The Hybrid Race Car : Toyota CS&S Concept

Toyota CS&S was introduced at the 2003 Frankfurt Motor Show in Germany. This hybrid race car concept was designed at the Toyota ED2 studio near Nice, France. CS&S stands for Compact Sports and Specialty. The CS&S is a 4-wheel-drive mid-engine 2+2 sports car powered by a 1.5 litre hybrid petrol electric set up taken directly from the Toyota Prius powers the rear wheels and a separate electric motor is connected to the front wheels.

This cool concept car Employing Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive, an electric motor drives the front wheels, while a gas engine and electric motor in combination drive the rear. CS&S also unveils "Toyota Space Touch," where the driver able to activated functions by touching holographic projections. This future automotive has a seating arrangement with removable covers for the rear 2 occasional seats, where the car can be run as a 2 seater or if the rear canopies are removed from behind the front seats, a 2+2 seater.

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Toyota A-BAT Concept

The Toyota A-BAT was on display at the Toyota exhibit in Detroit at the 2008 North American International Auto Show beginning Monday, January 14. Kevin Hunter, president, Calty Design Research, Inc said that "Driving from beyond the suburbs to the city is a way of life for many people. We've taken Toyota's truck heritage to a different level by envisioning a vehicle capable of manouvering the suburbs as well as dirt roads. This compact truck is as comfortable for long commutes as it is for road trips. It can accommodate outdoor toys and home improvement supplies. Plus, customers benefit from the hybrid powertrain's low emissions and fuel economy."

TMS Advanced Product Strategy group and Calty, Toyota's North American-based, research and design centre located in Newport Beach, California are the group that responsible for the A-BAT concept development. This team created a new genre of compact vehicle with good fuel economy, advanced functionality, manoeuvrability, unique styling within its segment, and a durable package suitable for an active lifestyle.

Beside the lightweight A-BAT concept package also coupled with Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive technology is designed to deliver excellent fuel economy. Translucent solar panels in the top surface of the instrument panel capture sunlight and convert it into energy, showcasing the vehicle's "green" character. Toyota A-BAT is an environmentally friendly cool truck.

This cool car has a unique aerodynamic exterior crafted by Calty Project Chief Designer Ian Cartabiano and Creative Designer Matt Sperling. They integrated Toyota's design philosophy, "Vibrant Clarity" into the exterior by keeping the design forward-looking, crisp and functional.

Although the A-BAT is rugged and has a spirited exterior, the interior team worked to create a modern look for the interior. The door trim, shoulder, armrest and instrument panel pads and seat cushions are made of a tough, lightweight and comfortable material that can be selected for personalization.

Daryl Harris, Senior Creative Designer said that "The inspiration behind the exposed structure on the interior was drawn from high-end mountain bike frames. "We applied lightweight construction materials, such as carbon fiber and aluminum, to the instrument panel, console and seats for increased structural rigidity while reducing mass."

The interior of this cool automotive has a retractable portable navigation unit with a seven-inch diagonal screen and Wi-Fi internet. It also includes other advanced features such as a port for portable device assistant synchronization and a hard drive for digital music. The Toyota A-Bat is the next evolution of compact truck.

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Opel Flextreme Concept

Opel Flextreme Concept was introduced at the International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt in 2007. This cool car has a low emission mobility propulsion with the E Flex technology. The flextreme concept has a lithium ion battery as it’s energy source, this car also has additional energy from 1.3 liter turbo-diesel onboard CDTI engine. This innovative vehicle is expected to emit less than 40 g of CO2 per km. After charging for three hours at 220 volts this car will be at it’s full capacity. The engine also include the integration of two high tech electric personal transporters, located below the cargo floor. This electric transporters provide extra mobility option up to 38 km of clean mobility.

Opel Flextreme Concept has a dynamic and innovative exterior and interior design. Flextreme has a large transparent roof and two tailgate doors that open from the side and swing upwards it also has narrow boomerang shaped lights and sloping swage line in the side graphics. The front part is decorated with front grill and rims which are covered by lightweight transparent trim made from polycarbonate to improve aerodynamics and enhancing visual aesthetics. This concept car has a unique and practical door which they call the FlexDoors, the front door open in the conventional manner and the rear door are rear hinged.

Flextreme Concept has a futuristic interior design with honeycomb structures. The honeycomb structure is a functional, geometric structure located in the instrument panel’s lower portion, above the center tunnel where the lithium-ion batteries are located, cabin floor and cargo floor. This cool automotive has a large panoramic display located directly under the windshield and on the center console. The display are configurable with a touch screen operation to show a complete view of the car surrounding and easy access to various menu such as air conditioning, communication device, infotainment feature and navigation functions.

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Lumeneo Smera

Lumeneo Smera was introduced at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show. With 144 volt lithium ion battery Lumeneo Smera can go from 0-60mph in eight seconds. The lithium ion battery is supplying the power to the dual rear wheel motors. This concept car is able to transport two passenger up to 93 miles and with 80 mph of top speed. In 2009 Lumeneo plan to produce 250 units of this cool car. The price range is starting at 24,500 euros ($33,000 US).

General Specifications :

First Introduced at : 2008 Geneva Motor Show

Country of origin : France

Dimensions :

Length / width / height : 2380 / 800 / 1450 mm

Doors / Seats : 2 / 1+1

Wheelbase : 1700 mm

Track : 655 mm

Steering diameter : 7 m

Maximum tilting angle : 25 °

Weight (with batteries) : 350kg / 770 lbs

Pneumatic dimensions : 145/70 R14

Engine :

Boot volume : 70 / 150 liters

Motorization Technology : Brushless electric motors with permanent magnets

Max Power : 30 / 40 kW / Hp

Max Torque on wheels : 1 000 Nm

Max Voltage : 144 V

Technology : Lithium

Capacity : 10 kWh

Battery weight : 80 kg / 180 lbs

Speed :

Performances Max speed : 130 kph / 80 mph

0-100 kph / 0 – 60 mph : 8.0 s

Range : 150 km / 90 miles

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