This concept sports car was built, from initial sketches to working prototype, in just nine months.
(Credit:
Gordon Murray Design)
Creating a new
car
can take years of development, but Gordon Murray Design put together a
running prototype electric sports car in just nine months. The Teewave
AR.1 was commissioned by Toray Industries to show off its carbon fiber
production.
Toray says that its process can make carbon fiber components in just 10
minutes. The Teewave AR.1 uses Toray carbon fiber for its chassis, crash
structures, body, and interior. Other Toray materials make up interior
surfaces and components of the car.
Gordon Murray Design opted for a modest electric powertrain in the Teewave AR.1, meaning sluggish acceleration.
(Credit:
Gordon Murray Design)
Those light carbon fiber elements make the overall weight of the Teewave
AR.1 just 1,874 pounds. The lithium ion battery pack for the car makes
up 530 pounds of that weight.
Gordon Murray Design did not specify the supplier of the electric power
train, but its specifications are fairly standard for new electric cars
hitting the market. Range is listed as 116 miles using the New European
Driving Cycle test procedure, and charging time is 6 hours.
The Teewave AR.1 does not push the boundaries of electric car
performance. Its electric motor, driving the rear wheels, only produces
63 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque. That means acceleration of
11.4 seconds to 62 mph.
You won't be able to buy a Teewave AR.1 anytime soon. The car
will be used by Toray to demonstrate its carbon fiber capabilities. But
Toray says its carbon fiber components will scale from a car as small as
the Teewave AR.1 to any other size of vehicle.
What this concept also demonstrates is how quickly a new car can, from
sketches to a working prototype, can be built. Components such as the
electric drive train and suspension are modular, while the carbon fiber
can be formed from molds rather than the more time-consuming stamping
process for steel, which involves more tooling.
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