Called the UrbanConcept, the radical machine has semi-open wheels and is narrow enough to be easy to drive and park in crowded city streets.
Fully electric, two of Audi’s e-tron electric motors drive its 21-inch wheels, while it is built from a combination of aluminium and carbon fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP), promising a blend of strength and safety as well as light weight.
The UrbanConcept’s taut, aggressive lines are also said to provide hints to the future design language of Audi’s mainstream line-up. Blinking LED lights further mark out the partly exposed wheels, which also have brake energy recuperation to extend the lithium-ion battery pack’s range.
The passenger compartment is made from CFRP, with some of the technology Audi’s own, and some of it derived from sister firm Lamborghini’s Aventador supercar. Both the seatbases are moulded into the carbon fibre body, and the driver can adjust the pedals and steering wheel to suit.
Audi insists the seating positions – with the passenger to the side and slightly behind the driver – will provide plenty of space while keeping the cabin narrow. To enter the car, both occupants slide the large, single-piece roof back.
All of the cabin’s controls and materials are made from carbon fibre, aluminium and lightweight upholstery. That promises to lend the sleek UrbanConcept reasonable straight-line performance and allows it to use a smaller battery pack than would be fitted to a converted production car.
No comments:
Post a Comment