32 — Friday, May 22, 1992 - North Shore News Urban cars pose unig Greg Wilson AUTOMOTION ONE OF the key elements of tomorrow’s transporta- tion systems will be the “urban car.” . Most automobile manufacturers already have working prototypes of the small two-seat automobiles designed specifically for shorter distances, lower speeds, reduced exhaust emissions, and improved fuel economy. Everything from electric cars and hybrid electric/ combination engine cars to hydrogen-fueled cars and new- generation two-stroke engined cars. Urban cars will be just one component of new, interconnected transportation systems being designed for the world’s major cities. The goal of these new systems is to effectively combine environmentally friendly cars, in-car navigations systems, ‘‘in- teHigent’’ highways, and flexible transit systems in an attempt to reduce travelling time, control ex- haust emissions and conserve resources. Multi-billion-dollar programs such as Prometheus in Europe and the Intelligent Vehicle Highways System in the United States are currently in the devel- opment siage. In theory, urban cars will be an ideal personal transportation device for large cities. They will be small and manoeuvreable, consume less fuel, and produce fewer harmful exhaust emissions. Since most commuters drive to work alone, or with one passenger, a smaller two-seat car would provide ade- quate passenger accommodation. Urban cars, however, face a particularly difficult and unique set Of problems. On the one hand, they must be fuel-efficient and produce little or no harmful ex- haust emmissions. But they will also be required to meet strict crash safety regulations (such as a head-on crash into a concrete wall at 35 mph without injury to oc- cupants), provide a reasonable amount of interior room, and have enough horsepower to keep up with all the piston-engined cars already on the road. A considerable debate is raging about the ability of small cars to meet these goals. Safety experts and insurance companies cite col- lision statistics showing that small, lightweight automobiles are in- volved in a higher number of per- sonal injury claims than larger cars. Environmentalists and gov- ernment pollution-control agen- cies maintain that a small car can be both environmentally friendly and safe if it is designed correctly. Caught in the middie are the automobile manufacturers who claim that consumers are demand- ° ing larger, more powerful cars anyway. And no one really knows how many people will choose to buy a small, overweight, underpowered, non-polluting electric car which will probably cost more than a standard ‘five-passenger family car. But the fact remains that in- creasingly stringent exhaust emis- sions regulations and fuel economy standards will force the development and introduction of these cars within the next few years, At present, none of the prototype urban cars meet ail of the criteria for crash safety, low exhaust emissions, fuel economy, Passenger capacity, and perfor- mance that consumers will expect of them. And many manufactur- ers and special interet groups are crying, ‘‘it can’t be dane.” Volkswagen, however, appears “to have taken a big step forward with their Chico prototype, an unusually versatile 2+2 electric hybrid currently being displayed at automobile shows around the world. Just 315 cm (10 feet} long and 160 cm (5 feet) wide, the bubble-shaped Chico has enough interior room for two adults and two children. The front is as roomy as the larger VW Golf and its tall height ensures headroom for the tallest of passengers. In addition, the front passenger seat can be turned around to accommodate seating for young infants or children. Despite its small exterior size, the Chico complies with the U.S. 35 mph frontal crash regulation and the dynamic-side impact test which comes into force in 1994. This is an amazing accomplish- ment considering the size of the Chico. Its structural design in- cludes a combination of longitudinal steel members with defined deformation charac- teristics and a passenger cell, which .combine to absorb and deflect the energy of a severe frontal collision. The Chico also has driver and passenger’s air bags and a padded kneebar under the dash to prevent “*submarining.”’ Power for the Chico is provided by nickel/cadmium batteries and a six-kilowatt electric motor in combination with a two-cylinder 34-horsepower internal combus- VOLKSWAGEN'S CHICO electric hybrid prototy; around the world. tion engine. The Chico automaticallly switches over from one to the other depending on the speed and acceleration required. Normally, the electric motor is used for around-town use and the combustion engine for highway use. Though the engine has just 34 horsepower, the Chico is con- siderably lighter in weight than many electric hybrid cars; thus performance is better than many prototypes. O to 60 kph is reached in 19 seconds, about twice the time it takes a standard car to reach that speed. Since exhaust emissions are usually worst when the engine is cold, the Chico utilizes a new *‘ia- tent heat storage system” to warm See Significant page 33 FA-S-T COLLISION REPAIRS CALL THE PROFESSIONALS AT J2AYLORMGST IVE 1959 LTD. FREE RENTAL COURTESY CARS B.C.A.A, APPROVED — A.R.A. CERTIFIED 1.C.3.C. VENDOR FOR ALL MAKES AYLORMOTIV QUALITY WORKMANSHIP TRUSTWORTHY SEAVICE 174 PEMBERTON AVE. consu:rarion NORTH VAN. 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