For a brief New Isetta outline go straight to ad 8.
Chance favors the prepared mind. It truly pays to look closely before you leap. There is a great deal one can learn from the way others have ventured and operated. Think of them as business cases, lessons for free. Each represents a certain idea or vision. There are five successive stages to consider: Vision/concept | Demo | Capitalization | Actual production | "Here to stay"
And seven aspects to assess (looks is something personal):
Energy economy |Clean air |Space efficiency |Affordable |Practical | Safe |Fun
Mind
you, there is one powerful consideration why automakers will most
definitely pay more attention to energy-efficient/low emission cars, and
that is governments regulations. To lower their CAFE and emissions profile they will be forced to incorporate
'eco cars' in their line-up. Luxury car makers are the most vulnerable -
the reason why Aston Martin decided to slap on a new grille to Toyota's
IQ car and to bring it out under its own label.
CAFE: Corporate Average Fuel Economy
CAFE: Corporate Average Fuel Economy
1. Smart car ~ The stylish city car
click on pictures
Vision/concept | Demo | Capitalization | Actual production | "Here to stay"
Energy economy |Clean air |Space efficiency |Affordable |Practical | Safe |Fun
In
the late 1980's Swatch founder/CEO Nicolas Hayek (deceased in 2010)
began developing an idea for a new car using the same type of
personalization features used to popularize Swatch watches. He believed
that the auto industry had ignored the customer
who wanted a small and stylish city car. Fearing that automakers would feel threatened by
the 'Swatch mobile', Hayek sought to
cooperate with one. After a failed attempt in 1993 to come to terms with Volkswagen and getting the cold shoulder from BMW, Fiat, GM and Renault, he
finally reached an agreement with Daimler-Benz AG March 1994 - 49%
of the initial capital of 50 million Swiss francs provided by
Hayek and the remaining 51% by Daimler. Shortly
thereafter Daimler decided to buy out Hayek, who had pushed for a
hybrid drive train (the final car used a conventional three-cylinder
gasoline engine). Launched in 1998 the two-seat Smart car, that featured an
innovative safety cage and swappable body parts ('personalize') but required costly engineering
solutions such as torque cutback during cornering, never succeeded
in meeting the initial high expectations though. As a matter of fact, Daimler's Smart division which was to include more models such as the roadster and the unfortunate ForFour (both were cancelled) lost nearly 4 billion
euros from 2003 to 2006. Daimler decided to stick to their guns with
regard to the Smart ForTwo, brought out an electric version (fuel
consumption turned out to be disappointing any way) and even set out to
make it available through its global car sharing Car2Go
program. No doubt Car2Go is being closely watched by competitors. The Smart is here to stay.
2. Loremo ~ Sleek and lightweight equals low energy bill
2. Loremo ~ Sleek and lightweight equals low energy bill
Vision/concept | Demo | Capitalization | Actual production | "Here to stay"
Energy economy |Clean air |Space efficiency |Affordable |Practical | Safe |Fun
Loremo AG is (was) a German car company, founded in 2000, which focused on designing cars with low weight and low air resistance - "Loremo" being short for "Low Resistance Mobile". Initially the 3.75 by 1.40 meter car was meant for emerging markets such as China and India. The company presented the concept car, which was equipped with a turbo diesel, at the Frankfurt Auto Show, September 2007. An electric motor was to become available later on. The elementary principle of having a sleek, lightweight (550 kg) vehicle ensure low fuel consumption (it in fact shares with the 'New Isetta') was severely offset by some very questionable engineering and ergonomics solutions though. No conventional doors on the sleek (0.20 drag) awkwardly low-riding (1.14 meter) Loremo. Getting in and out of the car happened by lifting the front portion of the car, including the windscreen. How's that on a rainy day? Backbenchers were expected to face rearward, what made for a sickening ride experience, not to mention impact safety aspects. Loremo is a profound example of a 'new car venture' that never succeeded in reaching critical mass, therefore finding proper financing once it became apparent that the company had chosen for the wrong solutions. Building the demo's sapped the company's resources, and it practically went out of business a few years ago.
