For nearly 100 years, auto makers around the world have been creating exciting concept cars for what their vision is of the future of the passenger car. Unfortunately, we never really lived up to those expectations. Even some of the ground-breaking features seen in concept cars in the 1930s, 40s, and 50s, still haven't been seen in a commercially released vehicle to date.
This infographic from TitleMax.com showcases 18 of the most exciting that will hopefully one day become a reality.
[Click here for full size version]
Swiss automobile visionary Frank M. Rinderknecht is the brain behind the Rinspeed Oasis Concept Car, above, unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas last month.
A self-driving electric car for two packed with every high-tech feature imaginable, the speedster comes with an integrated garden plot behind the windshield with enough space "for growing radishes or even little Bonsai trees". Designed like a living room, the bionic armchairs swivel to allow passengers to get in and out of the car comfortably, and the windscreen doubles up as a giant 5K monitor for virtual and augmented realities.
The Rinspeed Oasis Concept Car is a self-driving electric car for two packed with every high-tech feature imaginable.If you prefer to let the car drive you, the steering wheel can be folded down and a keyboard pops up so that you can catch up on your emails and literally have an office on wheels. But, wait a minute...have you spotted the unusual passenger on board? Placed directly in the centre of the steering wheel is a Carl F. Bucherer Manero Flyback watch.
Large, glazed areas provide the Rinspeed Oasis Concept Car with ample views while the interior is decorated like a mini living room in cool white tones.An unusual mix of "next gen" techie gadgets alongside a traditional, mechanical watch, the red gold Manero Flyback chronograph faces the person in the driver's seat and keeps its rotor wound thanks to their steering motions.
However, well beyond being a publicity opportunity for Carl F.Bucherer, there are many parallels between these two objects. Watches were, after all, the first accessories to be packed full of functional technology, just like the Oasis car.
Housed in a classic round 43mm rose gold case with a champagne-colour dial, Carl F. Bucherer's Manero Flyback is a sophisticated piece of technology featuring a flyback function (€17,900).Housed in a classic 43mm round rose gold case with a handsome champagne-colour dial, the Manero is a sophisticated piece of technology featuring a flyback function allowing for the measurement of multiple time intervals in quick succession.
Like a stopwatch on your wrist, the flyback feature means that you can take a new timing without stopping and having to reset the chronograph hand, losing valuable seconds between timings.
If the battery on the Oasis gets low, the driver can order a supplementary battery pack, which is delivered by a robotic platform at a convened spot.Capable of reaching speeds of 130 km/hour, the downside of the Oasis Concept Car, or of any contemporary technological product for that matter, is the power supply. If the battery on the car gets low, the driver can order a supplementary battery pack, which is delivered by a robotic platform at a convened spot. But what if the robot malfunctions? And what if the control panel doesn't detect the failure...what if...
Whereas electronic devices depend on external sources of power, a mechanical watch like Carl F. Bucherer's Manero Flyback has the upper hand because it keep ticking to infinity and beyond (€17,900).And this is where good old mechanical watchmaking has the upper hand because whereas electronic devices are prone to glitches and their power supply can fail (and don't forget what happened to the astronauts on the 1970 Apollo 13 "Houston, we've had a problem" mission, who were literally saved by their Omega Speedmaster watches) a mechanical watch will keep ticking to infinity and beyond.
The all-electric Renault Trezor Concept that debuted at the 2016 Paris Motor Show was just voted as the Most Beautiful Concept Car of 2016 by the Festival Automobile International.
"The jury decided this award should go to the TreZor because of the extreme beauty, sensuality, and elegance it exudes," sais Rémi Depoix, president of the Festival Automobile International, in a press release. "It is the epitome of a concept car and we were notably won over by the cohesion of its overall design and the attention that has been paid to the details. It is a fine creative work which, we hope, will inspire Renault's future roadgoing models."
The lines of the Renault TREZOR are warm, sensuous and refined, while its assertive front end incorporates signature C-shaped lights. In terms of their styling, Renault's upcoming models will draw their inspiration from the TREZOR's DNA as their forms become even more fluid and mature.
The TREZOR's interior design, meanwhile, places the emphasis on driving enjoyment and features a large enveloping touchscreen display that reinforces the cockpit feel. This customisable, connected interface juxtaposes warming, prestige materials like wood and leather. The interiors of upcoming Renault models will take their inspiration from these increasingly refined styling trends and connected technologies.
Standing just 1,080mm tall, the Trezor invites occupants to straddle the side of its body as they climb in. This style of entry is a throwback to the world of classic racing cars, where in drivers felt as one with their machines. The sporting and sensual manner of entry is accentuated by the red leather trim for the upper part of the pillar. It looks almost like a saddle, so you might be mounting a steed just as easily as getting into a car. Ingress isfacilitated by automatically reclining headrests.
