Toyota Volta
The Toyota Volta is a concept car like no other. Man has always
been fascinated with speed. The desire to push to the limit has
characterized man's quest for speed, whether on the streets, on
the race-track, over water or even the sky.
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The Indy 500 for example, emphasizes brute
speed on Formula One vehicles, the sky has its share in
SST (supersonic transport) while Hydrofoil represents the
water. All of these machines provide performance at mind-boggling
speeds and each company tries to outwit each other by coming
up with a faster and better model than the one currently
in the lead.
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When the oil crises during the 90's hit consumers, the trend
slowed down as fossil-based fuel became expensive and clean-air
advocates' calls for reduced Carbon Dioxide emissions gained ground.
Companies shifted to green cars using eco-friendly fuels, but
the desire for fast but green, fuel-efficient vehicles remained.
Toyota Motors Company, the automobile industry giant, developed
the Hybrid Synergy DriveO powertrain precisely to answer the need
for a powerful super car.
Toyota collaborated with Italdesign-Giugiaro to produce a concept
car powered with the Hybrid Synergy DriveO powertrain. The result
is a stunning new design intended for debut at the Geneva Motor
Show.
Since the car is partly powered by compact battery packs, this
particular model was aptly named Alessandro Volta, after the famed
inventor of the battery. To make the prototype vehicle light,
the Italian designer used reinforced carbon-fiber for the car
body and aerodynamically fine-tuned the same to answer drag related
problems at 155 mph.
The Hybrid Synergy DriveO powertrain combines a 3.3-litre V6
gasoline engine and two powerful electric motors that give the
Volta a total power output of 408 bhp (300kw). The fusion of the
powertrain to the Volta is an experiment not only with styling
but also in the exploration of various applications for the new
hybrid technology.
As the front wheels are driven by the electric motor, it generates
4-wheel traction without the need for a transmission shaft. And
since the powertrain is mounted in midship, it allowed the use
of a flat floor in the car's interior to house 3 adult and one
child passenger.
The resulting concept car, due to its light carbon-fiber body,
is light and fast. It accelerates from 0-100 kph in just a little
over 4 seconds and can cover a range of 430 miles in a full tank
of 13.7 gallons with the maximum cruising speed pegged at 250
kmh (155mph).
The design employs racing type front and rear suspension system
and the midship position of the drivetrain achieves balance during
high-speed maneuvers. The stopping power is handled by composite
ceramic brake materials made by Brembo, the brakes specialist.
The rear wheels are supplied by a combined power from the petrol
engine and electric motor.
Toyota is not known for elegant and sophisticated styling, though
it captured consumers by simply producing cars based on quality
engineering alone. This particular collaboration with Italdesign-Giugiaro
and the world's no. 1 carmakers in the first joint venture project
is anticipated as an exercise of international fantasy, but the
concept car looks may yet be a bestseller. This type of car would
appeal to her minions of followers while providing a big boost
to advocates who are out to free mother-nature from harmful gases.
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