0-liter Ecotec four-cylinder engine that produced 290 horse power, this is the reason they call it Pontiac Solstice SD-290.

Official Pontiac Solstice SD-290 Features Highlight from GM :

- 2.0L Ecotec direct-injected and turbocharged generating 290 horsepower

- Five-speed manual transmission

- Weight reduction through installation of driver-side only windscreen and elimination of door glass/hardware, convertible top/hardware, HVAC system and wiper system

- Solo Performance cat-back exhaust system with center-mounted outlet

- KW Automotive coil-over suspension package

- Three-piston aluminum calipers with 13-inch rotors from Stainless Steel Brake Company

- Forged 19-inch wheels with Hoosier R6 racing tires

- New front fascia, grille inserts, hood and front fenders, leading to better aerodynamics

- Passenger-side hard tonneau cover

- Competition red exterior color

- Rear spoiler

- Tinted headlamp lenses

- Removable racing-style steering wheel

- Racing seat with four-point safety harness

- Chrome fire extinguisher

- Pegasus center console gauge package

- Driver's roll bar

Pontiac Solstice SD-290 Specifications :

General Specifications :

Country Of Origin : United States

Introduced at : 2007 SEMA Show

Engine :

Configuration : 2 liter Ecotec i-4

Engine Location : Front, longitudinally mounted

Powertrain Layout : Rear Wheel

Displacement : 2.00 L | 122 cu in. | 1999.6 cc.

Construction : cast-aluminum block and head

Displacement : 1.998 liter / 121.9 cu in

Bore / Stroke : 86.0 mm (3.4 in) / 86.0 mm (3.4 in)

Compression : 9.2:1

Valvetrain : 4 valves / cylinder, DOHC

Fuel feed : Direct Fuel Injection

Aspiration : Turbo

Drive Train :

Gearbox Transmission : 5 speed Manual

Drive : Rear wheel drive

Performance :

Power : 290 bhp / 216 KW

BHP / Liter : 145 BHP / Liter

Chevrolet Volt Concept

Chevrolet Volt is scheduled to launch on 2011, this cool car is able to travel 40 miles on a single charge without using any gasoline or emissions. Chevrolet Volt also has an electric motor powered by a 1.4-liter four-cylinder flex-fuel engine as a backup, this motor will take over when the car goes beyond the 40 mile range.

Chevrolet Volt concept has a sophisticated design, the design and engineering is a result from collaboration between GM designer and GE Plastics. Their technology make the exterior appearance of the Volt become more bold and futuristic. The Interior of this concept car is ergonomic and futuristic.

Chevrolet Volt Concept Specifications :

Dimensions :

Length ; Width ; Height : 4,318 [mm] ; 1,791 [mm] ; 1,336 [mm]

Front and Rear Tracks : 64 inches / 163 mm

Body style / driveline: 4-5-passenger sedan, unitized frame, electric propulsion, front wheel drive

Construction: body-frame-integral structure with composite exterior panels and roof

Drive System :

Description : electrically driven system with on board range extender, plug-in recharge capability

Type : lithium-ion

Energy : 16 kWh (minimum)

Peak power : 130 to 140 kW

Voltage : 320 to 350

100% Recharge 110-volt outlet : 6 to 6.5 hours

Max. electrical power : 130 to 140 kW

Max. mechanical power : 120 kW

Continuous electrical power : 45 kW

Continuous mechanical power : 40 kW

Power : 53 kW peak power

Drive : direct

Type : 3-cylinder, turbocharged engine

Size : 1L

Fuel : gas or E85

Nominal speed : 1500 to 1800 rpm

Max speed : 3200 rpm

Fuel tank (gal / L) : 12 / 54.5

Type : plug-in

Voltage / amp : 110 / 15

Horsepower (hp / kW) : 160 / 120

Torque (lb-ft / Nm) : 236 / 320

Electric mode range : 40 miles – full electric vehicle (EV) range

Estimated fuel economy @ constant state of charge : 50 mpg during charge sustaining operation

0 to 60 mph : 8 to 8.5 seconds

Top speed (mph) : 120 (limited duration)

Chassis/Suspension :

Front : independent, strut-type

Rear : semi-independent torsion beam

Steering type : electric, speed-sensitive, variable assist rack-and-pinion

Turning circle, curb-to-curb (ft / m) : 37 to 38 / 11.2 to 11.5

Brakes Type : electro-hydraulic power assisted; front disc, rear drum

Wheel size (in) : 21 x 6.5

Tires : 195/55R21, low-rolling resistance

Interior :

Seating capacity (front / rear) : 2 / 2

VW Space UP!

Space Up! is a new concept car from Volkswagen. This family car was first introduced at the 2007 Tokyo Auto Show. VW Space Up! Is a fun car that offers maximum space on the smallest of platform. The exterior design has a very straight lined. This cool car has 3.68 meters length , 1.63 meters width and a large 18 inch wheels with 165/50 tires. The interior has four seat and in the rear is implemented with two integrated child seats. Each of the cushion of the seats has an airflow foam that automatically adapt to individual anatomies. All seat can also be folded and removed except the driver seat.

The engine is using environmentally friendly gasoline engines, diesel engines and electric powertrains. The engine is located in the rear. This cool car also has an 8 inch monitor display that shows vehicle information such as vehicle speed, fuel level, range and CO2 emission. All of the conceivable functions are controlled by a touch screen integrated with proximity sensors that reacts to gestures and specific hand movements. VW Space Up! Is a fun family car with confident design and extremely comfortable seats.

