UK engineering firm, Gordon Murray Design (GMD), has revealed a small quadricycle concept built using the company’s iStream patented processes.
Called the Motiv, it’s an all-electric, autonomous-ready quadricycle rolling platform.
Built using aluminium and press-moulded carbon fibre, the patented iStream platform seen on this quadricycle concept is said to be highly adaptable.
“iStream’s innovative systems can be applied to a broad portfolio of vehicles,” the company said in its press release.
“This could include electric quadricycles, mid-engined sports cars, to a petrol-powered large luxury SUV or light commercial vehicle.”
According to GMD, this manufacturing process is said to reduce the overall weight of a typical family car by 20 per cent and reduce the number of components needed to make up body panels by over 50 per cent.
The chassis technology is aimed at reducing vehicle weight as much as possible in order to optimise performance and range.
GMD is offering other smaller manufacturers the use of this technology as well.
“Our innovative manufacturing processes deliver many benefits for automotive manufacturers wanting to create, develop and make low- to mid-volume cars and commercial vehicles that can’t be profitably manufactured with their existing technologies and footprints,” said strategy and business director Jean-Phillipe Launberg.
The Motiv concept measures in at 2537mm long, 1310mm wide and 1628mm tall.
With its battery installed it weighs 495kg, which officially classifies it as a quadricycle according to UK law.
Even though it weighs so little, the concept has been designed to comply with crash regulations for mainstream passenger cars.
Gordon Murray Automotive T.50
It also has a 17.3kWh battery twice the size of a similar-sized vehicle according to GMD.
The concept has an electric range of more than 200km or more than 150km in autonomous mode.
It’s also able to charge from 10 per cent to 80 per cent in 40 minutes at charging speeds of up to 35kW from DC fast-chargers.
The Motiv concept is powered by a single electric motor at the rear producing 20kW of power.
Gordon Murray Automotive T.50
It also has standard features that aren’t usually seen on quadricycles such as anti-lock brakes, climate control, a 24-inch infotainment screen, independent suspension, as well as powered doors that lift upwards.
Separate from Gordon Murray Automotive, GMD focuses on prototypes and designing the future vehicles that GMA will make.
Gordon Murray Automotive will soon produce the McLaren F1-inspired T.50, more track-focused T.50s, and is developing a small SUV.
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