The Trezor provides another surprise when you climb in, with a dashboard made from red wood that incorporates a luggage compartment at the front of the vehicle. Made-to-measure cases are held in place by leather straps and remind how travel can be an art form.
The Trezor's motor derives from the Renault e.dams, two-time winner of the Formula E Teams' world title. With a maximum power of 260kW (350hp) and peak torque of 380Nm, it provides acceleration from stand still to 62mph (0-100 km/h) in less than four seconds.
Read more about Renault Trezor here.
Feb 6, 2017Editorial Staff
Even a quick glance at the vehicle reveals some interesting designs. Citroen has always separated itself from competitors through baffling yet attractive design quirks, and the Citroen C-Aircross is no exception. On the exterior, it features a thin grille that's embedded with LEDs, some stylized fake exhaust ports along the side runners, and geometrical rims. On the interior, the car looks even more futuristic, with a heads-up display replacing the dashboard and deep bucket seats.
Mercedes-Benz F015 Luxury in Motion concept, 2015 Consumer Electronics Show
Enlarge PhotoUber has made little secret of its desire to launch self-driving taxi fleets all over the globe.
Uber is currently spending up big to develop the technology but it won't limit its popular ride-sharing network to its own self-driving cars only. Instead, Uber will allow other firms including automakers to introduce and operate their own self-driving cars on the network.
And the first to sign up is Mercedes-Benz parent company Daimler. Uber and Daimler announced an agreement on Tuesday for the intended supply and operation of self-driving Mercedes cars on Uber's network. Daimler is the first automaker to sign up, though we're sure it won't be the last.
The benefit for Uber is that it won't have to invest in the costly and complex production of cars to build up its network, something made clear by CEO Travis Kalanick.
"Auto manufacturers like Daimler are crucial to our strategy because Uber has no experience making cars—and in fact, making cars is really hard," Kalanick said in a statement. "This became very clear to me after I visited an auto manufacturing plant and saw how much effort goes into designing, testing and building cars."
The touted benefits of self-driving cars are reduced accidents, fewer cars clogging up parking spots and low-cost, reliable transport for all.
What isn't clear is when the technology will be ready for prime time. Many automakers are promising to have self-driving cars that can handle most situations on their own ready by the start of the next decade. That deadline is likely to be pushed back but it is clear self-driving cars are coming. Let's just hope that cars that still require a human driver aren't run off the road for good.
Pictured main is Mercedes' F015 concept car from 2015. It previews the automaker's vision of a future where driving is optional.
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Are flying cars just "one to three years" away? Probably not. But that's the claim being made today by Uber's latest hire—a man who promises that flying cars are just around the corner. Just two more years, guys!
A story from Bloomberg landed in my inbox this morning proclaiming that Uber had hired a former NASA engineer, Mark Moore, to spearhead the company's flying car initiative. Flying cars have been the perennial dream of futurists for well over a century now. But they always seem to be just two years away.
"These air taxis will only need ranges of between 50 to 100 miles, and Moore thinks that they can be at least partially recharged while passengers are boarding or exiting the aircraft," the Bloomberg piece proclaims.
"He also predicts we'll see several well-engineered flying cars in the next one to three years and that there will be human pilots, at least managing the onboard computers, for the foreseeable future."
Emphasis mine, of course. Because we've heard this before. Every six months or so the tech and auto press seem to get amnesia and parrot the latest from people developing flying cars. It's always just two years away. At this point it's like a cultish chant: Just two more years, just two more years.
Take a look at the promises for flying cars from the past decade, if you don't believe me:
And, of course, there are countless other examples. But let's just say I'm not holding my breath. In fact, back in 2015, I promised to literally eat the sun if the AeroMobil was released by 2017. I guess I'll give them until the end of the year.
The Bloomberg article is a great little ad for Uber. It's cool that some people are still dreaming big. But if you step back for a moment and recognize what it would take to actually make flying cars happen, you know that we're a lot farther than two years (sorry, "one to three years") away from seeing them commonly zipping around in the skies.
Nobody knows what the future holds, and here's hoping that Uber can make this whole flying car thing work out. But two years is a very ambitious goal, given the current state of VTOL technology.
And let's just say that the current business climate in the United States doesn't give many business leaders hope that we're going to see any kind of demand for luxuries like a flying car. If we survive the Trump regime at all I'd consider us lucky at this point.
If you have grown tired of constant traffic jams, giving up driving and hoping on taxis and ride sharing cars won't help you get out of the gridlock. Trains like subways sound like a good idea, except that you have to rub shoulders with many. Not exactly the ideal solution, is it? What you need is a transport that zips overhead, up in the sky, you know, a flying taxi of sort. But the flying taxi of the future won't be Korben Dallas' kind of flying yellow cab; it would be more of an aircraft-ish transportation like the Airbus Group Project Vahana Flying Car Concept.