3. Aptera ~ Scifi slippery looks: dawn of a new era
click on pictures to enlarge
Vision/concept | Demo | Capitalization | Actual production | "Here to stay"
Energy economy |Clean air |Space efficiency |Affordable |Practical | Safe |Fun
Aptera
Motors (Oceanside, Ca) is probably the best example of a startup company that succeeded
in creating a truly global buzz, scoring a lot of goodwill and finding initial funding from private investors with an outlandish-looking new vehicle. Made from lightweight composite materials and promising
spectacular economy of 300 mpg in a combined gasoline/battery-powered cycle, it looked like it set out to take on the auto industry. Having lobbied to receive additional government funding in the
three-wheeled vehicles category, Aptera Corp. applied for USD 184
million worth of Dept. of Energy (DOE) loans October 2009. Eventually denied DOE funding and due to repeated management changes and the company's
inherent inability to deliver on promises it made (the near-accident during the X-Prize contest drew a lot of attention), the company quickly got strapped for
cash and closed shop Dec. 2011. June 2013, the company now known as Zaptera USA announced it
would split into two companies: the existing Jonway-owned Zaptera USA
and the completely independent Aptera USA. Mourning enthusiasts turned
away from the whole venture upon hearing that ill-reputed Jonway and Zap
became involved.
Although the new entity is reported to soldier on where Aptera left off,
its three-wheel layout can now be described as flawed to begin with. To
counter oversteer its front-wheel stance is disproportionately wide, resulting in
exposed, therefore vulnerable front wheels and front suspension. Yet,
despite its outer dimensions of (L: 4.46 m x W: 2.18 m x H: 1.38 m - weight 820 kg / drag coefficient 0.15) cabin space is only capable
of carrying two.
4. Carver ~ Not a car nor a motorcycle
4. Carver ~ Not a car nor a motorcycle
click on pictures to enlarge
Vision/concept | Demo | Capitalization | Actual production | "Here to stay"
Energy economy |Clean air |Space efficiency |Affordable |Practical | Safe |Fun
The Carver is a three-wheeled vehicle (trike) that uses a tilting mechanism to balance the passenger compartment during cornering. It seated (seats) two people lengthwise, and was made and sold by Carver Europe, formerly named Vandenbrink, in the Netherlands. It is interesting for a number of reasons. The Carver was pitched as having the comfort of an automobile while showing the dynamic cornering behavior of a motorcycle (BBC's TopGear team enjoyed it immensely). The Carver can be driven by anyone with a regular car driver's license in the EU, although countries outside the EU have ruled otherwise. It qualifies as a narrow-track vehicle (NVT), and is therefore suited for use in places where space is scarce. As it turns out to be, the company never managed to "flex its muscles" due to the evident lack of capital. This meant low production volume, which in turn was responsible for its hefty sticker price (over 40 mille euro). Motorcyclists called it actually the opposite of what it set out to be - neither the open air thrill of riding a motorcycle and taking it through the bends, nor the comfort, practicality and safety of a regular car. June 2009 the company declared bankruptcy due to lack of demand. The patented technology is still owned and licensed by Carver; the American Persu Mobility Co. has a license. No major car company showed interest as most of them already have similar techniques of their own, BMW (Clever) being one of them. Nowadays the Carver concept of using a two-wheeled rear trolley base and sensor-driven hydraulic actuators to determine the amount of body lean seems outdated. There are a number of ways to compensate for the weight displacement during cornering, although not as radical. I am referring to less complicated (less costly) systems based upon varying front wheel geometry.
