It looks like the I.Robot (movie) cars.. I wonder if it can move sideways ;)

Some art students draw a fantasy car and this is worthy of reporting? It's not even a good design as the vehicle has poor sightlines and apparently no storage space. Not to mention it's a blatant rip off of the Bugatti. Treehugger editors: if I submit a drawing of my Death Star design, will you please post it? It uses nuclear fusion and has a worm composter.

--
editor note: The post clearly said: "Tell you the truth, I’m not even sure it’s much more than a fantasy. But everyone needs some EV eyecandy now and again". As for not being a practical car, I don't think it ever claimed to be.

If you don't enjoy it, that's fine. But no need to get snarky about it.

Jacob note: Brennan, please send me more info on your death star design. I want to see how you worked worms into the zero-gravity environment.

Agreed.

Lighten up.

I am sorry for insulting any delicate geniuses. It's just that I'm an analyst who has to check this and other sites daily to monitor environmentally sustainable technologies and products. I don't like it when I have to filter out fantasy projects that offer nothing new other than a shiny computer rendering. Thanks for the great site otherwise.

Just because a car uses electricity doesn't justify incredible inefficiency.

Unfortunately, the laws of physics still apply and these massive electrical motors needed to produce its 1091 horsepower are going to suck up a tremendous amount of electricity. The massive increase in energy consumption to produce rapid acceration is still there, it's just coming from coal produced electrical power, not gas. 1091 horsepower is the power required to run 3500 washing machines. How many thousands of CF lightbulbs does this energy hog defeat???

So with this concept you end up with a car that still uses a lot of power, and can barely fit two people in it. At least the tesla and wright are minimal lightweight designs, with correspondingly lower power consumption.

Granted, these are students designing this car, and it is a fantasy, so we have cut them some slack. But it is discouraging that with all the problems that need solving we are seeing students heading down this unfortunate path.

And, as a green website, we should reinforce the idea that wasting power is wasting power, and that power has to come from some, possibly fossil fuel powered, generating source. 1091 horsepwer is an awful lot of power to waste.

If the previous posted was snarky (I don't think he was) I think there is valid reason for it.

If it isn't already obvious, electrical consumption isn't without its environmental impacts. Just because a car is an EV doesn't make it green.

This car isn't a very green idea, imho, and should be in the same catagory as other energy wasting vehicles.

So you hate your job. Don't take it out on everyone else-- Just quit.

"Unfortunately, the laws of physics still apply and these massive electrical motors needed to produce its 1091 horsepower are going to suck up a tremendous amount of electricity."

I suggest you read this (the first paper), it's a fascinating read:

http://www.teslamotors.com/learn_more/white_papers.php

Electric motors are not like gasoline engines and the "common sense" things we know about ICEs don't always apply to electric motors.

Two otherwise exactly identical electric cars, one with a 500hp motor and one with a 200hp motor, will take about the same amount of energy if they both go at the same speed. In fact, bigger electric motors are usually more efficient than smaller ones. That is not true for a V8 vs. a I4..

This car is styled just like a conventional internal combustion engine car, right down to the big radiator in the front.

Not very innovative, considering using electrical power frees up a lot of constraints that go with the ICE. The car doesn't push any of the possibilities you get from the flexible and compact packaging possible with an EV.

The design itself is no more advanced than a Bugatti Veyron, (as brennen pointed out), which has been built for a couple of years now, and uses a huge, heat producing ICE.

Not very creative, innovative or green.

I'd also add that making cool electric cars has a very high educational value. It reverses some of the stereotypes about electric cars.. I doesn't matter if these never become high-volume models, they still play a positive role.

Uh, brennan, of course it's a "blatant rip-off of Bugatti." It's supposed to be an Audi. Audi AG owns Bugatti. Most Audis today have some Bugatti styling cues.

You know that stick you've got lodged? It's not a prerequisite for being an analyst. You are welcome to remove it. It's like the tags on mattresses...the consumer is allowed to remove them any time you know?

The tesla is 185 peak hp, while the Audi is 1091 hp.