As you can see in the picture above, Vahana is clearly not a car; it is a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft that's basically embodies the best of both worlds: the speed and range of an aeroplane, and the vertical and landing ability of a helicopter. The latter is what makes this VTOL suitable for tight urban landscapes where runaways will not be available. We are not sure about the downwash issue and if Vahana would be zipping in between skyscrapers like Hollywood movies often depict, or way above the skyline.
Whatever it is, you can't deny Vahana is one heck of a cool concept, but as cool as it looks, do not hold your breath for it to happen anytime soon. According to a report, it would be 10 years into the future before we start seeing such vehicle plying the sky above and also, it won't be yours to acquire as the plan is to make Vahana into an air taxi of sort, or a ride-sharing service, if you will.
So am I excited? Well, lets just say that I am still waiting for Korben Dallas' kind of flying yellow cab to be realized. Come'on aerospace industry, we seriously need a revolutionary propulsion system, or at least an anti-gravity technology to make it happen.
via Robb Report.
Additional information and images via Fast Company.
We knew the Renault Trezor concept was a stunner when it rolled on stage at the Paris Motor Show in September. But now it is officially "the Most Beautiful Concept Car of 2016," according to the pros at the 32nd Festival Automobile International at the Hôtel des Invalides, coincidentally, also in Paris.
If French nationalism swayed this vote, we can live with it, because the Trezor is a legitimately awesome concept, from its low, crouching stance to its Bono's sunglasses-grade red-tinted canopy and all-electric drive system.
Renault
"The jury decided this award should go to the TREZOR because of the extreme beauty, sensuality and elegance it exudes," explained Rémi Depoix, president of the Festival Automobile International.
"It is the epitome of a concept car and we were notably won over by the cohesion of its overall design and the attention that has been paid to the details. It is a fine creative work which, we hope, will inspire Renault's future roadgoing models."
Renault
Indeed, all future cars should look exactly like this. Science says so, because the Trezor's 0.22 coefficient of drag means that it is more aerodynamic efficient than even the Tesla Model S, with its 0.24 score.
Renault
But such decisions shouldn't all be entirely rational. The heart also says that the Trezor's red-tinted class and red leather upholstery are also obviously crucial ingredients for all future cars, if we are to turn the tide against the incoming flood of un-involving driverless autonomous cars.
Renault
Vive la France!
Renault Trezor was the belle of the ball during the 32nd Festival Automobile International at the Hôtel des Invalides in Paris, France. It has been voted as the most beautiful concept car of 2016. This all-electric vehicle is no doubt stunning with its unique skin-like exterior and a classy interior.
The Renault Trezor relatively embodies the technology and styling cues and overall DNA of the future of vehicles from the French carmaker. The Trezor concept car is a 2-seater all-electric coupe that has a more of futuristic feel compared with the 2012 Renault DeZir. Of course, the DeZir was the benchmark for the futuristic design, but the Trezor took things a notch. It has "feelings" and "maturity" weaved into the design philosophy.
Rémi Depoix, President of the Festival Automobile International, said: "It is the epitome of a concept car and we were notably won over by the cohesion of its overall design and the attention that has been paid to the details. It is a fine creative work which, we hope, will inspire Renault's future roadgoing models."
The Renault Trezor was engineered and designed by the F1 of electric cars, Formula E. It measures 4,700mm long, 2,100mm wide and 1080mm tall. It is powered by electric powertrain that produces 350 horses and 380Nm of torque. Its 0 to 100-kilometer sprint is under 4 seconds. The all-electric coupe is equipped with 2 batteries, reports DailyDot. It also has a brake-operated energy recovery system courtesy of the Rechargeable Energy Storage System (RESS) technology developed for Formula E racing matched with a chassis made of carbon cell and tubular steel frames.
The stunning exteriors not only screams beauty but also signals a new era of futuristic concept cars that will have companies like Tesla a run for their money. The Renault Trezor's lines are "warm, sensuous, and refined," according to AutomotiveWorld. It features a single visible seam connecting the roof to the bottom half of the vehicle, with the roof opening like a clamshell.
Meanwhile, the interior is a whole different story. The windshield comes in a striking red color, in high contrast with the body paint. It packs some high-end tech, including an OLED touchscreen that is covered in Gorilla glass on both steering wheel and the center console.
Although the Renault Trezor is a testament to how far the imagination can go, it will not be able to taste the open road. It simply a concept car, nothing more. But it may find its way in the production line in one form or another.
The disciplines of sensor technology, data preparation and data processing, data output, actuator engineering, connectivity and IT security come together in the internet of things (IoT). The concept of connected cars is closely linked to the IoT.
Originally limited to the networking of onboard systems in vehicles, it is now used to describe the digitisation of the wide range of information generated in the vehicle through the networking of in-vehicle systems and the way in which the vehicle communicates with its surroundings, right through to the monetisation of data. This advanced approach enables new possibilities for mobility concepts and alignment of value chains.