5. Murray three-seater ~ Ultra-compact and simplified manufacturing
click on pictures to enlarge
Vision/concept | Demo | Capitalization | Actual production | "Here to stay"
Energy economy |Clean air |Space efficiency |Affordable |Practical | Safe |Fun
The
ultra-compact T.25 is a city car designed by Gordon Murray, who rose to automotive stardom
because of his work on the McLaren F1 super car. At 2.4 m long, 1.3 m wide and
1.6 m high, the T.25 set out to beat Daimler's Smart car. Three T.25's
can be parked in one standard parking space, thereby
increasing much needed urban parking capacity. In addition, its narrow width will allow two T.25's to travel side-by-side (theoretically) in one
freeway lane. The centralized driving position with the two passengers
seated off-center to the left and right behind the driver is a layout
the T.25 shares with the iconic F1 mentioned above. It has a rear
mounted three-cylinder gasoline engine. An electric version, called T.27, was unveiled June 2011. Made from (up-cycled) polyethylene, both versions are meant to be produced in cleverly
simplified production/assembly processes, called i-Stream. This makes
them suitable for (licensed) local production all over the
globe, minimizing the need to transport them over great distances - which is a great idea. After having raised BP 6 million (UK Technology Strategy Board a.o.) Murray has yet to find a manufacturer though. Despite its clever new advantages and projected low sticker price of BP 6000 (although nowhere near Tata Nano price territory), Murray's city
car seems to ignore a paramount rule: next to a car's costs, its looks determine why people buy a car or simply leave it at the
dealer's. Impact safety may be an issue too, at least the perception of being safe.
PS August 16th 2013. Gordon Murray announced on his blog that his urban concept cars have been sold to an as yet unnamed manufacturer, to go into production and on sale in 2016.
Vision/concept | Demo | Capitalization | Actual production | "Here to stay"
Silicon Valley (Ca) based Tesla Motors was incorporated July 2003 by Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning, who also financed the company during its infant stage. Elon Musk, who made his fortune with ventures such as PayPal, took over in February, 2004. Musk's goal was to mass market plug-in electric vehicles, starting with a premium roadster aimed at affluent early adopters, then move on to more affordable mainstream cars. Musk oversaw product development of the Tesla roadster in all of its facets, including the use of lithium batteries. In addition to this, Musk was the controlling investor with an initial USD 7.5 million out of his own pocket, a personal investment that grew tenfold by 2008. May 2009 Daimler, already in business with Tesla to produce an electric version of the Smart car, acquired an equity stake of less than 10 percent of Tesla for a reported USD 50 million. In June 2009 Tesla received USD 465 million in DOE loans. The funding supports engineering and production of the Model S sedan, as well as the development of power train technology meant to sell to other automakers too. As if making a statement towards anyone who had expressed doubts about the company's prospects (incl. BBC TopGear that tested the roadster) that Tesla is here to stay, Musk repaid the loans four years later in full, years before they are due. May 2010 Tesla announced a strategic partnership with Toyota, which agreed to purchase USD 50 million in Tesla stock. It went public one month later (the first automaker since Ford Motor Co. in 1956) raising USD 226 million. Musk's remarkable achievement of doing an IPO in economically uncertain times and have other car companies join his, thereby securing what has been built in less than a decade (!), makes Tesla standout from other 'new car companies'. Also his ambition to bypass dealers ("shopping mall is fine") and nurture a direct relationship with the customers makes for repeated headlines. Tesla stock quadrupled in value. If there is one thing you might criticize Tesla for, then it is the fact that bulky cars (the well-received Model S tips the scale at well over two metric tons) need a lot of batteries to have a decent range, thereby adding even more weight to the car.
Still, no better illustration of the fact that car makers are on the brink of new developments than Volkswagen's XL1, Toyota's i-Road and BMW's i-3, all three of them officially introduced in 2013. What these manufacturers actually do, is a bit of both. Showcase new technology/demonstrate "they care", as well as make these 'next-gen' vehicles expensive to purchase or limit their availability, so they won't cannibalize their present lineup of cars. VW is reportedly building only 250 XL1's, each carrying a price tag of over 100,000 euros, and it won’t be bringing the ultra-sleek two-seat XL1 to the U.S. Toyota, which introduced what can be best described as an enclosed tilting three-wheeled scooter at this year's Geneva show, still is not sure what it wants to do with it. It is said to work together with the French City of Grenoble to work out some sort of car sharing arrangement. BMW's i3 mini-MPV is conventional enough to pick up where Audi's A1 left off more than a decade ago, yet it excels when it comes to new technology. It features the use of carbon-reinforced plastics and a state-of-the-art hybrid drive train. BMW wants to make the 40K euro-costing i-3 available in lease form.
