Spanish Engineering firm Applus+Idiada has developed an electric Super Car known as Volar-E. The prototype should help overcome the current technological and social barriers of electric cars and promote acceptance and mass introduction of electric vehicles technology to the consumers at large.
Applus+Idiada was chosen in 2012 by the European Commission to design and build a high-performance EV and for this project they collaborated with Croatian firm Rimac. Development took only 3 months during which they created a lightweight carbon fiber body, tubular chrome-molybdenum chassis and batteries.
The prototype developed has a performance equivalent to that of the greatest contemporary sports cars in the world which has over 1,000 hp of power which can accelerate the car from 0 to 100 km/h in less than 3,5 seconds. The body is made of lightweight carbon fiber and is also equipped with the latest battery and charging technology. An advanced chassis control system will control the unique 4 Wheel Drive system and recover most of the energy through a regenerative braking system. It will also incorporate the latest developments in vehicle infrastructure, communication systems and also includes a new user interface which is compatible with current and future smartphones.
The company officially unveiled its Volar-e Super Car prototype at the Circuit de Catalunya during the F1 Test Days in Barcelona in March 2014. The project, co-funded by the European Commission, will enable the prototype to become a flagship for promoting electric vehicles in Europe as a real alternative to vehicles powered by internal combustion engines. Sporting a four-wheel drive system with regenerative braking, the Volar-E will borrow battery system from Rimac with a capacity of 38 kWh. Power comes from four in-wheel electric motors generating a total output of 800 hp (596 kW) and 1,500 Nm (1,106 lb-ft) of torque. Although these figures are quite impressive, they are no match for the Rimac Concept One which produces 1,074 hp (800 kW) and 3,800 Nm (2,802 lb-ft).
KEY FEATURES
- Electric Motors Driving all 4 Wheels
- 1,000 hp (800kw)
- 1,000 Nm
- 0 to 100 km/h in 3.4 seconds & reaches its Top Speed of 300 km/h in just 12.1 seconds
- 4 Driving Modes: Eco, Dynamic, Sport & Wet
- All Wheel Drive
- Regenerative Braking
- Torque Vectoring
- Achieve fast-charging (15-20 minutes)