Mexico develops first multifunctional ecologic vehicle
A team of investigators at the UNAM (Mexico's biggest university) have developed a so-called multifunctional ecologic vehicle, which is powered by hydrogen and fuel cells. The car development, which belongs to the ECOVIA project was included in UNAM's La ciudad y la energia (the city and the energy) macroproject.
Aesthetically, the car was inspired by cougars, UNAM's mascot. From the right side, designers claim that the car resembles a jumping feline, whereas the front fascia resembles the face. The back of the car was also inspired by the cougar's nape.
As for the engine, as all hydrogen cars, the result is water, which is collected to be reused by the fuel cells to generate more hydrogen. The car will be equipped with two hydrogen tanks and a rack of batteries. The car is a series hybrid, while there's plenty of electricity in the batteries, the car only uses the fuel cell to power the batteries, but power can be diverted directly to the powertrain in case of high power demand. Batteries are NiMH. Expected performance for UNAM's model is an average speed of 70-80 km/h (about 50-55 mph) and will be able to run for 300 km (190 miles) before refueling.
The project is currently at a 70 percent of development and is using off-the shelf components already existing in current vehicles. Nevertheless, the project would require new, specific pieces for mass production.
If you wondered why they call it multifunctional, it's because the car's platform is designed in such a way it can be adapted for different uses: ambulance, surveillance, postal service, plastic waste recycling (!) and telecommunications and culture promotion.
[Source: UNAM (link is in Spanish)]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Mark 12:43PM (8/15/2007)
Uh, 70 to 80kmh is only 45-50mph. Small difference, but potentially significant. One will find you running with the trucks on the highway, the other will find you getting in their way pretty consistently. (from my own experiments with frugal driving when cash-strapped; i decided the 20% increase in efficiency wasn't worth the extra stress from juggernaut drivers, or the extra clouds of diesel they had to pump out to pass me, particularly as 50-55mph was itself very lean on juice). Also, that kind of running speed doesn't bode well for acceleration or hill climbing... or at least, the potential range if you drive in a hilly area or carry heavy loads (regen braking excepted - avoid 20 mile+ uphill stretches?).
Such piffles aside, that car just looks damn cool. Even if it smacks of a 9 year old making their dream car out of cake in a home ec class (hey, it worked for Skoda with the Fabia..). Like a Fiat new 500 with less cute and more bite. Bring the specs up just that last 10-15% speed and range-wise and we'll call it a win.
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Chris M 1:20AM (8/15/2007)
I think they went a little overboard in trying to make it look like a cougar. The side door panels make it look like it had a bad accident.
Like some other university projects, it is clever and innovative, but too often practicality and cost effectiveness get thrown out. H2 fuel cells are still too expensive for automotive use, even as a simple range extender.
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Fer 12:19PM (8/15/2007)
What´s the problem with the link in Spanish?
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GoodCheer 9:35AM (8/15/2007)
Am I the only person in the world who thinks that the exterior of vehicles should be designed around some combination of a) interior volume (passenger and cargo space requirements) and b) aerodynamics?
You can't see the cougar-like 'face' of the car when you're driving it.
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Xavier Navarro 10:42AM (8/15/2007)
Fer:
The link works perfect for me... I've just checked it
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Mario 12:06PM (8/15/2007)
@Mark, while your concern regarding its speed makes sense when you are mainly traveling by highways, like Texas, the project was developed for the metropolis of Mexico city. I think there was a report somewhere of how the average velocity of a car in Mexico city throughout its day is around 20kph (around 13 mph). I lived in Mexico city for over 20 years and I can remember maybe a couple of times (usually around 4 am ) when I was able to go over 80 kph. I am sure the case is the same for several of the biggest metropolis of the world , where this car would be targeted to. I think it would be more interesting for them to develop a plug in version of it (considering that electricity is already heavily subsidized by the government sustained monopoly) and then I'd call it a winner.
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