Ralph Panhuyzen, July 12th 2013
8. New Isetta ~ A new personal transportation 'format'
click on pictures to enlarge/click on red-printed words for additional pictures
Vision/concept | Demo | Capitalization | Actual production | "Here to stay"
Energy economy |Clean air |Space efficiency |Affordable |Practical | Safe |Fun
So, where does that leave the 'New Isetta'? Well, 'score blue' throughout should be the mission... Then raise the bar and set new standards when it comes to passenger safety, driving pleasure, comfort, ergonomics and design. To be able to create a low drag shape, which requires a tapered rear end rather than a hatched back, whilst maintaining, even improving impact safety, passengers don't sit next to each other. The N.I. has a cigar-like frame underneath the outer panels and a dual-purpose rear cowling, covering the twin wheels and a flush-mounted rear bumper (a design as well as safety feature). The old Romans already knew that arches make for a stress-resistant construction; lighter materials can be used. Lightweight (550-650 kg) and sleek (<0.19 drag) means that one has the option of a relatively small ICE (scoring close to 100 mpg) or/and an electric motor with a light battery pack to score a decent range. The N.I. (L:3.8 x W:1.48 x H:1.40 m) carries three persons more safely, economically and comfortably (long wheelbase!) than any 'similar-sized' car can. The driver position (to the right in Europe, the U.S./to the left in the UK, Japan, India) with all around visibility unmatched is another safety feature. What about fun? Well, having a NTV configuration is the best excuse to create a flex-free vehicle that will actually bank while cornering (not go 'full tilt' like the Carver). Space-efficient use of the infrastructure ('dual-lane use') is a nice bonus. Governments will love the prospect.
Avoid the idea of bringing yet another small car, or even worse: an eco-geekish small car. People don't like the idea of buying something small (i.e. derived from something bigger). Bring something else, something 'in between'. Ever seen Discovery Channel's TV program "American Chopper"? Nobody looks at a 2.70 meter long motorcycle cruiser as being a small vehicle. There you go. Think of the New Isetta as an enclosed motorcycle cruiser, sharing its stretched looks, the big rear fender and the ability to lean during cornering. In principle this 'Smart ForThree' should (may) retail for about 25-30% more than what a Smart ForTwo costs. Development should start on the basis of a capable network of committed stakeholders and a rigid timetable, eliminating any wishful thinking in the process. Anything less, and chances are that momentum gets lost, despite the New Isetta's huge potential on paper. Think of engineering, product development, manufacturing, marketing as a creative process. A major OEM (not necessarily a car brand) should take upon itself the producer's role, very much like in the movie industry - that means not bear the full weight of financing the venture.
NB: This presentation is put together for assessment purposes only. The Space-Efficient Vehicle aka New Isetta is OHIM (Office of Harmonization for the Internal Market) registered! It is not an open source project. Unauthorized use is strictly forbidden. If in doubt about the semantics of what is "authorized" (literally: of, by or from the author) and what is not (presenting or using what has been created by someone else as if it were yours) consult a legal expert. Notice that the front looks are sort of 'kept neutral' so manufacturers may envisage their own trademark frontal designs. Front and rear sections, containing the front and tail lights, can be swapped for easy repair, a partial makeover or to create a different brand look. The SEV has a chocolate Easter egg-like body: a 'skirted' lower half containing all hardware, which is easily accessible because of the curved upper half with its small roof section.
