We see collaboration in many parts of the automotive industry and when that collaboration brings forth something that is extremely efficient and the next right step in our world we often sit up and take notice. Such was the case when Tesla brought us the Model S and again when Chevrolet announced the Bolt, but what we see today is a new concept car that can be one of the most efficient cars to ever make its way on the road and become a model that we can easily admire and enjoy.
Shell has partnered with Geo Technologies and Gordon Murray Design to create a car that is tiny and extremely efficient. This car is made to be smaller than a Smart Car and is built on the iStream platform that is patented by Gordon Murray Design. What this car will represent is a new way of thinking about how cars are designed as the three put their heads together and came up with a holistic approach to developing a car that can handle the daily task of driving in a city the way you need it to, especially if you have a daily commute through the city.
This car weighs only 1,212 pounds and used 3D printing to have many of the components created. The body uses recycled carbon fiber in the body and is made to be almost entirely recyclable when the car comes to the end if its productive life cycle. Producing this car could deliver material reductions and energy use just from the manufacturing process if this car were to ever actually go to market and be built. This may sound too good to be true, but the car does exist and it shows us the potential of what can happen when all parties are working together.
Overall in testing this little car was able to use have the energy needed to build a typical car and more than 69 percent less than that of an SUV. The primary energy use of this car is a 34 percent reduction over typical city cars. If it were to be brought to the US this car could average 89.1 mph at 45 mph and put out nearly one-third less emissions than a normal car would and do even better compared to a hybrid car model. This car certainly is small, but has our attention when it comes to what is actually possible.
The collaborative team expects to be able to share their insights into how to make engines, use lubricants and create other aspects of vehicles to eventually make cars more efficient from start to finish. There is no doubt we need cars to be more efficient and capable than ever before and this little concept car from Shell is one that may have the information we need to expand upon this ideal and create a car that is easily more efficient and more environmentally friendly than what we currently have on the road today. See for yourself in this video.
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