To prove that Infiniti’s
extended range EMERG-E supercar is far more than just a styling
exercise, the brand unveiled “fully functional” versions at the Goodwood
Festival of Speed this weekend past.
The demonstrator cars, have already taken part in the famous
hillclimb, and on Sunday, Formula 1 pilot Mark Webber performed a stint
in the EMERG-E.
According to Jerry Hardcastle, vice president of Vehicle Design and Development for the Nissan
Group Technology Centre Europe, as well as chairman of the UK’s
Automotive Council, the demonstrators remain true to the original
concept car shown at Geneva, utilizing twin electric motors that
generate 402 horsepower, enabling 0-60 mph acceleration of four seconds
and 0-130 mph in 30 seconds.
Utilizing a modified Lotus Evora chassis, the demonstrators also
incorporate a Lotus developed 1.2-liter gasoline generator that produces
47 horsepower at just 3,500 rpm. Zero emissions range is pegged at 30
miles at which point the gasoline generator kicks in. Even after 300 miles Infiniti says the EMERG-E demonstrators deliver an emissions output of just 55 grams per kilometer.
However, in order to make the EMERG-E viable as a running, driving
vehicle some changes still had to be implemented. One of the most
notable is the addition of front and rear spoilers.
“We added the spoiler onto the cars because we needed to balance the
front and rear lift of the car,” said Hardcastle. “The spoiler was
therefore specifically designed to be purely functional as opposed to
being added just for design purposes.”
Besides showcasing Infiniti’s potential future at Goodwood, the EMERG-E demonstrators have also been enrolled in a yearlong test program that aims to explore developments in sustainability and also what Infiniti dubs as “responsible performance.” “In EMERG-E, we’re trying to study and investigate and showcase two things: one is the potential of a mid-engine sportscar for the Infiniti range, and the second is of a new range-extended powertrain,” said Hardcastle. “On the one hand we had an opportunity to make a mid-engine Infiniti sportscar, which would differentiate it from anything in the Nissan range and anything else in the Infiniti range. The mid-engine concept could have any powertrain, so we made a bold decision. Nissan and Infiniti already have a lot of technology for normally aspirated engines, turbocharged engines, diesel engines, electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles. We hadn’t really studied in great depth the potential of a range-extended electric vehicle though, and so that gave rise to the second opportunity to study a new powertrain as well. So in EMERG-E, we’ve brought the two things together.”
Helping the foster the idea of EMERG-E as a viable automotive
concept, the Automotive Council Technology Group has developed a
roadmap, which lays out goals for automotive environmental
sustainability, including reduced CO2 emissions and reduced vehicle
weight.
“If you make a lightweight car, whatever powertrain you use, it will have lower CO2,” said Hardcastle.
As a result, using a Lotus based chassis was seen as a logical step
for the EMERG-E demonstrators, which utilizing an aluminum chassis tub
and carbon fiber bodywork. The vehicles has a relatively bantam curb
weight of 3522 pounds.
Source: GM-Volt.com
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
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