Renault Ondelios Concept

Renault Ondelios Concept was first introduced at the 2008 Paris Motor Show, Ondelios was inspired by the world of aviation. According to Renault’s Design Director, Renault Ondelios is inspired by motion rather than speed. This luxury hybrid concept is equipped with glazed polycarbonate roof, a pair of gull wing doors that open vertically and futuristic interior.

This Concept car is powered by a 205 HP (150kW) of the 2.0 dCi engine that produce 450Nm of torque. This cool car is using two 20kW electric motors at the front and rear for a brake and boost system that can save more fuels.

Renault Ondelios interior has three rows of (individual) seats that accommodate up to six passengers. Each seat is equipped with an interactive portable multimedia device which can be used for sharing data or multiplayer gaming. The headrest also has speakers plus multi zone HVAC system for each passenger.

Renault Ondelios Specifications :

Introduced at : 2008 Paris Motor Show

Dimensions :

Length ; Width ; Height : 4,805 [mm] ; 1,998 [mm] ; 1,605 [mm]

Height with doors open : 2,230 [mm]

Engine :

Internal combustion engine : 2.0 dCi

Power : 205 HP ; 150 kW

Maximum torque (Nm) : 450, from 1,700 to 3,800rpm

Motors : Two 20kW electric motors

Motor Location : one at the front and one at the rear

Power supply : 4kWh lithium-ion battery. Size: 40dm3. Weight: 50kg

Acceleration from 0 to 62mph : 7.8

CO2 emissions : 120g/km

combined cycle fuel consumption : 4.5 litres/100 km

Transmission : Double-clutch seven-speed automatic transmission, Internal combustion engine drive and electric motor drive

Wheel :

Wheel base : 2,895 mm

Front track : 1,690 mm

Rear track : 1,720 mm

Unladen weight : 1,452 kg

Boot (dm3) : 530

Tires : 255/45 ZR23

Wheels Diameter ; Width : 23" ; 9"

Partners: G Studio (Bodywork), Michelin (Tires), Samsung (Telephone for communication with vehicle)

Mitsubishi i Miev Sports Concept

Mitsubishi unveiled i Miev Sport concept at the 2007 Tokyo auto show. i Miev Sport has a simple and fluid exterior and interior design, the layout provides optimal distribution of weight. This futuristic electric car has a sporty performance and spacious interior. This concept car has an aluminum space frame body structure to minimize it’s weight. i Miev also has three permanent magnetic synchronous motors. As environmental considerations, on the roof of i Miev sport an auxiliary photovoltaic generator was installed for energy saving.

i Miev has a sporty, spacious and dynamic interior. The interior gives the security and comfort feelings to the user. Mitsubishi also gives excellent occupant protection from collisions from any direction, even when colliding with a vehicle of different height or weight.

i Miev Sport Specifications :

Introduced at : 2007 Tokyo Auto Show

Dimensions :

length ; width ; height : 3,450 [mm] ; 1,600 [mm] ; 1,400 [mm]

Body Weight : 970 kg

Body Structure : aluminum space frame

Engine :

Motors : Permanent magnetic synchronous motors

Front : In-wheel motors

Rear : Single motor

Max. output Front : 20kW 2; Rear: 47kW

Max. torque Front : 250 Nm 2; Rear: 180 Nm

Range (10-15 Mode) : 200km

Max. Speed : 180km/h

Wheelbase : 2,550 [mm]

Track (F/R) : 1,405/1,405 [mm]

Tires : 175/40R17

Interior :

Seating capacity : 2 + 2

Nissan Pivo 2 Concept

Nissan Pivo 2 concept was unveiled at the 2007 Tokyo Auto Show. It runs on compact Lithium-ion battery. Nissan Pivo 2 has a rotating cabin and wheels that can rotate 360 degrees, this feature allows easy parking. This cool car also has a Robotic Agent, robotic agent is a voice recognizing interface. This feature allows the car to detect and conclude the driver’s mental state by facial expressions and by voice patterns. With this robotic agent you could ask for directions or the nearest parking space or even basic vehicle functions. This feature is available in English and Japanese languages.

The design of Pivo 2 is very unique and futuristic, it has a round dome as it’s main shape with four small wheels. The chassis of the car doesn't have a front or back, instead the dome revolves, letting the driver face whichever direction needs to be front. The Interior of the car also has a dome shape and the dashboard looks like a toy car.

Nissan Pivo 2 Specifications:

Introduced at : 2007 Tokyo Auto Show

Engine : Energy consumption of a conventional lightweight vehicle

Torque equivalent : V8 4.5L engine (528Nm) (twice the torque output of a conventional electric motor)

Power equivalent : 2.5L engine .

Battery : The new lithium-ion battery (twice the energy density of conventional batteries

Brake : Regenerative braking (Battery capacity has doubled and energy efficiency is improved by better response to regenerative braking).

Special Features :

Robotic Agent : Inferring a driver’s mental state by facial expressions and by voice patterns

Metamo System : a new concept which enables independent control of each wheel (The angles and position of the wheels are controlled to ensure an even load across the chassis to match driving conditions. This optimizes load distribution and ensures stability with minimum body movement during acceleration, deceleration, braking and cornering). The use of In-wheel 3D Motors and X by-Wire technologies.