Tyre firm sketches rubber SUV concept
With self-inflating wheels
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Leccy Tech Rumours about the possible death of the big 'ol SUV may have been exaggerated, that’s if the recycled leccy car concept from Korean tyre maker Kumho is anything to go by.
Kumho's Fortis concept would have recycled rubber for doors
The firm’s Fortis car would employ four 75kW (100bhp) electric motors - one for each wheel - and a lithium-ion battery pack – nothing too out of the ordinary.
Yet most of car’s exterior panels, and a large proportion of its interior, would come from the firm’s own recycled tyre rubber.
Such an apparently eco-friendly design sounds great on paper because, theoretically, fewer old tyres would end-up being burnt in junk yards. And, who knows, all that extra rubber may even see the car able to bounce off other cars during a collision.
Venture off-road, though, and the car’s own tyres could really come into their own. Why? Because driving on dirt or ice would cause them to automatically deflate, exposing a series of metal studs for that all-important extra traction.
An interchangeable battery pack lurks under Fortis' shell
Once you get back onto tarmac, the tyres reinflate themselves - the firm stressed.
Fortis’ one-motor-per-wheel configuration would also mean that the car could be driven in either a front, rear or four-wheel drive modes, Kuhmo added.
The Fortis concept was dreamt up by Kumho's in-house designer, and ex-Fiat man, Rob Dolton. But just because he’s been staring into his automotive crystal ball doesn’t mean you should expect Fortis to reach the production line anytime soon. ®
COMMENTS
@ Daniel Pimley
Actually Daniel, the only thing worse than someone who doesn't read Wiki before replying is someone who reads it and take it as gospel ;-)
Anyway, back to business. The concept looks like it took all of a week to render and throw out some half-baked engineering drawing. As a chassis it's childish bilge; first, make it a monocoque and second make the power pack semi structural to help curb weight. When that's done, for heaven's sake stop including a wacking great bonnet that you don't need and start thinking about using your road footprint more effectively.
Sometimes these stylists really tick me off. Especially with lazy shite like this.
Tight Parking Spaces
And with a large tub of Vaseline, you need never worry about those tight parking spaces ever again.
@Andrew Norton
Whilst your approach will indeed work as a braking system, it will not be a very effective one. All real-life regen and "reverse drive" systems are supplemented by a mechanical braking system, whether it be an electric train, a Toyota Prius or an A380. The amount of heat dissipated by brake discs is incredible, if you consider that a modern sporty saloon weighing over a tonne can go from 60mph to a full stop in 2-3 seconds, simply by virtue of the brakes.
The practical purpose of this is that acceleration is always a choice, but braking is a necessity. You get to a wide clear road and floor it because you WANT to, but when a truck pulls off a sliproad right in front of you, you brake because you HAVE to!
So, whilst this several-tonne SUV with 400bhp might get to 60 in 6 seconds, you want it to get to 0 again in much less time!
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