2009/09/18
2009/09/17
フォルクスワーゲン「リッター100キロ」車発売へ
Photo: Volkswagen(以下同じ)
ガソリン価格が急騰し、車をなおいっそう節約して使用するよう求める規制当局の声が強まる中、独Volkswagen(VW)社は、ガソリン1リットル当たり100キロメートルという驚くべき燃費を誇る弾丸型のマイクロカーによって、「燃料効率」という言葉に新しい意味をもたらそうとしている。
100キロメートル走行するのに必要なガソリンの量をそのまま名称にしているこの1 Liter Carは、車体をカーボンファイバー製にすることで重量を抑えている(車両総重量はわずか約300キログラム)。
[6年前にコンセプトカーとして発表されたとき、]同社幹部らは、カーボンファイバーが量産車に使用できるほど安くなるには2012年までかかると予想していた。しかしVW社は、スケジュールを2年前倒しして1 Liter Carの生産に踏み切ることにした。英国の『Car Magazine』誌によれば、VW社は2010年に1 Liter Carを限定生産する計画を決定したという。
1 Liter Carは、年間約1000台の生産能力がある、同社の試作車製造工場で生産されることになる予定。それほど多い台数ではないが、VW社がどれほど軽量化を進め、効率性の高いエンジンを実現できるかを証明し、多くの注目を集めるようにするには十分な数だ。
VW社がこのしゃれた2シーターのコンセプトカーを公開したのは、6年前のハンブルグにおける株主総会の場だった。同社会長のFerdinand Piech氏は、これが本物の車であることを証明するために、ヴォルフスブルクからハンブルグまで自らこの車を運転してきた。
Piech氏は当時、カーボンを素材としたこのモノコック構造に要するコストが、3万5000〜5000ユーロ(約59〜84万円)程度まで下がらなければ量産のめどは立たないと述べ、その時期を2012年と予測していた。
しかし、旅客機からノートパソコンにまでカーボン・ファイバーが使われるようになった現在、VW社は、数百台程度の1 Liter Carを生産するにはコスト的に十分競争力があると判断したようだ。
VW社の技術者らは、3年にわたる開発の過程で、マグネシウム、チタニウム、およびアルミニウムをフル活用することで、この車の重量を、トヨタ自動車の『Toyota Echo』[PlatzおよびVitzの輸出用バージョンの名前]の3分の1未満に抑えた。
『CanadianDriver』誌によると、フロント・サスペンション部分の重さはわずか約8キログラムだという。6速トランスミッションは、マグネシウム製の筐体とチタニウム製のボルトを使用し、ギアは中空になっているので、その重さは22キログラムちょっとだ。
また、16インチのホイールはカーボンファイバー製だ。マグネシウム製のハンドルは0.4キログラムちょっとの重さしかない。ただし、コンセプトカーのこうした魅力的な装備が、どの程度量産モデルに反映されるかは、今のところわからない。
究極の燃料節約を実現するためは、軽量というだけでは限界がある。大きな役割を果たすのは空気力学だ。1 Liter Carは細長くて背が低く、車長は約3.5メートルあるが、車幅は約1.3メートル、車高は約1メートルだ。
また、戦闘機のような屋根に、フラットなホイールカバー、それに車の下を空気がスムースに流れるようにするアンダーカウルを備えているのが特徴だ。
エンジンの冷却口は必要に応じて開き、ビデオカメラがミラーの代わりを果たす。また、同乗者の座席をドライバーの後ろに置くことで車幅を抑えている。
エンジンについては、コンセプトカーには8.5馬力、トルク値18.3Nmのワンシリンダー型ディーゼル・エンジンが搭載されていた。Car Magazine誌によれば、量産モデルには2シリンダー型のターボディーゼルが使用され、パワーがやや増すことになるという。
シリンダーの数を2倍にすれば、燃料の節約にとっては確実にマイナスだ。そのため、VW社はディーゼル・ハイブリッド車用のドライブトレイン(日本語版記事)を搭載するかもしれない。エンジンは、車が赤信号で停止すると切られ、ドライバーがアクセルペダルを踏み込むと自動的に再始動される。
(最新情報：報道によると、この車はアンチロック・ブレーキ、スタビリティ・コントロール、それにエアバッグを搭載するという。CanadianDriver誌によると、「1 Liter Carはレース車両として登録されるGTスポーツ・カー並みに安全だとVW社は説明している。コンピューターによる衝突シミュレーションを利用。クラッシュチューブやエアバッグ制御用圧力センサーが搭載されており、フロント部分は衝撃を吸収する構造」)
価格はどのくらいになるのだろうか。Car Magazine誌によれば、「ある信頼できる情報筋」が、1 Liter Carの店頭表示価格は2〜3万ユーロ(およそ340〜500万円)の範囲になるはずだと語ったという。これはけっこうな価格だ。もっとも、1 Liter Carは小さなサイズながらも贅沢な車ではあるのだが。
[以下の画像は全てVolkswagenによる。]
これ未来のエコカーby Volkswagenです
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkswagen_1-litre_car
Volkswagen is building the first 1 litre car in the world.
