Beauty in Motion
Feb 16 - by NWMadmin
Everything about this concept car is inspiring to me as a designer. Design and beauty is all around us and speaks to us all. Some more than others as is the case of the Vision. I’ve always been fascinated with cars and concept vehicles, but more so lately as new green technologies are being pushed and molded into amazingly crafty designs. BWM’s have always captured my imagination, from the driving experience to the muscular lines of the chassis.
BMW’s Vision seamlessly blends the greenhouse and the body into one elegant work of art. Flowing contours and layering of various surfaces give the Vision a dynamic presence. The huge glass scissor-doors welcome you into this space-age concept car, and form following function is beautiful. The wheel covers are designed with blades to provide cooling. Inside, the instrument panel and the seats float in space to give a sense of lightness.
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As a plug-in full hybrid with a turbodiesel engine, upward-pivoting doors and radical styling, BMW’s 4-seat Vision EfficientDynamics concept car is packed with technology enabling it to be both frugal and fast.
Complementing the Vision’s futuristic exterior styling, the interior of the car has a flowing instrument panel and a seating arrangement designed to give the passengers a floating-in-air feel. The upholstery is mostly made with natural materials although Kevlar is used for the seats. New technology such as a 3- dimensional head-up display and BMW night vision is included. The Vision concept is powered by three sources: two electric motors and a turbodiesel engine.
BMW Vision EfficientDynamics Concept
The rear/mid-mounted direct-injection, 1.5-liter 3-cylinder turbodiesel puts out 163 bhp and 214 lb.-ft. of torque. Combined with the electric motors, the total system output is 356 bhp and 590 lb.-ft. of torque, giving a level of performance that BMW says is “superior to anything provided so far by a hybrid vehicle.”
Not totally relying on the turbodiesel engine, the Vision EfficientDynamics also features a plug-in solution where the batteries can be recharged in 2.5 hours when connected to a 220-volt 16-amp outlet. With a 380-volt 32-amp electric source, the charging time can be as little as 44 minutes. Running in full electric mode, the car can travel up to 31 miles. With only the turbodiesel providing power, an approximate 400-mile range can be obtained using a 6.6-gallon tank.
Due to the car’s considerable power and relatively low curb weight of 3076 lb., BMW claims the Vision EfficientDynamics concept can hit 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.8 seconds, and easily exceed its electronically limited top speed of 155 mph.
Leave it to BMW to figure out a way to make hybrids exciting.