Energy-saving micro-controllers, sensors, connectivity solutions and embedded processors, are all products that form the basis for the IoT. Using interdisciplinary thinking, the intelligent linking of relevant thematic areas, and by combining competencies, it is possible to identify and use new potential to profitably develop lines of business.
IoT and connected cars: The road to autonomous driving
Digitisation is progressing rapidly and with it, the IoT. To date, independent products are increasingly connected to the internet – cars, commercial vehicles, motorcycles and other vehicles. The mobile operator Vodafone, for example, reported that in early 2016 there were already approximately 34-million networked machines that autonomously communicated on their mobile network, enabling applications such as connected driving, Industry 4.0 or eHealth.
Car manufacturers are working intensively on this to make vehicles active participants on the internet. According to car manufacturers, every second car will be a connected car by 2020. The networking of passengers and vehicles to the internet, other vehicles and the surroundings, enables new applications and is a prerequisite for new mobility concepts. As a long-term goal, many suppliers state comfortable, autonomous driving.
Through the interplay of in-vehicle systems and networking with surroundings, connected car solutions can contribute to making both vehicles and driving safer. In addition to driving conditions, assistance systems can increasingly identify and evaluate traffic conditions. One example of this is their ability to initiate braking or lane change manoeuvres in sufficient time. Intelligent lighting systems optimally illuminate the road without dazzling oncoming traffic.
This is how Car2X communication can make a key contribution to increased transport safety in heavy traffic. Should an accident nevertheless happen, then the European emergency call system, eCall, can notify the emergency services of the exact location, open up a permanent communication channel, and ensure that help is quickly on its way.
By actively networking connected cars with manufacturers and workshops, new control and maintenance services are made possible. Thanks to an early diagnosis, costly repairs could well be avoided. Another possible application is Update Over The Air, which is a simple way of updating system software. Furthermore, the extensive network of connected cars can help drivers avoid traffic jams and lead them directly to empty car parking spaces.
A challenging market environment
In the automotive industry, operating companies frequently distribute their products on a global scale. This means that they need to take note of global mega-trends in addition to local standards and developments in their target markets. When it comes to connected car applications, this translates into a need to ensure that the networked vehicles will operate in the various different infrastructures to be found worldwide. This poses a real challenge.
The world is changing rapidly along with the weighting of the markets. In addition to the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), an increasing number of emerging newly industrialised countries are coming into focus as promising markets for automobile producers, such as Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria, South Korea and Turkey (MINT/MIST countries), and more recently, Vietnam, Bangladesh and many other African States.
These countries often skip whole stages of infrastructure evolution and immediately adapt the latest available techniques such as 4G/LTE or its future successor, 5G. To take Nigeria as an example, infrastructures such as wired networks are virtually non-existent in this mobile phone growth market. This has had an impact on the systems that are used in vehicles. In addition, players such as internet and technology giants Google and Apple, as well as e-mobility pioneers such as Tesla, have entered the market. Automobile companies can respond to this by increasingly diversifying their offer. They can make this happen by developing remote diagnostic technologies for predictive maintenance services or investing in leased car and share car models. The IoT is the basis for all these connected car approaches.
Paradigm shift for it security
Connected cars represent a paradigm shift for companies in the automobile industry: previously, autonomous systems were connected to the internet and data that was hitherto inaccessible was transmitted and processed in cloud applications. This makes them potentially vulnerable and greatly increases demands on information and IT security. What is clear is that the corporate sector will not abandon traditional, standardised systems that have been perfected over many years without it being completely necessary. The transfer of today's bus and onboard vehicular systems into a secure, web-enabled communication platform is, therefore, a focal point in connected car projects.
New approaches are sought, for example, looking at the hierarchy of control units. It is now necessary for the new systems to intelligently integrate autonomous components. This could be by means of a central gateway with integrated firewall, which shields the internal, particularly security-related components of the vehicle network over the internet.
From sensors to smart antennaThe central components of a connected car strategy are the networking of systems in the car, a connection to a mobile infrastructure in the vehicle, the ability to connect to the internet, and the way in which vehicular systems connect with their surroundings. Many cars today are equipped with field bus systems such as MOST, LIN, CAN, and FlexRay. They network the systems in the vehicle and ensure fault-tolerant, time-triggered communication between electronic components, often between sensors, actuators and control computers. In this way, they often meet tough, real-time requirements. They must also directly and securely implement steering or braking commands, for example.
Sensors are an integral part of the range of topics related to connected cars. So for example, radar and camera modules can supply data to intelligently analyse a situation, which the connected car then uses in its assistance systems to actively support the driver.
There are also many requirements linked to mobile communications as well: the future mobile communications standard 5G will benefit from transfer speeds of up to 10 Gbit/s. As vehicles will be defined as the endpoint in the sequence, each vehicle will ideally utilise the full bandwidth. This requires the car to have the ability to handle particularly fast data processing, in addition to being equipped with high-quality cabling.