And once you are producing horsepower from electricity, any comparison between applications is valid on a well to wheel (or work) basis. So the comparison to other applications, like washing machines, is valid. Think running your airconditioner is expensive? That motor is only about 1 hp.

That said, a high performance EV blows away an ICE high performance car. A telsa is very effcient compared to a Ferrari, but that isn't so hard; a Ferrari will typically get 10 to 17 miles per gallon, a Bugatti Veyron even less. However, even the tesla is inefficient compared to other EVs.

Really, there is no way to produce 1091 hp, or even 185 hp without using a lot of power.

"A telsa is very effcient compared to a Ferrari, but that isn't so hard; a Ferrari will typically get 10 to 17 miles per gallon, a Bugatti Veyron even less. However, even the tesla is inefficient compared to other EVs."

Actually, the Tesla Roadster isn't just efficient compared to a Ferrari. It's actually twice as efficient as a Prius (see white paper for methodology), and that's with the average US electricity mix -- it's much cleaner on hydro, solar, wind, etc.

"Really, there is no way to produce 1091 hp, or even 185 hp without using a lot of power."

It takes a lot of energy when you use the potential, but the difference between ICE and electric is that a 500 hp ICE car at 60mph will take more gas than a ICE car with 150hp at 60mph. In electric, that's not always true: a 500 hp electric car at 60mph will use about as much juice as a 150hp electric car at 60mph.

That car looks sick. Can someone tell my why we aren't using all electric car already?

Is it my imagination or are some people having a bad day? :)

Hey, speed junkies can be green, too.

Besides, what's the point in saving the planet if you can't enjoy living?

Think that's angry?

I haven't got a better response to this disturbed sexualising of cars and pseudo-environmentalism than to quote Heathcote Williams from his book-length poem "Autogeddon":

"While paying lip-service to clean living,
The car still aspires to peculiar paroxysms of design:
A pumping penile womb
With illuminated breasts,
And auto-erotic fuel injuection
To achieve orgasmic speeds...
The perfect, self-satisfying body;
And the richer you are
The better body you can buy.
...
"Despite the insidious sops of opportunist advertisers
Whose forebears promoted cigarettes
As a cure for bronchitis-
A clean and modest car
Purchased with self-righteous complacency
Produces yet more hot air.

"The 'pollution-free' car is as green as pus:
Its heat creates drought,
Killing even those
Who never aspire to a car.

"Sparkling New Age morality emulates,
With the best of intentions, the psychopath
Who once climbed the tower
At the University of Austin, Texas.
He took with him three high-velocity rifles,
And a crate of ammunition,
Provisions for a long and murderous siege.
He also carried up six cases of deodorant:
He killed eleven people
While fastidiously entertaining the wish not to offend.
A mother collecting her children from school
In a car covered with worthy stickers
Expressing ecological concern
Innocently understudies Mother Kali
With her rosary of skulls.

"The only green car
Is skeletally rusted and overgrown."

Discuss!

You know, I really object to the poo-poo on the electric car because of some coal plants that are out there. I think it should be a layered approach.

Cars _should_ use electricity and battery as a means of transporting energy (as opposed to using hydrogen as an energy transport). Perhaps with fuel cells or hydrogen engine or gasoline engine to produce electricity for additional range.

I think shifting to an electrical power source should be half the issue, and the other half should be getting cleaner energy plants.

But really, what about the areas already served by cleaner energy? They should have an electric car now. There isn't any major environmental downside to these people having electric vehicles.

Its like the whole movement got sidetracked because coal plants exist in some places.

This is why engineers should design the electric cars and not art students.

1091 HP? Its fun to pull figures out of your ass like that. Where is that 815kW of energy supposed to come from? Lets pretend that the motors each use 600volts, thats 340amps per motor. You're talking 0000 (~1/2" thick) gauge wire now.

Lets use the Tesla's battery (which Ive seen figures panning from 40-50kWh). Less than four minutes of power when you cane it in this thing.

