75 Your future on four wheels

YOUR FUTURE ON FOUR WHEELS

The sky is the limit for new electric vehicle technology.

WORDS CHRIS NIXON

THE FAST-LOOMING era of electric vehicles will bring the most profound changes in personal transportation since the arrival of the horseless carriage in the late 19th century.

Some of those changes might be unwelcome or controversial, but they’re coming anyway.

I’m among enthusiasts who regret that new petrol- and diesel-powered vehicles will be almost things of the past in barely a decade from now.

We’ll have to hang on dearly to the ones we’ve got in order to enjoy the visceral delights of motoring as we know it now and, I suspect, for some niche commercial uses such as farming.

Meanwhile, arguments about re-charging from coal-generated electricity supplies, lack of charging points and range anxiety will peter out inevitably as technology progresses.

And beyond that, I admit the outlook is exciting.

Apart from the benefits of economy and low emissions, the biggest opportunity with EVs is design freedom.

Bulky piston engines, gearboxes, differentials and fuel tanks – and the limitations on where they can be placed within four wheels – don’t exist for EVs.

Electric motors are more compact, gearing is managed mainly by precise power input and the shape of batteries can be moulded like plasticene for optimum fit and weight distribution.

Heaven for designers, who are appearing with many wonderful concepts as they look into our motoring future.

Typically of the motor industry, where innovation starts at the high-priced top end and trickles down to the cheap runabouts, these concepts are glamorous imaginations of the future for the very rich.

So, observe the Audi skysphere (lower-case ‘s’ is intentional), a concept electric roadster that the German maker says suggests a direct line to forthcoming showroom models.

Forget its dramatic, almost art deco looks.

They’re to attract attention and set a visual agenda for the technological wonders beneath the skin.

Its unique and innovative feature?

Its length can be stretched at the push of a button, so the driver can have a shorty, sporty convertible or a longer, luxurious GT, one that he or she won’t need to ‘drive’ at all, thanks to autonomous control.

The short version of the skysphere is 4940 millimetres long and in this mode is piloted manually by the driver as in a normal car.

A 465 kiloWatt electric motor drives through the rear wheels and promises Porsche-like performance.

Potential range on a full charge is 500 kms, Audi claims.

Then press the magic button and something amazing happens.

Electric motors and a mechanism with parts that slide into one another from a point between the trailing edge of the front wheel arch and the leading edge of the door crank the wheelbase out by 250mm, while the steering wheel and pedals fold out of sight.

Simultaneously the ride height is raised by 10mm to improve comfort.

Now you have a lounge-like GT, from where Audi exhorts the occupants to lie back and enjoy the view.

And while they’re at it – of course – to share the experience to social media via onboard wi-fi.

The autonomous driving system is said to take care of everything, but since the automobile world is still a long way from being able to emulate the Jetsons I’d be reluctant to trust it at Porsche speeds.

For around town, such technology is closer than we think, though – the skysphere collects its passengers with information about their destination and independently handles parking and battery charging.

Other technology abounds.

For example, the autonomous and navigation systems collaborate to read the road ahead and operate the ‘active’ suspension.

Unlike existing – but still very advanced – systems that adjust the stiffness of the shock absorbers to soak up bumps, the Audi skysphere’s suspension actually moves the wheels up and down.

Instead of a wheel being deflected as it hits a bump, the Audi’s suspension simply lifts it out of the way!

The Audi skysphere is a concept, not a prototype, so we’ll never see it in production.

But it will be fascinating to note which of its innovative ideas for future everyday motoring find their way into your local Audi showroom.

MINI TAKES A SMALLER VIEW

Aa a car make whose brand values emphasise ultra-mobility, fun and clever use of space, it’s no surprise MINI has produced such an individual concept as its MINI Vision Urbanaut.

Like Audi’s skysphere, it will never see production, but will serve as a thought-starter about how interior and exterior design can provide new motoring experiences.

MINI says sees itself as an enabler of and companion for unforgettable times – ‘MINI moments’.

The question ‘What kind of experiences do I want to have with my vehicle?’ provides the inspiration for the Urbanaut.

The car can be transformed within its 4.5 metre length to match three different MINI Moments, or modes.

‘Chill’ provides a haven for work or relaxation, with a corner couch, table lamp and green roof lining suggesting a forest canopy.

The dashboard even converts to a day-bed.

‘Wanderlust’ configures the Urbanaut for manual or autonomous driving, while ‘Vibe’ is capable of turning it into a kind of nightclub, with a media control centre, mood-creating interior lighting and even animation of the boom box’s graphic equalisers projected on to the wheels.

Special music has been written to match each mode and MINI has devised its own fragrance.

The Urbanaut might appear wacky and far-fetched, but there’s serious thought behind it.

MINI will test the ideas in real-world situations and measure public reaction for what should be kept and what discarded.

If a future MINI will drive itself while I recline on a day-bed and read a book illuminated by a table lamp, I’m ordering one.