New Peugeot EX1 concept | New Smart eScooter

Peugeot EX1 concept

 

Peugeot will reveal the EX1 concept at its showroom on the Champs Elysees on 29 September. Created to celebrate the French automaker's 200th anniversary but also to highlight the possibilities offered by electric power in creating new driving sensations, the two-seat ultra-light EX1 concept is cloaked in a highly aerodynamic body, which, paired with two electric motors generating 340bhp, has already enabled the concept to break two world records for acceleration.
The monocoque a carbon/honeycomb composite body is based on a 'water droplet'-shaped architecture, with the car's rear section built around two closely set rear wheels. Peugeot says the roadster's aesthetic – which incorporates design cues first seen on the SR1 concept and reference the RCZ and BB1 – highlights the lightweight nature that guided the vehicle's creation.
The interior, finished in 'pure' metals and embossed leather, features floor-mounted seats, two control handles (rather than a steering wheel) and individual screens – one for the river and another for the passenger. The cabin is accessed through reverse-opening doors.
Photo Gallery: Peugeot EX1 concept

  12  August 2010

Smart eScooter

 

Smart is the latest car manufacturer to present a sub-car commuter vehicle. The eScooter will be shown at the Paris motor show in concept form, but has been confirmed as part of Smart's future urban mobility strategy.

Like the Smart ForTwo, the eScooter uses a steel and aluminum frame with interchangeable plastic body finishers. Transparent knee fairings double as illuminated side-markers to increase visibility, one of many safety features, including Blind Spot Assist, which suggests that Smart is targeting current car drivers rather than seasoned riders through the brand's 'car2go' vehicle-sharing scheme.
Conventional dials are replaced by the rider's smart phone, which displays information such as speed and range.

A 4kW hub-mounted motor gives a top speed of 28mph (45km/h), while its 48-volt lithium-ion battery gives a range of up to 62 miles (100km).

With Smart's collaboration with Renault on its next generation of small vehicles, we're expecting to see yet more divergence from the classic 'car' paradigm