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The Swiss auto
powerhouse Rinspeed presents the ‘iChange,’ the world’s first car whose
body adapts to the number of passengers on board. For Rinspeed boss
Rinderknecht the vehicle is more than just a clever concept car. “The „iChange“
is a symbol for the fundamental changes the auto industry undergoes
worldwide. And it is clear that only those companies will survive that
have innovative answers for the demands of a new automotive era.” The
visionary Rinderknecht is convinced that the days of gas-guzzling
behemoths are coming to an end: “The „iChange“ is a signal for the
coming global changes to individual mobility. We need to be ready to
meet these challenges with new ideas.”
In seconds a streamlined one-seater sports car transforms into a
comfortable car with ample room for three. The trick: At the push of a
button the rear end of the teardrop-shaped car magically pops up. “We
have designed and built an extremely flexible vehicle. In it we have
brought the themes of versatility and continually changing energy
demands to their logical conclusions.” The result is a streamlined,
lightweight zero-emission car with dramatically reduced energy
consumption.
The basic idea behind the ‘iChange:’: The energy demand of a vehicle
depends mostly on its weight, the type of engine it uses, and its
aerodynamic properties. The engineering-services company Esoro that
traditionally builds Rinspeed concept cars has built an extremely
lightweight car weighing in at only 1’050 kilograms. To power the car,
the Swiss specialists chose an electric motor. The idea of the pop-up
rear end was conceived to account for the sizeable effect aerodynamics
play in fuel consumption.
While other cars always have to ferry around their puffed-up exteriors
that can accommodate up to seven passengers even if they’re just
transporting a single soul, the „iChange“ features an adaptive body. The
sole driver is conveyed in a teardrop-shaped car that offers optimal
aerodynamic properties and thus minimized energy consumption. If more
than one person need to be transported the expanding rear provides room
for two passengers. As a result of the increased weight and no longer
optimal aerodynamics the energy consumption increases - but only for the
time passengers are actually on board.
The energy for the electric motor comes from lithium-ion batteries that
are available in two different stack configurations for short- and
long-distance driving. The electric motor of the „iChange“ produces
150kW, capable of propelling the car to a top speed of 220 km/h. The
sprint from rest to 100 km/h takes just slightly over four seconds. |