The external antenna plays a crucial role in this, having evolved over the years from a little metal rod to an intelligent communication centre. These smart antenna can undertake an increasing number of tasks in the car, from being an RF transmitter and receiver of technology for mobile communications and WLAN, navigation and entertainment, including digital data processing, right through to embedded security.
Contact Steve Stafford, EBV Elektronik, Tel 021 402-1941, s.stafford@ebv.com
PARIS: French automaker Renault's recently unveiled Trezor has been voted the most beautiful concept car of 2016 at the 32nd Festival Automobile International at the Hôtel des Invalides in Paris, France, said the company in a statement."The Trezor's powerful, sensuous lines pave the way for the styling and technologies that will be features of our upcoming models. It also marks the beginning of a new cycle of Renault concept cars which will be revealed soon," says Laurens van den Acker, SVP Corporate Design, Renault.
"It is the epitome of a concept car and we were notably won over by the cohesion of its overall design and the attention that has been paid to the details. It is a fine creative work which, we hope, will inspire Renault's future roadgoing models," observes Rémi Depoix, President of the Festival Automobile International.
The lines of the Renault Trezor are warm, sensuous and refined, while its assertive front end incorporates signature C-shaped lights. In terms of their styling, Renault's upcoming models will draw their inspiration from the Trezor's DNA as their forms become even more fluid and mature, said the carmaker.
The Trezor's int erior design features a large enveloping touchscreen display that reinforces the cockpit feel. This customisable, connected interface juxtaposes warming, prestige materials like wood and leather. The interiors of upcoming Renault models will take their inspiration from these increasingly refined styling trends and connected technologies.
With both the features and looks of retro and modern age, Mercedes-Maybach 6 concept become the future of all the electric cars. Mercedes-Maybach 6 is extremely luxurious, and in addition to that, it is comfortable. With the specifications, it is a sports car, which gives you a feel of the luxury car as well.
The concept of this car comes after the release of Rolls-Royce Vision Next 100 concept. This is a four seater car all-electric vehicle was initially unveiled during the 2016 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance weekend.
The length of this car is around 6 meters which are around 18.5 feet long. Its roofline would be low and the hood would seem to go on for miles. According to Mercedes-Benz, Chief Design Officer Daimler AG Gorden Wagener said that the glamorous Mercedes-Maybach 6 concept is representing the ultimate in contemporary luxury. "It is hot and cool." It perfectly embodies the design philosophy of sensual purity and the company's pursuit of aerodynamic efficiency.
The maximum output of this car is 750bhp, according to the german carmaker. Its acceleration 0-100 km/h can be achieved in less than 4 seconds. Its shallow underfloor battery has a capacity of 80 kWh.
The seat gives you luxury enough so that your body will thank you for the comfort you provide it. In short, this car is sporty by feature and luxurious by design. It is a magical electrical car.
Global sales record again goes to 'Ducati'
4 photos
Automakers have unveiled at CES 2017 Las Vegas personal assistants to make road trips more comfortable, and augmented reality systems that improve the experience of buying a car.In recent years, the cars that we see every day on the streets have begun to benefit from a number of major improvements, such as Internet connectivity, electric propulsion and various autonomic functions.
In this context, the link between vehicles and other types of products such as smartphones or smart homes has become increasingly stronger, and manufacturers have started attending technology fairs as a complement, or in some cases as an alternative to car showrooms. This is the case of the technology fair Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, where many manufacturers presented their vision of the future for the automotive industry.
The Germans from BMW unveiled at CES the BMW i Inside Future concept, which as the name suggests, is a vision about the interior for futu re cars. As part of this concept, BMW introduces HoloActive Touch, a system that combines the operation of a smartphone with gestures already available in the BMW 7 Series.
Basically we are talking about a virtual touchscreen in the form of a hologram on which the driver performs commands with his finger without touching a physical surface. The concept is visible just off the steering wheel to the appropriate height of the center console and a video camera detects hand movements in a certain area and records the position of the fingers.
When you press your finger on a function, the system emits a pulse through which the driver knows that his action was registered and activated.With the launch of a new futuristic concept, Toyota introduced the integrated personal assistant Yui, with the role to customize the car, which becomes a traveling companion with whom you can discuss various topics and even warns you when you're tired. Thus, interaction with Yui goes from a simple discussion on current issues all the way to Yui taking complete control of a car to steer it automatically.
Audi announced at CES that it will develop autonomous cars by 2020 with Nvidia, a company known mainly for dedicated video cards for computers and laptops. Nvidia is working on this technology for two years, and the new computer for autonomous cars is known as Xavier.The Audi models will reach autonomy level 4, which means that the cars can drive themselves in most situations. For starters, Audi has demonstrated at CES the autonomous skills of a Q7 model.
