Prime Cuts: The platform on which to look good

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This is the ECOMove QBEAK, a Danish company that has been looking into producing a car that was cheaper to run than a standard car – not only by being electric powered, but through sustainable materials and methods.

Despite being ‘visually challenging’ its heart is very much in the right place, creating a versatile, sustainable platform for small electric vehicles, and lets face it, the Model T Ford was hardly a Lamborghini Miura was it?

More importantly, tart it up a bit and it can look like this – the ECOMove Essence concept car, designed in partnership with Coventry University MA graduate Simon Sneftrup.

The motors are within the wheels, leaving additional room inside of the car. This space means that the car can be easily adapted – seating a maximum of six, or acting as a van, or being a lightweight two-person coupe.

The only instrument in the car is the owner’s smart-phone that acts as the cars controls and also the locking mechanism.

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The basic QBEAK concept drawings were put together using computer sketches and a small model car was produced. Using Creo Direct the first to-scale model was produced and it was this model that was used to update features and work on areas that needed amending.

FEA software was used to test the strength of the different materials used on the car and also crash simulation technology was needed.

Sneftrup’s Essence model is based on the same simple, light and flexible platform.

“With this unique platform I have been able to design a low-chassis e-car with an element of sportiness and excellent ‘driveability’,” says Sneftrup.

The end concept is a sporty city car, dressed in Scandinavian-influenced bodywork with a focus on a low to the road driving experience.

All it’s missing now is a bit more blue marketing…

ecomove.dk


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