CARS - Affiliates News
Concept Vehicle Showcase at Stanford - Summary and Video Available |
The Center for Automotive Research at Stanford invited local companies & Stanford groups to present their vehicles that offer different concepts for individual mobility at their July 15th Concept Car Showcase outside the Volkswagen Automotive Innovation Lab (VAIL). The event brought together the automotive community at Stanford and beyond to discuss non-traditional vehicle concepts and meet the people behind them. The audience of about 120 people watched an one hour question-and-answer session that featured the concept vehicles followed by an open floor part that offered ample opportunity for discussing technical details and making new contacts. There were six vehicles presented along with one discussion of a concept in the making. |
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First up was the 3-wheeled combustion, motor-cycle classified vehicle from Prong Motors, making driving 'fun-ner' with an open-air uniquely California feel. OptaMotive's E-Rex, a 3-wheeled electric vehicle that was an entry to the Progressive AutomotiveX-Prize, an international alternative fuels competition, delivers a range of 100 miles and has a top speed well into the three digits. NASA-Ames based KleenSpeed featured their electric race car which is their test bed for developing technologies for hybrid and electric vehicles. The Stanford Solar Car Project, a student led group presented their latest solar car which just completed 4th in the North American Solar Car Challenge. |
Snapshots from Concept Vehicle Showcase: KleenSpeed, OptaMotive, Stanford Solar Car (courtesy of Hong Quan)
WENG, (Where Everyone Needs to Go), a Stanford grad student project, is a prototype of an electric short range out-about-town vehicle with a PS3-thumbstick for steering that was developed in 6 weeks. While their project is still under wraps, Renovo's Chris Heiser and Jason Stinson shared what they could about their vehicle in the making and we look forward to seeing more from them very soon. Twill Tech introduced their prototype vehicle with easy chair seat which adjusts to driver requirements going from an aerodynamic horizontal position to parking in a fully vertical position. |
Snapshots from Concept Vehicle Showcase: Weng, Twill, Prong (courtesy of Hong Quan)
With this exciting line-up of concept vehicles and concepts in the making, there's a lot to look forward to in innovative options for individual mobility which will improve our environmental impact and change how we view getting around.
Read the news coverage in the Stanford Daily here. For further information contact Sven Beiker (beiker@stanford.edu). |
Jul 22, 2010 - 9:30AM