Other solutions come from Ford which will soon allow you to talk to the car via personal assistant, Alexa developed by Amazon. Mercedes announced from late last year that they will use Google Assistant, while General Motors will launch a similar partnership with the Watson assistant from from IBM. Through these assistants, you can find out the weather forecast or you can order food through a simple voice command.
Intel and Qualcomm, two of the major processor manufacturers, announced automotive versions of their products. Gathered under the name Go, Intel processors will be adapted in versions for desktop and laptop computers, as well as modems integrated into chipsets that will enable 5G speed Internet connection. The folks at Qualcomm have announced a partnership with Volkswagen to provide 4G modems for 2018 models, as well as Snapdragon 820A processors from 2019.
Automakers are on the cusp of seeing consumer demand grow sizably for electric cars, but they're being stifled by competition from conventional powertrains, automation, and mobility services.
This is according to a new global consumer study by McKinsey & Co. that points to strategies global automakers can adopt to tap into these market trends and build off consumer interest in plug-in electrified vehicles (PEVs).
Automakers face the challenge of making more investments in manufacturing and marketing the next generation of PEVs. Competition for spending has been increasing by research and development costs in new fuel efficient technologies to meet global government rules for emissions reductions; and fascination with new and expensive technologies for connected, autonomous vehicles, and shared mobility services of the future.
McKinsey conducted an online global survey on PEV consumer preferences in two studies. One surveyed about 3,500 consumers in the U.S., Germany, and Norway; and the second study surveyed about 3,500 consumers in China. The focus of the study was delving into consumer perceptions during the buying process, comparing potential PEV buyers to actual PEV owners.
Interest is very strong among both study groups, and understanding of the technology is getting better. About half the surveyed consumers in the U.S. and Germany say they understand how PEVs and related technology work. Between 30-and-45 percent of vehicle buyers in the U.S. and Germany, respectively consider a PEV purchase today; and strong demand is being seen in Norway and China.
Reaching that other 50 percent of consumers not yet familiar with PEVs and related technology points to a vast opportunity for automakers to run focused marketing and consumer education campaigns, McKinsey said.
Technology developments are helping increase PEV sales and consumer support. Decreasing battery prices, increasing range, and accelerating the charging infrastructure is starting to see results. Increased urbanization in crowded cities and governments toughening up on emissions regulations are playing their part in PEV sales growth, as well.
Barriers in the MarketHowever, serious challenges are keeping PEV sales stuck around 1 percent of the total in the U.S. and other key markets. "Unfavorable battery economics" is the first challenge the study profiles. McKinsey reported that the price is still too high, with a 60 kWh battery being a $13,600 component of the car last year. You also have to add in additional costs of building a PEV including e-motors, high-voltage wiring, on-board chargers, and inverters.
Automakers are still seeing better return on investment in deploying new, advanced technologies for fuel economy gains. These would include transmission improvements, lightweighting, aerodynamics, stop-start, turbocharging, and downsizing vehicles. Automakers are on the edge of having to increase their investments substantially to go the next level with more aggressive downsizing and other enhancements.
Another challenge is facing what the study calls a "capital crunch," where investing in autonomous, connected technology puts carmakers in a situation where R&D budgets are being tapped into with little left for PEV development. Opening up another plant, tooling, R&D spend, and "go-to-market" strategies need a lot of capital.
McKinsey sees another problem to overcome as the "supply/demand mismatch. The premium vehicle market is being well served by Tesla Motors and a few other luxury electric models on the market. For the consumers surveyed in the study, some needs are not being met for smaller cars, SUVs, and crossovers.
Looking at SolutionsThe institutional changes behind companies testing autonomous vehicles, along with shared, connected, and electrified systems, also offer a set up opportunities for automakers. As the table below shows, these new developments will cost a lot in capital but do open doors for meeting emissions regulations and better serving growing market niches.
Diversifying the PEV product offerings will be a big part of seeing sales grow, along with addressing consumer misconceptions about how the technology works. A large gap exists among those studies between perceived and real-world range for owners of PEVs. That's also where experiences of current PEV owners can come to play with much of it coming down to how they drive their PEVs; they understand how much battery power they typically use, depending on their own driving performance, and how charging is typically done.
Another opportunity is to address misconceptions about PEV maintenance costs and vehicle reliability. Based on a comparison in the study of five PEVs from five different automakers and their comparable sized internal combustion engine counterparts from these same brands, PEVs typically had 20-to-40 percent lower maintenance costs over a five-year period.
The study found that traditional automakers have a lot more opportunity to compete with Tesla than they think they have. On the premium and luxury vehicle side, Tesla still has the advantage with consumers. What was surprising for McKinsey was how consumers in the study indicated that their highest levels of trust in PEV models overall come from established automakers. The potential is great for those established global automakers who can develop PEV-specific brands or sub-brands, according to the consulting firm.
