Friday 28th May 2010

Murray Mints World's Most Efficient EV

McLaren F1 designer Gordon Murray releases tech specs for T.27 city car

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Will our grandkids ever believe we used to burn fossil fuels for fun?

Gordon Murray Design has today announced specification and performance targets for the much-vaunted T.27 City Car, a pure electric drive vehicle designed to fully optimise packaging, weight and performance. Sadly today's news release doesn't mention anything about fun...

Erm... can you chip it?

Working closely with their powertrain partner, Zytek Automotive, GMD says the T.27 will feature a brand new, innovative, lightweight and fully integrated electric motor, control system and battery - giving a top speed of 65mph and a range of 80-100 miles.

Projected emissions, using a UK energy mix, are 48g/km CO2 for the combined cycle and 28g/km CO2 for the urban cycle alone, with zero emissions at the point of use. We're not exactly sure what all of that means, so we'll take Gordon's word for it and be impressed. "Full lifecycle CO2 damage will be 42% less than the average UK car," his company says. (And we're prepared to bet it doesn't sound anywhere near as good as Zytek's V8 Le Mans engine that's still ringing in our ears after yesterday's Beechdean Mansell Le Mans test!)

Someone will find a way...

Official Vehicle Specification and Performance Targets:

eMotor: 25kW Height: 1.60m
Battery Type: Li-ion Weight: 680Kg (incl. battery)
Battery Spec. 12kWh Wheel Base: 1.78m
Length: 2.50m Turning Circle: 6.0m
Width: 1.30m

Top Speed: 105kph
0-100kph: Less than 15 seconds
Range: 80 - 100 miles

The T.27 vehicle concept closely follows the layout and geometry of Gordon Murray Design's T.25 city car, an MPV with 6 possible internal layouts.

The 16 month programme started in November 2009 with a running prototype scheduled for completion in April 2011 and is supported with a 50% investment from the Technology Strategy Board. The next phase in the programme will include a push to secure partners and funding for UK manufacture. A UK partner or consortium to produce the city cars in the UK would keep the technology at home and could create 6,000 jobs, GMD says.

 

[spoonoff]

I'd rather walk to work.

[Neomagic]

The range still isn't anywhere near good enough, sorry see Tesla Model S for potentially ground breaking advancements in this field.

Phhhhhail!!!

[soad]

spoonoff said:

I'd rather walk to work.

In the rain too? Loooks bloody tiny, i know that's it's purpose being a small city car but some say the average person is becoming increasingly bigger and that.
Hardly practical, is it?! I'm sure they'll shift some though.

Edited by soad on Friday 28th May 12:45

[Tony*T3]

I understand that the motor is also used in washing machines.....

Edited by Tony*T3 on Friday 28th May 12:45

[daytonarhymes]

all that for just a 42% lifecycle co2 saving? not enough gain for the pain.

[Marwood79]

Is this what it's come to...?

• sigh*

[anonymous-user]

Sad.

[thehardman07]

Tony*T3 said:

I understand that the motor is also used in washing machines.....

Edited by Tony*T3 on Friday 28th May 12:45

I'll take the washing machine.

[patmahe]

80-100 miles is plenty of range as these are intended as runabouts rather than GT cars, what matters is how long the charges take between cycles. Personally I think if these cars are priced right and the governments of the world are serious about CO2 reduction (questionable) then these cars should be incentivised and if it makes financial sense to buy one for the daily commute/run to shops I could see a lot of people buying one.

One issue I do see with it though is that people are quite coservative about their thinking regarding packaging in cars, the single front seat design could put a lot of people off unless they are usually the sole occupant of the car. I'd be very interested to get a good look at this car.

[nelly_h]

Here's me thinking there was already a Smart EV in testing

It may be the future, but I can't get excited about that.

[soad]

thehardman07 said:

Tony*T3 said:

I understand that the motor is also used in washing machines.....

I'll take the washing machine.

Me too or the lawn mower (if they make one).

[Soovy]

If Murray wasn't involved this would be no news.

Electric cars are st. Theyalways will be st. And they need electricity to run, which comes from.........................

[JakeS]

Soovy said:

If Murray wasn't involved this would be no news.

Electric cars are st. Theyalways will be st. And they need electricity to run, which comes from.........................

Boris Johnson: "The Plug"

[Cafuddled]

I'm all for electric cars, would not mind one my self. Faster speeds, much better 0-60's and all that but this whole concept of making things small wont work, I think. When electric cars have a range of 400 miles and a quick charge time of around 30 mins to around 75% then I could see everyone going for them, in Britain anyway. Also if we all go nuclear we will reduce the CO2 of cars to near 0 running! But then I guess we would have a whole other crisis on our hands when the Yorkshire dales start glowing green.

[hardmouse1]

The funny ting is... that all this effort to save Co2

Food for thought, The car is just a splinter in trying the save the world, the energy to make the car……. As well as transport etc…..

Power stations then have to create more energy to charge the cars battery etc.. plue the disposal of all the old cars and rubbish car batteries that wont last

So the whole life cost in one of these cars is more likely to be just as bad as making a normal car….

So what the general consensus

[Soovy]

hardmouse1 said:

The funny ting is... that all this effort to save Co2

Food for thought, The car is just a splinter in trying the save the world, the energy to make the car……. As well as transport etc…..

Power stations then have to create more energy to charge the cars battery etc.. plue the disposal of all the old cars and rubbish car batteries that wont last

So the whole life cost in one of these cars is more likely to be just as bad as making a normal car….

So what the general consensus

That these electric cars are the emperor's new clothes.

[alock]

Soovy said:

If Murray wasn't involved this would be no news.

Electric cars are st. Theyalways will be st. And they need electricity to run, which comes from.........................

Did you actually read the article? It talks about full life-cycle CO2 emissions which covers your point entirely.

[B10]

You are a miserable lot. We should be congratulating Murray and Zytec. Perhaps this could be the start of a resurgence of home grown volume car industry. However being British we will not buy it and slag it off. Put a a BMW or VW badge on it and you will all covering it with praise.
Also what is this pathetic comment about a washing machine motor. I think you refer to the Sinclair C5 which was decades ago. Grow up or emigrate.

[Escort Si-130]

Another failure IMO. The biggest problem with these eco freak cars is the styling, why do they always look like some stupid nerd mobile or pink shirt and spiky hair dude. The only decent looking eco vehicle is the Tesla, but far too expensive.
The g-whizz is an example, totaly 4kup, reminds me of a modern day robin reliant.

[djt100]

Escort Si-130 said:

Another failure IMO. The biggest problem with these eco freak cars is the styling, why do they always look like some stupid nerd mobile or pink shirt and spiky hair dude. The only decent looking eco vehicle is the Tesla, but far too expensive.
The g-whizz is an example, totaly 4kup, reminds me of a modern day robin reliant.

Completely agree, do they have to be this ugly, if it looked like a miniature mx-5 or smart roadster, people’s views would be very different, I have a 80 mile commute to work so no good for me, but if i didn't and the price was right (v.Cheap) I’d consider it ( so i could have a V.Nice weekend car)

Edited by djt100 on Friday 28th May 14:18