06:30
Geetansh Gupta
FUTURISTIC DESIGNS FROM BOTH GENERAL MOTORS
AND HYUNDAI FEATURED IN THE
MICHELIN CHALLENGE DESIGN DISPLAY AT NAIAS
AND HYUNDAI FEATURED IN THE
MICHELIN CHALLENGE DESIGN DISPLAY AT NAIAS
DETROIT (Jan. 10, 2011) — While electric-drive vehicles are arriving in U.S. driveways, the EN-V concepts displayed in the Michelin Challenge Design exhibit take electric vehicles and urban mobility a step further. They embody the spirit of innovation, design and enthusiasm that future drivers will demand, while addressing needs of increasingly congested urban areas.
| EN-V concepts from General Motors displayed at NAIAS | ||||
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| Xiao (Laugh) | Jiao (Pride) | Miao (Magic) | ||
"Projects like GM's EN-V (Electric-Networked Vehicle) emboy an enthusiastic and innovative future that addresses issues of congestion, safety, personal mobility and reduced impact on the environment without losing a sense of personality," said John Moloney, vice president of original equipment marketing, Michelin North and South America. “It is innovative vehicle designs like this that align so well with the vision of Michelin Challenge Design to continuously look ahead and better predict the transportation and mobility issues we may be faced with in the future.”
EN-V: A Vision for Future Urban Mobility
Many automakers are looking at autonomous driving for reducing congestion and increasing safety in ever-more-crowded cities. General Motors demonstrated how such a system might work with the Electric-Network Vehicles, which have come to the United States after nearly a year on display in Shanghai.
The EN-Vs demonstrate one alternative for safe, sustainable mobility. The Xiao (Laugh), Jiao (Pride), and Miao (Magic) are examples of the ideas that inspire Michelin Challenge Design organizers, jury members, and participants. The EN-V concepts were among the best descriptions of the intersection of design and engineering in 2010.
General Motors and its strategic partner, Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp. Group (SAIC), share a common vision for addressing the need for personal mobility through a radical change in personal urban transportation. They are exploring several solutions for tomorrow's drivers.
A Promising Solution
EN-V, which is short for Electric Networked-Vehicle, maintains the core principle of personal mobility - freedom - while helping remove the motor vehicle from the environmental debate and redefining design leadership. EN-V is a two-seat electric vehicle that was designed to alleviate concerns surrounding traffic congestion, parking availability, air quality and affordability for tomorrow's cities.
Three EN-V models represent three different characteristics that emphasize the enjoyable nature of future transportation: Jiao (Pride), Miao (Magic) and Xiao (Laugh).
"EN-V reinvents the automobile by creating a new vehicle DNA through the convergence of electrification and connectivity. It provides an ideal solution for urban mobility that enables future driving to be free from petroleum and emissions, free from congestion and accidents, and more fun and fashionable than ever before," said Kevin Wale, President and Managing Director of the GM China Group.
Breakthrough Technology
EN-V is propelled by electric motors in each of its two driving-mode wheels. Dynamic stabilization technology empowers EN-V, giving it the unique ability to carry two passengers and light cargo in a footprint that's about a third of a traditional vehicle. It can literally "turn on a dime" within its own operating envelope. In addition, everything in EN-V is drive-by-wire, supporting its ability to operate autonomously or under manual control. The motors not only provide power for acceleration, but also bring the vehicle to a stop.
Power for the motors is provided by lithium-ion batteries that produce zero emissions. Recharging can occur from a conventional wall outlet using standard household power, allowing EN-V to travel at least 40 kilometers on a single charge. EN-V can also improve the efficiency of the public electric infrastructure since the vehicle can communicate with the electric grid to determine the best time to recharge based on overall usage.
By combining the Global Positioning System (GPS) with vehicle-to-vehicle communications and distance-sensing technologies, the EN-V concept can be driven both manually and autonomously.
Its autonomous operating capability offers the promise of reducing traffic congestion by allowing EN-V to automatically select the fastest route based on real-time traffic information. The concept also leverages wireless communications to enable a "social network" that can be used by drivers and occupants to communicate with friends or business associates while on the go.
This combination of sensing technology, wireless communication and GPS-based navigation establishes a technology foundation, pieces of which could migrate from the EN-V concept and potentially lead the way to future advanced vehicle safety systems.
The ability to communicate with other vehicles and with the infrastructure could dramatically reduce the number of vehicle accidents. Using vehicle-based sensor and camera systems, EN-V can "sense" what's around it, allowing the vehicle to react quickly to obstacles or changes in driving conditions. For example, if a pedestrian steps out in front of the vehicle, EN-V will decelerate to a slower and safer speed and stop sooner than today's vehicles.
Smaller, Smarter Design
For its debut, GM had design teams around the world provide their vision of what future mobility will look like. Xiao (Laugh) was designed by GM Holden's design team in Australia, while the look of Jiao (Pride) was penned by designers at GM Europe and Miao (Magic) was designed at the General Motors Advanced Design Studio in the U.S. state of California.
