Halfway between the model of the present, the one that was left behind and the one that was to come, brands have been on the path of adopting their models for many years. Some, with the idea fixed in being vehicles that have renewed airs or that could be rehearsal concepts for the definitive ones, they were created in a considerable way.
In fact, a good part of the electric cars that are currently seen on our streets, especially those of large brands and more luxurious models, were created in conscience of their prototypes. The clearest one had to do, initially, with the e-Born, a version where Seat rehearsed with it to finally create the model we know today.
What are they
Best of all, not all are ordinary cars. Or what is the same: they are vehicles designed by manufacturers and designers with research in the form of new mobility routes for increasingly large cities. Therefore, we can define this class of cars as solutions in the form of test vehicles for an investigation of the cars of the future, and that have been created with the mission that the manufacturer can demonstrate to the public what it is capable of in terms of design and technology.
For his part, and staging and putting them coming outThe truth is that we do find something in common with all of them: electricity is very present in their propulsion systems, whether they are plug-in hybrid vehicles or 100% electric vehicles.
It’s more; that popularity gained by electric cars has a lot to do with conceptual models that have been observed, their prototypes of series. And that is feasible with auto shows, which become perfect venues where to show the world the latest advances and launches in this field.
One of them is perfectly reflected in the annual editions of the Frankfurt Motor Show, one of the spaces where it is most suitable for electrified cars, and where the secrets of those to come are best kept. We saw the most recent with that of 2019, with a large attendance of prototypes or final production models.
The origin
But how did the idea come about? How did the manufacturers decide to embark with them if in the vast majority of cases they never see birth? And, in some cases they also serve to sound out the public when they want to carry out a risky project and in many others it only serves to attract attention or to make us dream of the future.
As such, the beginning of it all, the first of the prototypes of this class can be said to run at the hands of Buick Y-Job, which has always been awarded that decoration. However, history also tells us that there was a model that lent itself to it but did not have as much consideration for it. We refer specifically to Volvo Benus Vilo, from 1933, probably the first concept car of history. And if; it was electric.
Still, neither the Buick Y-Job nor the Volvo was in the spotlight for long, rather little. They both lost track of it. In the case of the Swedish brand, it was not heard from again when the owner of a Danish junkyard bought it and turned it into a pickup.
Fabrication process
Because if; We came from a time when it had become common to find large SUVs, often occupied by one or two passengers, for the usual urban commutes on a day-to-day basis, from shopping to picking up the children. at school. And it was many manufacturers who, in one way or another, picked up the glove launched by brands such as Renault and its Twizy.
Thus, as such, we can say that this of the gala house was the first of the prototypes of electric cars designed for the city that stayed in that, in prototypes. In any case, when we talk about manufacturing, we are not talking about a series production, but only a few units are produced (only one in most cases) and it is presented at international motor racing shows.
In this way, in addition, brands measure the degree of impact that it has produced and can use it as a guide for future projects of future models. To exemplify this, we can think of haute couture firms. The garments with which the models parade are just that, prototypes. Style guides that the firm will use for its next collection, but that will not be for sale in stores to a mass audience. Well, a similar case occurs with this type of car.
Your process is long. Although there are manufacturers who think of creating a model in a few years, for those called concept car These tend to be quite long-lived, as far as manufacturing is concerned. Generally everything starts with conceptualization: why and for what, are the questions that the brand answers to devise the car.
After defining the concept, the drawings begin. Basic sketches are drawn first to finish with detailed drawings made from various perspectives. Once the drawings are final, two models are built, one at 1: 4 scale (four times smaller than the final size) in polyurethane and finally one in clay at full scale (1: 1).
Current types
The difference between the conceptualization of a product, its presentation to the public and its subsequent manufacture and distribution on a large scale are really well known. Tesla itself knew these problems first-hand during the launch of its Model 3, back in 2017.
That a production car is remembered is impressive indeed. But that a concept car, which was never manufactured and which was only exhibited in a specific way, goes down in history, that is truly epic. This is why, once many of us fell for this type of model, with the charms of a vehicle in incredible ways -and in many cases of futuristic technology-, here are a series of models that follow this line. We are sure that more than one will surprise you.
Hyundai 45 EV Concept
The first, if you are not an expert in the field, it is true that it can lead us to misunderstandings about who is behind it. And not for anything other than because their shapes have little or nothing to do with or are related to the models that the firm is currently launching. Indeed, it is Hyundai, which has with this 45 EV Concept one of those most outstanding electric car prototypes that we can find.
We talk about him like a car 100% electrified that anticipates a bright future in the exciting compact crossover segment. He did so by commemorating the 45 years since the launch of the Hyundai Pony Coupé, the car designed by Giugiaro that laid the foundations to give the brand an international character that it has not abandoned since.
What we see is that this concept car he wears a attractive design language innovative, and incorporates CMS (Camera Monitoring System) technologies that will offer autonomous driving in Hyundai vehicles for years to come. With this line, the Korean firm continues to establish itself as one of the benchmark brands in electric mobility.
Volkswagen ID. Buggy
Surely the name gives us an idea of the car we are talking about. Yes, it’s about picking up the Buggy concept from Volkswagen, from the 60s, resurrecting it to make it, at first, a fully electrified model that has great gifts to surprise. In fact, it already did so at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2019.
It is a completely electric proposal with a power of 149 kW, the equivalent of 200 hp, and a range of 250 kilometers. All with a top speed of 159 km / h and acceleration from 0 to 100 in 7.2 seconds.
Seat Minimó
This we have is a prototype that, since its exhibition at the Mobile World Congress in 2019, has been approached as a very advanced model for its time. In fact, it had everything you were looking for in a vehicle of these characteristics with the best of technology and compact dimensions. Is he Seat Minimó.
Minimó, a fully electric concept car geared towards urban mobility, it is difficult not to find a clear resemblance to the Renault Twizy. However, in this case the SEAT engineers have managed to solve some of the main drawbacks of the Twizy, such as the lack of a completely closed cabin.
Minimó is a small, fully electric vehicle with two passengers, who will travel one in front of the other. It is two and a half meters long and 1.24 meters wide, which will allow you to park in the spaces for motorcycles. Its battery can be recharged in just a few minutes and is capable of delivering 100 km of autonomy.
Audi SkySphere Concept
Skysphere is the first in a series of three electric car prototypes that Audi will launch in the coming months; the other two will be called Grandsphere and Urbansphere. The stage chosen for its presentation has been the Peeble Beach Contest of Elegance, in California.
It should be noted that this prototype with electric propulsion and autonomous driving of level 4 will not reach production, although it anticipates design features and technical aspects that we will see in future Audi street cars, starting in 2025. As such, it is a Gran Turismo convertible with two places, which are accessed through electric doors with reverse opening.
Audi designed with him a propulsion system consisting of an electric motor located on the rear axle. It has a maximum power of 465 kW (632 hp) and a torque of 750 Nm, which is capable of propelling the Skysphere from 0 to 100 km / h in just 4 seconds.
Audi AI: Trail Concept
Also from Audi, one of the most surprising types that we have been able to meet is the AI: Trail Concept. This is a concept car futuristic that shows us a Extremely designed off-roader which previews some of the features that could later be introduced into Audi’s Q range of SUVs.
Its fully electric propulsion system is equipped with four electric motors, one on each wheel, with a total power of 324 kW (435 hp) and 1,000 Nm of torque. Its battery offers you enough juice to travel up to 500 kilometers on a single charge, and it has a Level 4 of autonomy.