~
PS August 16th 2013. Gordon Murray announced on his blog that his urban concept cars have been sold to an as yet unnamed manufacturer, to go into production and on sale in 2016.
6. Tesla ~ The brand that 'electrified' the car industry
click on pictures to enlarge
Vision/concept | Demo | Capitalization | Actual production | "Here to stay"
Energy economy |Clean air |Space efficiency |Affordable |Practical | Safe |Fun
Silicon Valley (Ca) based Tesla Motors was incorporated July 2003 by Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning, who also financed the company during its infant stage. Elon Musk, who made his fortune with ventures such as PayPal, took over in February, 2004. Musk's goal was to mass market plug-in electric vehicles, starting with a premium roadster aimed at affluent early adopters, then move on to more affordable mainstream cars. Musk oversaw product development of the Tesla roadster in all of its facets, including the use of lithium batteries. In addition to this, Musk was the controlling investor with an initial USD 7.5 million out of his own pocket, a personal investment that grew tenfold by 2008. May 2009 Daimler, already in business with Tesla to produce an electric version of the Smart car, acquired an equity stake of less than 10 percent of Tesla for a reported USD 50 million. In June 2009 Tesla received USD 465 million in DOE loans. The funding supports engineering and production of the Model S sedan, as well as the development of power train technology meant to sell to other automakers too. As if making a statement towards anyone who had expressed doubts about the company's prospects (incl. BBC TopGear that tested the roadster) that Tesla is here to stay, Musk repaid the loans four years later in full, years before they are due. May 2010 Tesla announced a strategic partnership with Toyota, which agreed to purchase USD 50 million in Tesla stock. It went public one month later (the first automaker since Ford Motor Co. in 1956) raising USD 226 million. Musk's remarkable achievement of doing an IPO in economically uncertain times and have other car companies join his, thereby securing what has been built in less than a decade (!), makes Tesla standout from other 'new car companies'. Also his ambition to bypass dealers ("shopping mall is fine") and nurture a direct relationship with the customers makes for repeated headlines. Tesla stock quadrupled in value. If there is one thing you might criticize Tesla for, then it is the fact that bulky cars (the well-received Model S tips the scale at well over two metric tons) need a lot of batteries to have a decent range, thereby adding even more weight to the car.
7. Any other 'eco car' developments we should monitor?
Although Prius sales passed the 3 million mark in July 2013 (it took
Toyota 16 years), sales of the Ford Focus EV, GM's Volt and Renault
Fluence turn out disappointing. Despite EV's and hybrids being
subsidized with all sorts of tax exemptions and buyer incentives,
popularizing electric cars (making them affordable) may well be
too big of a hurdle, even for Tesla. Volvo completely stopped making an
electric version of the C30. Fiat-Chrysler has no plans to invest in electric power trains in the near future,
citing low customer demand and high development costs as the main
reasons for the decision. Will battery technology improve in the coming years? Can charging times be considerably shortened and range be extended? Will scale
oil and (liquified) scale gas influence EV acceptance negatively in the U.S.? What
happens when some
disruptive technology will boost the energy efficiency of the ICE
(internal combustion engine)? It would be unwise to rule out the ICE. German car makers always expressed their doubt about the
EV's viability - reason why their hybrid drive available in luxury
models only comes in a 'ICE comes 1st-the electric motor comes 2nd'
configuration.
click on pictures to enlarge
Vision/concept | Demo | Capitalization | Actual production | "Here to stay"
Energy economy |Clean air |Space efficiency |Affordable |Practical | Safe |FunStill, no better illustration of the fact that car makers are on the brink of new developments than Volkswagen's XL1, Toyota's i-Road and BMW's i-3, all three of them officially introduced in 2013. What these manufacturers actually do, is a bit of both. Showcase new technology/demonstrate "they care", as well as make these 'next-gen' vehicles expensive to purchase or limit their availability, so they won't cannibalize their present lineup of cars. VW is reportedly building only 250 XL1's, each carrying a price tag of over 100,000 euros, and it won’t be bringing the ultra-sleek two-seat XL1 to the U.S. Toyota, which introduced what can be best described as an enclosed tilting three-wheeled scooter at this year's Geneva show, still is not sure what it wants to do with it. It is said to work together with the French City of Grenoble to work out some sort of car sharing arrangement. BMW's i3 mini-MPV is conventional enough to pick up where Audi's A1 left off more than a decade ago, yet it excels when it comes to new technology. It features the use of carbon-reinforced plastics and a state-of-the-art hybrid drive train. BMW wants to make the 40K euro-costing i-3 available in lease form.
