It is the first prototype of the "Nido
Development Programme", a modular platform from which new types of
hybrid and electric cars will be developed
To mark the celebrations of its
80th anniversary, Pininfarina unveils the Nido EV, the first running
prototype of the "Nido Development Programme", the project for an
electric car conceived, designed and built entirely by the
Pininfarina Style and Engineering Centre of Cambiano (Turin). The
Nido EV bears witness to the skills and experience that Pininfarina
has built up in the development of electric vehicles, paying
particular attention to the Segment A city cars that will populate
the streets of the future to make our towns more pleasant to live
in.
The Nido EV is one outcome of the
pioneering, far-sighted decision taken by Pininfarina three years
ago, to focus on sustainable mobility, approaching it from various
angles: not only the adoption of a hybrid or electric driveline, but
also research focusing on reducing consumption and "wheel to wheel"
emissions, the use of alternative materials that are lighter and
recyclable, active and passive safety, and IT, which will have to
combine the sustainable use of means of transport with intelligent
traffic management.
The exterior design of the Nido EV
takes up and updates the lines and volumes that won the Nido of 2004
the award for the Most Beautiful Car in the World in the Prototypes
and concept cars category, the Compasso d'Oro 2008 and a place in
the temple of modern art, the MoMA of New York. On the other hand,
the interiors of this first Nido EV project are still those of a
technical prototype, with no attempt at stylistic research.
The Nido EV is a veritable
laboratory designed both to explore the electrification of a small
city car and to develop a modular floorpan. The body structure of
this first prototype is a tubular steel frame, while the final
version will have an aluminium space frame. The structure was
designed to adapt to four different, completely electric or hybrid
vehicles: 2-seater, 2+2, pickup and light van.
The Nido EV, a small city car
(marginally larger than a Smart), has 2 seats and a permanent
magneto rear engine. The "Nido Development Programme" also envisages
the development of two more, slightly larger versions: the first
will be a hybrid with an endothermic engine positioned at the front
and an electrical engine at the rear; the second will be electric
with a front engine. In both cases, the position of the engine makes
it possible to increase roominess to seat 4, and to improve weight
distribution. The Nido EV prototype is powered by a Zebra Z5 Ni-NaCl
battery, which guarantees very high levels of safety and
reliability. When fully charged, it has a range of 140 km and a top
speed of 120 km/h (limited electronically), and accelerates 0-60
km/h in 6.7 seconds. The environmental compatibility of the Zebra Z5
battery is enhanced by the total absence of harmful or polluting
chemical substances and the fact that it is 100% recyclable at the
end of its life, in fact the batteries are recycled in the foundry
and used to produce stainless steel. The prototype is also equipped
with "green" tyres, developed by Pirelli paying particular attention
to safety, environmental sustainability and saving.
Where climate control is concerned,
the "Nido Development Programme" will use an AC electrical
compressor and a high voltage electric heater making it possible to
implement automatic control strategies which will help to reduce
consumption in most conditions. The Programme will also cover
research into solutions and light-weight components with a high
mechanical/electrical efficiency, and energy saving solutions
(batteries with outstanding charging performance) and braking
systems specifically for hybrid/electrical applications.
