William H Lanteigne
So, what are the engineering barriers to installing, say, a 500cc ICE to replace the battery pack?
xock
William, the electric motors are hub motors like the ones you can install in most bicycles. The ICE would have to be used just as an electric generator as the design has no transmission and no easy way to implement one that I see. You could use an ICE per wheel, sort of an ICE hub motor but there is none now that I know about, think of the torque and stresses and then syncing all motors. So you could replace the battery with an ICE generator plus smaller battery as range extender but no direct power to the wheels.
Pete0097
It would be great as a vehicle to explore Mars with. The thing needs a generator to make it practicle as an off road machine unless the batteries can keep it going for several days at full power.
Wolf0579
An ATV wheel chair!
Mirmillion
Beautiful concept but they forgot one thing...it will still get high-centered (clearance not mentioned)unless they can force one or more wheels to move in a downward direction to compensate for angle of departure where the diagonal direction is not available (such as trail or tight corner). Great job!
boomer
A true French vehicle with that much suspension travel.Think Citroen or the Renault 2CV...A really nifty concept and I bet there would be some practical uses too...
the.other.will
A concept crying out to be scaled up.
CaptD
These would be popular as a fun ride or even racing similar to go-cart tracks.
PS: All Gizmag article should have the estimated cost of the item reviewed since without that, the articles are much less informative!
Galen Sjostrom
... is that Steven Spielberg driving it in the video??
godscountry
very nice,It looks to still have problems with becoming high centered on steep angles on both entry and departure,nothing that cant be worked out.