Long-term, McKinsey sees that most successful automakers will be the ones who can integrate new automated technologies, electrification, and growth in mobility services and shared rides. This will be built around better targeted marketing campaigns reaching different consumer segments.
For example, consumers in cities want to see more options in "less costly, purpose-built EVs with smaller battery packs and shorter ranges." McKinsey sees real opportunity in serving consumers who want more basic mobility solutions.
Other consumer segments studies want more of the other option – they have high expectations for driving utility and want to see longer range per charge. These large consumers groups were labelled in the study as "urban families," "trendy families," "high-tech status seekers," and "feature-focused buyers."
New Business ModelComing from a new business model will also be necessary for automakers to succeed in the fast-changing global market, the study said. Instead of focusing on purchase prices or traditional lease rates, automakers should switch over to the total cost of ownership (TCO) business model. They would be selling the reduced cost of owning a PEV versus a traditional gasoline-engine car over the lifecycle in fuel and maintenance costs.
Growth in ride-hailing, carsharing, and peer-to-peer car rental also points to another opportunity for automakers to change their way of thinking about the corporate business model. For example, companies like Uber and Lyft may find the fleets entering the ride-hailing business may find PEVs more attractive with lower operating costs than traditional ICE vehicles. The study found that more than 30 percent of those surveyed would prefer a PEV model over an ICE when using "e-hailing" services; and about 35 percent would pay a premium to ride in a PEV.
Tesla was founded with an EV-centric business model.
Automakers and other companies can maintain a PEV fleet for carsharing services. Consumers who subscribe to their service, such as Maven, Zipcar, and Car2go, can be incentivized to choose a PEV and would likely enjoy the experience. They could also choose a large SUV for weekend road trips then go back to a PEV during the week. This business model could also present a solution to automakers complying with zero emission vehicle and other clean vehicle mandates around the world.
P2P (peer-to-peer) car rental is another concept looked at in the study. Some Tesla owners already use this model today, renting out their Model S on P2P sharing apps for one week per month, according to the study. This could be another way to reach consumer segments such as those living in cities who don't want to own a car, but occasionally need access to one. It also provides a side income source for consumers who own a PEV and are willing to rent out their electric car when it's not being used in the owner's household.
Italian automotive designer Antonio Paglia has rendered a killer concept car design for an Alfa Romeo C18, one so sharp and exciting it's received plenty of notice, such as Auto Magazine's video rendering of his images above.
Along with the signature Alfa Romeo grille, Paglia's C18 has an incredibly sleek, almost seamless look, enhanced with LED headlights and running lights. The hood melds right into the windshield and over the passenger area—it would likely rely on VR to enhance the driving experience beyond the usual field of vision.
Antonio Paglia
Paglia based his conception on the C8 Competizione, a powerful streamlined ride bearing a Maserati V8 turbocharged engine and 450 horses under the hood. The C8 was itself an ode to the 6C 2500 Competizione, a noted racing car from the early 1950s.
Antonio Paglia
Naturally Paglia included renderings with the C18's potential as a race car in mind, perhaps a nod toward the design's—and Alfa Romeo's—racing DNA.
Antonio Paglia
For a much deeper dive, check out the designer's online display here. There's no telling if one of these beauties will roll off the line anytime soon, but if Paglia's genius makes it into physical form, we'd suggest producers of future James Bond films take note as well—007 would be totally at home powering one of these off some high Italian cliff into the Mediterranean one day.
h/t HighSnobiety
With so many concept debuts happening in any given year in the automotive world, it's hard to keep track of all these prototypes. There are a few though that stick in our heads, either because of their dramatic good looks or their impressive performance credentials. Then there are those that hit us squarely on both spots and these are the concepts that we actually look forward to seeing production guise. The DS E-Tense Concept from the 2016 Geneva Motor Show counts as one of these concepts and according to Autocar, we might end up seeing a production version of the electric supercar a lot sooner than we had hoped for.
Apparently, DS, the luxury division of the PSA Group that was born out of French automaker Citroen has filed a trademark for the E-Tense name, a sign that the automaker has bigger plans for the concept that stole the show in Geneva last year. Granted, filing a trademark doesn't automatically mean that the name in question will be used in production form. We've seen automakers file trademarks in the past before, only to not do anything with them.
But there are reasons to believe that DS has plans to use the E-Tense name in the future. For one, PSA boss Carlos Tavares has made his opinions clear of a performance car acting as a halo model for DS. The man thinks that there's enormous potential for the car if it does end up going to production. The French auto giant even took the E-Tense Concept out on the streets of Paris shortly after its debut in Geneva to gauge public reaction for the car. Then there's the fact that despite being labeled as a concept, DS actually built the model to production car standards, allowing it to be used as technology demonstrator to showcase all of its wares in real-world settings.
Read the tea leaves and there is cause to be optimistic about the E-Tense Concept's chance of making it to production. Just don't expect it to happen right away because the priority within the DS brand is to introduce an SUV to the market by 2018. That's the more pressing concern at the moment. Once the SUV is out though, look for the buzz surrounding the E-Tense Concept to pick up once again.