Each EN-V has a unique design theme to showcase the flexibility of the propulsion platform. The design gives each EN-V its own personality, with a unique opening, elegant interior and innovative color, lighting and seat technology. Xiao offers a more lighthearted appeal, with its nautical-inspired design. Miao takes most of its design cues from the consumer electronics industry, as evidenced by its sleek, masculine looks. Designers also used Miao to display innovative lighting solutions, including extensive use of LED accent lighting. With its clean lines and bright paintwork, Jiao takes its design influence from bullet trains and Chinese opera masks.
"EN-V incorporates significant technology and material innovation, which has given the design team a whole new world to explore," said Clay Dean, Director of Advanced Design for GM North America. "Because of the lightweight structures, materials and integrated controls, we created unique surface forms not traditionally found in automotive applications."
The body and canopy of EN-V are constructed from carbon fiber, custom-tinted Lexan and acrylic, materials that are more commonly used in race cars, military airplanes and spacecraft because of their strength and lightweight characteristics. The ability to work with such innovative materials provided a learning opportunity for GM's design teams to study the feasibility of future traditional automotive applications.
EN-V's compact size makes it ideal for densely populated cities. But good things come in small packages, as witnessed by EN-V's innovative interior design, which provides maximum visibility to the world outside. A simple interface for activating Wi-Fi-based technologies keeps occupants connected to the outside world.
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Recognizing and appreciating the importance of design in the automotive industry, Michelin features a unique display of project vehicles from Hyundai in their Michelin Challenge Design display at the 2011 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS). The properties on display are the impressive results of an internal design competition at Hyundai called "myBaby: Visionary Transportation Projects."
Hyundai designers from South Korea, the United States, Europe, and Japan participated in the competition, with 28 models being selected for display at international auto shows in 2009. Of that 28, six are on display in the Michelin Challenge Design booth at NAIAS.
The designs passed three phases of internal Hyundai review before being selected, and the designers were encouraged to create whatever their dream vehicle might be. The works on display on the Michelin Challenge Design exhibit include a self-balanced single-seater to combat American freeway traffic, a Marsh Racer to deal with increasing wetlands terrain, a racing car fueled by dried desert grass, a Formula Electric racer, and a transformable flying jet bike, and a vehicle inspired by human physical construction.
From Chang Hyuk Jeon, of Hyundai's Advanced Design Team, came the Recycling Racing Monster. Jeon saw this ultimate racing monster using dried grass for fuel and a strong and light recyclable body material. "Human living space has been smaller as the desert expands and sea level rises, therefore a new form of racing machine appears in order to fulfill human demand upon the changed environment of the limited circuit space."
Hyundai Design North America's Roger Flores was also inspired by racing, offering a Formula Electric. Based on the chassis of the Type 111 used by Tesla, a carbon fiber body would keep total vehicle weight to 650 kilograms. Flores says "Electric cars don't have to be boring. Design the body with downforce and this race car can be an effective weapon on the track."
Osamu Shikado, at Hyundai Design North America, offers up a self-balanced single seater. Shikado says that with the heavy traffic of the American freeway system, with more than 90% of vehicles carrying only one person: "Is there any better transportation?"
Also from Hyundai Design North America, Jason Brown created an open swamp buggy that might leap water and skim across the surface of wetlands forest. Brown says, "With global warming contributing to higher sea levels, the future of our Earth's surface will be mostly wetlands and marshes. Like many creatures on our planet, vehicles will have to adapt."
Sung Eun Yoon, Hyundai Advanced Team, created the i-Bot, a stretchable and transformable ride for speed-holics. Yoon says that with the i-Bot Transformable Flying Jet Bike leaves nothing to be desired. Dong Seong Lee, from Hyundai Design North America, created the D2-X inspired by the human vertebrae and rib cage, racing machine to offer protection in extreme environments.
About Michelin Challenge Design
Michelin Challenge Design (www.michelinchallengedesign.com) was launched in 2001 as a way to showcase creativity and innovation in vehicle design on a global scale around a central theme. Each year, Michelin invites designers around the world, from individuals to small and large companies, to create and display significant design work that would normally not have an opportunity to be shown at a major auto show.
About Michelin
Dedicated to the improvement of sustainable mobility, Michelin (www.michelin.com) designs, manufactures and sells tires for every type of vehicle, including airplanes, automobiles, bicycles, earthmovers, farm equipment, heavy duty trucks, motorcycles and the space shuttle. The company also publishes travel guides, maps and atlases covering Europe, Asia, Africa and North America. Michelin is recognized as the leading innovator in the tire industry. The Michelin brand is the top selling tire brand worldwide. Worldwide sales for the Michelin Group were 16.4 billion euros in 2008. Sales for the North American operation in 2008 were $8.3 billion1. Headquartered in Greenville, S.C., Michelin North America employs approximately 21,500 and operates 18 major manufacturing plants in 16 locations.
About General Motors
General Motors, one of the world's largest automakers, traces its roots back to 1908. With its global headquarters in Detroit, GM employs 204,000 people in every major region of the world and does business in some 140 countries. GM and its strategic partners produce cars and trucks in 34 countries, and sell and service these vehicles through the following brands: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, GM Daewoo, Holden, Jiefang, Opel, Vauxhall and Wuling. GM is the joint global automobile partner of World Expo 2010 Shanghai along with Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp. Group (SAIC). More information on the new General Motors can be found at www.gm.com.
