The first time we heard about Nanoflowcell, it was at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show, where it revealed the Quant E. The startup followed that appearance up with a double debut at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show, showing the Quant F and smaller, simpler Quantino. Now it says its flow cell-powered cars are nearly ready for production, and the latest versions will be featured at this year's Geneva event.
We will remain skeptical about Nanoflowcell's technology until it's on the road and vetted by third-party testers. But the automotive startup is nothing if not tenacious. It's back again for its annual Geneva check-in, and it's calling its updated Quantino the first "production-ready" low voltage vehicle with Nanoflowcell powertrain. It says that it's considering moving ahead with a small production run after preproduction testing concludes in the first half of 2016.
Nanoflowcell says the Quantino has been "completely revised," and while we'll have to wait until the Geneva show for all the details, we do know the new car features four electric motors worth a combined 108 hp, down from the 136 hp of the 2015 concept car. Power for the 48 V electrical system comes from the cornerstone of all Nanoflowcell designs: the electrolyte-fueled flow cell.
The Quant FE (the E is for "Evolution") looks like last year's Quant F from the outside and has the same 1,075-hp powertrain and estimated 2.8-second 0-62 mph (100 km/h). The changes come on the inside, according to Nanoflowcell, who says the cabin has been "completely redesigned with a keen eye on the homologation requirements." Like the new Quantino, this is billed as a "near-production" car.
Gizmag will be attending this year's Geneva Motor Show, which promises to be a big one. In addition to these updated Nanoflowcell cars, the show will host notable debuts like the Bugatti Chiron, a rumored Lamborghini hypercar, the Vauxhall GT concept and undoubtedly plenty more. We'll be there starting March 1.
The two renderings above are the first official pictures of the 2016 Quantino and Quant FE, respectively. We've included some 2015 Geneva show photos of last year's Quantino and Quant F concepts in the gallery for comparison.
Source: Nanoflowcell