Ralph Panhuyzen, July 12th 2013
click on pictures to enlarge/click on red-printed words for additional pictures
Vision/concept | Demo | Capitalization | Actual production | "Here to stay"
Energy economy |Clean air |Space efficiency |Affordable |Practical | Safe |Fun
So, where does that leave the 'New Isetta'? Well, 'score blue' throughout should be the mission... Then raise the bar and set new standards when it comes to passenger safety, driving pleasure, comfort, ergonomics and design. To be able to create a low drag shape, which requires a tapered rear end rather than a hatched back, whilst maintaining, even improving impact safety, passengers don't sit next to each other. The N.I. has a cigar-like frame underneath the outer panels and a dual-purpose rear cowling, covering the twin wheels and a flush-mounted rear bumper (a design as well as safety feature). The old Romans already knew that arches make for a stress-resistant construction; lighter materials can be used. Lightweight (550-650 kg) and sleek (<0.19 drag) means that one has the option of a relatively small ICE (scoring close to 100 mpg) or/and an electric motor with a light battery pack to score a decent range. The N.I. (L:3.8 x W:1.48 x H:1.40 m) carries three persons more safely, economically and comfortably (long wheelbase!) than any 'similar-sized' car can. The driver position (to the right in Europe, the U.S./to the left in the UK, Japan, India) with all around visibility unmatched is another safety feature. What about fun? Well, having a NTV configuration is the best excuse to create a flex-free vehicle that will actually bank while cornering (not go 'full tilt' like the Carver). Space-efficient use of the infrastructure ('dual-lane use') is a nice bonus. Governments will love the prospect.
Avoid the idea of bringing yet another small car, or even worse: an eco-geekish small car. People don't like the idea of buying something small (i.e. derived from something bigger). Bring something else, something 'in between'. Ever seen Discovery Channel's TV program "American Chopper"? Nobody looks at a 2.70 meter long motorcycle cruiser as being a small vehicle. There you go. Think of the New Isetta as an enclosed motorcycle cruiser, sharing its stretched looks, the big rear fender and the ability to lean during cornering. In principle this 'Smart ForThree' should (may) retail for about 25-30% more than what a Smart ForTwo costs. Development should start on the basis of a capable network of committed stakeholders and a rigid timetable, eliminating any wishful thinking in the process. Anything less, and chances are that momentum gets lost, despite the New Isetta's huge potential on paper. Think of engineering, product development, manufacturing, marketing as a creative process. A major OEM (not necessarily a car brand) should take upon itself the producer's role, very much like in the movie industry - that means not bear the full weight of financing the venture.
NB: This presentation is put together for assessment purposes only. The Space-Efficient Vehicle aka New Isetta is OHIM (Office of Harmonization for the Internal Market) registered! It is not an open source project. Unauthorized use is strictly forbidden. If in doubt about the semantics of what is "authorized" (literally: of, by or from the author) and what is not (presenting or using what has been created by someone else as if it were yours) consult a legal expert. Notice that the front looks are sort of 'kept neutral' so manufacturers may envisage their own trademark frontal designs. Front and rear sections, containing the front and tail lights, can be swapped for easy repair, a partial makeover or to create a different brand look. The SEV has a chocolate Easter egg-like body: a 'skirted' lower half containing all hardware, which is easily accessible because of the curved upper half with its small roof section.
~