Continue reading for the full story.
Good move by DS, even if the results are unlikely to show yetI can't speak for the preferences of other people, but I can tell you that I'm a big fan of the DS E-Tense Concept when it was unveiled at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show. A 400-horsepower electric sports car with the looks that could back up its capabilities would be a great flagship model for a DS luxury brand that's still trying to find stability after having just recently been turned into its own sub-brand.
That's one of the biggest reasons why I think a production version of the E-Tense Concept could work, but it's far from the only reason if you consider how the industry itself is evolving to the point that electric performance cars are becoming more and more popular these days.
There's a whole new segment that's opening up here and PSA and DS would be smart to capitalize on it, especially when a lot of the E-Tense's perceived rivals are also in similar – maybe a little bit more advanced – stages of development. We all know that a big part of success in the industry can be attributed to taking advantage of opportunities that present itself to automakers. Seize these opportunities and you put yourself in an advantageous position to attract success for your model.
I think that's what DS has in front of it and it's playing its cards right by looking at the potential of the E-Tense Concept as a production performance car and being proactive in considering the need of a halo car for the new brand. Whether this trademark filing amounts to anything is a question that will only be answered over time. But the signs point to it happening at some point in the future and that's a good thing for DS as it tries to establish an identity for itself.
Gallery DS E-Tense ConceptRead our full review on the DS E-Tense Concept here.
Japan's signature auto show, the Tokyo auto show, was a must-see extravaganza of the country's future sports-car ideas and eccentric concept cars throughout the 1990s. Then, as the Shanghai and Beijing auto shows grew in prominence and Korean cars started eating into Japan's global market share, the Tokyo event lost its luster, dropping to second-tier status on [...]
blog.caranddriver.com
Japan's signature auto show, the Tokyo auto show, was a must-see extravaganza of the country's future sports-car ideas and eccentric concept cars throughout the 1990s. Then, as the Shanghai and Beijing auto shows grew in prominence and Korean cars started eating into Japan's global market share, the Tokyo event lost its luster, dropping to second-tier status on the international calendar of car shows. And there it has stayed for the past decade. (It doesn't help that the show is held only every other year.) But that won't be the case in 2017, in large part because of one debut: the Toyota Supra concept.
The Supra concept leads a show-car trio from Toyota that also will include, according to the Japanese magazine Best Car, Toyota's S-FR and Corolla GTI concepts. We first saw the next-generation Supra's design direction when the company unveiled its FT-1 concept in January 2014, and the final product will take strong styling hints from that car, as the rendering published here shows. The final design is a collaboration between Toyota's headquarters in Toyota City and the company's Calty studio, located in California.
Co-developed with BMW and using the same rear-wheel-drive platform as the upcoming Z5, we can expect to see the Supra powered by Toyota's own 255-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four and a flagship 340-hp turbo 3.0-liter V-6 married to an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. A 2.5-liter hybrid is expected to join the lineup a year after the launch in late 2018. Although still a concept, the Tokyo car is described as very close to production.
The BMW Z5, on the other hand, will employ the German company's turbocharged inline-four and straight-six powerplants and incorporate special lightweight carbon-fiber technology borrowed from the i3 and i8. It's slated for a Frankfurt auto show debut in September.
In an attempt to show that Toyota means business with its effort to create a stronger sports-car range—one that encompasses small, medium and large sports cars—Japan's number-one automaker also will unveil a purist coupe called the S-FR II concept, an evolution of the concept seen at the 2015 Tokyo auto show. With its huge grille, funky proportions, and short overhangs, the tiny rear-wheel-drive coupe will slot in at the bottom of Toyota's sports-car lineup. It's powered by a 116-hp turbocharged 1.2-liter four-cylinder engine or a 130-hp naturally aspirated 1.5-liter inline-four, with both versions expected to be offered with either a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic transmission. Toyota's "Mr. 86," Tetsuya Tada, father of the Scion FR-S (now the Toyota 86), has been tasked with bringing the S-FR to global markets at a starting price under $15,000—and , yes, that potentially could include the United States.
Rounding out Toyota's sporty concepts will be a GTI version of the Corolla. Based on the new 12th-generation car due out later this year, which will use Toyota's New Global Architecture (TNGA), the GTI is a four-door hatchback packing a 250-hp 2.0-liter turbo four and a specially tuned suspension in an effort to go up against the Volkswagen GTI.
Combine the high-profile splash of three sports-car debuts at the Tokyo show with a hoped-for win at Le Mans after last year's engine failure on the final lap, a welcome return to the World Rally Championships, and the all-new Lexus LC500–based GT3 challenging the top runners in Japan's Super GT series, and it looks like 2017 could reshape Toyota's image and inject some passion back into the brand.
