Volvo 3CC
According to experts, the most important concept car to come
out of an automobile company think-tank is the Volvo 3CC because
of its amenities such as a luxury sedan that drives like a sports
car while being totally emission free.
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Credit is given to the designers, engineers
and business people at the Volvo Monitoring and Concept
Center in California for this technological excellence,
backed by the many awards the Volvo 3CC reaped, particularly
from prestigious award giving bodies.
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The Volvo 3CC is an electric car that runs on 3,000 lithium-ion
batteries and feeds power to its 80 kw AC electric motor. The
batteries used are similar to those on laptops and mobile phones,
except that the Volvo 3CC is fitted with cylindrical batteries
similar to that of traditional batteries.
To keep the batteries cool under the car-floor's thin double
layer, batteries must be cylindrical so air can circulate freely.
The electric powertrain drives the car to accelerate from 0-60
mph in just 10 seconds and runs at a cruising speed of 85 mph.
With additional power recaptured by regenerative braking, the
Volvo 3CC can cover distances of up to 180 miles on a single charge,
of course when cruising on regular road conditions.
The Volvo performs like a sports car but with zero emissions.
The body design is patterned after a sports car that is 153.5
inches long, 64 inches wide and 52 inches high.
And like a Formula One race car, it's one-piece outer shell is
made of carbon fiber so that the resulting weight is 50% lighter
than steel. Since the outer shell is aerodynamically designed
and is lightweight, it helps the car achieve its speed range.
The Volvo 3CC is a front wheel-drive vehicle that utilizes a double
wishbone front, rear suspension system and a low center of gravity
that enhances the car's driving performance.
It is a compact car, but the interior has been properly designed
to be roomy. What stands out in this car is the seating configuration.
The front seats two adults but the rear seat can only accommodate
one adult or two child passengers.
Because of the shape of the car, it can only be accessed through
the car's gull-wing door that opens upward so it is completely
out of the way as one enters or exits the car. The seating arrangement
projects proper communication among car occupants with comfort
and space comparable to bigger cars.
Not to be outdone is the state of the art instrument panel designed
to be sleek and ergonomic. One sweep of the driver and all the
controls become visible since they fall on the same plane with
the control panel outlined with proximity sensors rather than
traditional knobs and switches.
This system is somewhat a novelty with cars, since the driver
can control the lights, climate, audio equipment and air-conditioning
by just waving a finger at least 5 mm from the controls.
Providing crash safety for a small and lightweight car is a challenge
to designers, so Volvo integrated the safety ride-down concept.
In the event of a collision, the instrument panel, steering column
and seats move forward at least 8 inches.
This serves as the car's crumple zone that prevents the driver
and front passenger from being thrown against a stationary panel.
It has been designed with shock absorbers that delay the release
of the seats and the time it covers the 8 inches is dependent
on the weight of the occupants.
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