City Trials for Electric Networked-Vehicle

General Motors is preparing to put the next generation model of its EN-V electric vehicle through urban trials in coming months, after unveiling it to the world in 2010.

The city trials will take the form of proof of concept demonstrations, where the startling-looking design's real-world viability and practicality will be explored. Though an earlier agreement, the Electric Networked-Vehicle's already set to be driven in China's Tianjin Eco-City but other locations will be involved in the city trial programme.

The original EN-V was conceived as a mode of urban transport and, according to Chevrolet's Marketing and Strategy Vice President, Chris Perry, 60 per cent of the world's population is set to be living in cities in 20 years time.

That kind of demographic could open up a demand, if not a necessity, for vehicles like the EN-V in future years, with higher demands placed on transport networks and a global desire to move away from traditional combustion engines and towards newer, greener modes of personal transport.

Electric Networked-Vehicle

The Electric Networked-Vehicle is powered by a lithium-ion battery, is highly responsive and manoeuvrable and can be plugged straight into a household plug socket. It can cover a distance of 40 kilometres between every charge and operate autonomously, detecting and avoiding other objects as it does so.

The EN-V design taking part in the city trials will be an updated version produced by GM's Chevrolet brand. To the basic design template will be added new features including the ability to operate in all types of weather, storage space and climate control.

EN-V City Trials

"The Chevrolet EN-V has the potential to reinvent transportation in key markets by creating a new vehicle DNA through the convergence of electrification and connectivity", General Motors' Advanced Technology Vehicle Concepts Director, Chris Borroni-Bird, said in a statement on the EN-V city trials.

"This technology platform of electric propulsion, sensors, wireless communications and GPS-based navigation is likely to migrate from the EN-V concept to other automobiles and could lead the way to safer, cleaner vehicles in the future.

"It provides an ideal solution for petroleum- and emission-free urban transportation that is free from congestion and crashes, and more fun and fashionable than ever before."

Image copyright segwaysocial2 - Courtesy Wikimedia Commons

See also:

Skypump - Renewable Energy-Based EV Charger