Nice looking car though, just has nothing to do with reality.

have it be a concept, it is not far off. fuel and fossil fuels over the past 70 years have been a harsh solution for an energy source. we need an alternative energy consumption vs. alternative energy source. there was a documentary of an electric go cart abslutely dominating a ferrari 360 modena in handling and performance.

i do not think a a fuel electric solution will be a problem within thee years to come. problem at hand from what i recall was the battery cell weight, capacity and longeviity.

But how about the signifigance of major corporations putting resources into fanciful electric designs? This is VW, not an art student, and that's worth mentioning.

Where is the Audi A4 version?
That is what people really need!

These are Audi's concept photos of the Bugatti Veyron. It is the most expensive production car in the world. The numbers are about the same, but it is a purely gasoline model.

Oh BTW - Audi, VW, Bugatti same difference all owned by the same company!

Actually I'd say it's based on the Audi R8 not the Bugatti.

If the cars doesn't look good, they won't sell.

I don't see the point of bashing art students. They're just having some fun.

I'd guess the creators of this concept car didn't quite see it as the salvation of the planet. It's playing with the idea of sexy cars. Some may see that as sinful. So be it.

VAG is more than VW, Audi and Bugatti. Many other brands and huge resources make them a significant part of what shapes our world. The point of business is making money. VAGs interest in electric cars means they see a future where they will make money from them. That IS interesting, but maybe not surprising.

Making products into good moneymakers has countless steps. The biggest one is NOT technology. The one thing that will overcome any other obstacle is Lust: If enough customers want something bad enough, companies like VAG will find a way to satisfy that lust.

Making a sexy electric car, however unrealistic, is one little thing that ads a little bit of lust to the consept "Electric car". When a major force like VAG does that, it's INTERESTING. Personally I'm more attracted to the Tesla Roadster, but both understand the basics of motivating customers. Customers actually rule the world.
Or could have, if we weren't so mentally lazy....

In Responce To:

Just because a car uses electricity doesn't justify incredible inefficiency.

Unfortunately, the laws of physics still apply and these massive electrical motors needed to produce its 1091 horsepower are going to suck up a tremendous amount of electricity. The massive increase in energy consumption to produce rapid acceration is still there, it's just coming from coal produced electrical power, not gas. 1091 horsepower is the power required to run 3500 washing machines. How many thousands of CF lightbulbs does this energy hog defeat???

So with this concept you end up with a car that still uses a lot of power, and can barely fit two people in it. At least the tesla and wright are minimal lightweight designs, with correspondingly lower power consumption.

Granted, these are students designing this car, and it is a fantasy, so we have cut them some slack. But it is discouraging that with all the problems that need solving we are seeing students heading down this unfortunate path.

And, as a green website, we should reinforce the idea that wasting power is wasting power, and that power has to come from some, possibly fossil fuel powered, generating source. 1091 horsepwer is an awful lot of power to waste.

If the previous posted was snarky (I don't think he was) I think there is valid reason for it.

If it isn't already obvious, electrical consumption isn't without its environmental impacts. Just because a car is an EV doesn't make it green.

This car isn't a very green idea, imho, and should be in the same catagory as other energy wasting vehicles.

... I agree that there are alot steps that still need to be taken to get out world headed in the right direction. However, you can't change the natural human obsession with power. People with money are always going to want more! Now, ..yes, this car will use a substantial amount of energy, but by the time the market place gets to a point where something like this could even make it past the rendering stage....I am sure that we will have much less OZONE costly methods of creating electricity. ...Keep in mind that those previously mentioned power craving millionaires are still going to want their go-fast toys. So why not support this concept rather than bash it forcing our wealthy friends to cruise Rodeo Blvd. in their 9mpg Lambo or 7mpg Bugatti.

This is just on opinion. Take it for what you will. I just think that people should keep in mind that your never going to change this world if your fighting for the impossible. Which in this case, is the motoring millionairs.

Try to look at the big picture and pick your battles. At least this design is headed in a semi productive direction.

Joshua McNamara

How about this the Eliica is an electric car that already exists it has 800hp and as for the problem with coal power if your going to shell out the $200,000 for a car that has fewer emissions why not invest in a solar panel or two to charge it.

dude thats not only the best lloking energyc car but its dope to