The 1 litre car had long been rumoured in the media. Now it is here. At the end of his period in office, the former Board Chairman Dr Ferdinand Piëch drove the research vehicle from Wolfsburg to Hamburg and consumed an average of 0.89 litres over 100 km. This means that Volkswagen has once again impressively demonstrated its technological leadership.
Important goals of the development were the minimisation of all driving resistance by means of lightweight construction, excellent aerodynamics, development of new tyres and chassis parts, taking account of ergonomics and current safety standards as well as familiar operation options. The target of reaching consumption of one litre fuel for 100 kilometres, however, meant turning away from conventional vehicle concepts. The driver and passenger sit one behind the other in the high-tech vehicle, the plastic bodywork characterises an aerodynamic streamlined shape and the engine is located transversely, in front of the back axle.
One Cylinder with 299 Cubic Centimetre Capacity
The engine is a one-cylinder diesel with an automatic, sequential direct manual gearbox. The crankcase and cylinder head of the 0.3 litre engine were made of aluminium with a monoblock construction. In principle, the one-cylinder SDI is not a derivation of a familiar engine, but a technologically highly sophisticated new development. The aspiration diesel direct injection engine has an output of 6.3 kW at 4,000 rpm and helps the car weighing only 290 kg to a maximum speed of 120 km/h/75 mph. The pump-nozzle high-pressure injection with a six-hole nozzle and pre-injection supplies working pressures of over 2,000 bar/29,400 PSI.
The tight space for an engine did not allow the use of a series production gearbox. That is why a compact six-gear manual gearbox made of magnesium with a stop-start system including free-wheel function was built, which is operated via a rotary switch in the cockpit.
Figure from the Wind Tunnel
To keep the air resistance as low as possible, an unusually narrow and very flat silhouette was chosen. The bodywork of the 3.65 m long, 1.25 m wide and just over one metre flat vehicle developed in the wind tunnel is completely made of carbon fibre. It was not painted for reasons of weight. The outer skin is stretched over a spaceframe, which is not made of aluminium, but of much lighter magnesium.
The front view is much more reminiscent of the Volkswagen W12 Coupé than a typical research vehicle. To achieve consumption of one litre, the engineers has to stretch aerodynamics (cW value: 0.159) to its limits as well as working on the engine. As there was to be space for two people, but the front area had to be as small as possible, the two seats were arranged one behind the other, like in a glider. Entry is via a 1.50 m wing door, which is pulled down on the left-hand side for easy entry.
Instead of exterior mirrors, the car has cameras in the side indicator lights that show the traffic behind on two little monitors in the cockpit to the left and right of the central round instrument. When parking, the area behind the vehicle is visible due to a reversing camera fitted centrally in the high-mounted brake light. The storage space behind the seats has a capacity of 80 litres.
Lightweight Construction under the Bonnet
The entire front axle construction with a double wishbone made of aluminium and magnesium including spring-absorber unit weighs only 8 kg. The driven rear axle has many lightweight construction elements. The leaf spring is made of fibreglass-reinforced plastic, the transverse pipe and the wheel carriers are made of aluminium, the wheel hubs of titanium. The drive shafts and the wheel bearings are integrated in the axle construction. The direct mechanical steering is also made of aluminium and magnesium. The seat frames are also made of magnesium and light, but extremely firm stretch fabric covers are used instead of classic upholstery.
In cooperation with a tyre manufacturer, Volkswagen has developed a wheel-tyre combination that counters propulsion with as little mass as possible. Like the bodywork, the 16 inch rim is made of carbon fibre compound materials and, at 1.8 kg, is over 50 per cent lighter than a conventional rim. The special tyre mix and the profile were designed so that the driving resistance was reduced by 30 per cent in comparison to a standard tyre of the same size. The rear wheels are fully covered.
Gaining Energy with Brakes
A starter generator with so-called recuperation is used to generate energy. Here, the braking energy is fed into the generator and thus recovered. A nickel-metal hybrid battery is used to store the energy. The board network is designed in CAN-Bus technology. The bi-xenon dipped headlight consumes only 32 Watt with the same light output as a conventional 60 Watt headlight. That is also why no headlight cleaning system is needed. The entire headlight element is made of polycarbonate and in total weighs only 1.5 kg. The day driving light, all indicators and rear lamps are designed using LED technology.
As Safe as a Racing Car
In spite of the consistent lightweight construction, great importance was attached to safety from the outset. Anti-locking system, the Electronic Stability Programme ESP and a driver's airbag are all part of the safety equipment. Deformation elements in the frontal area and the spaceframe construction ensure collision and toppling protection equivalent to that of a GT racing car. So-called crash tubes with integrated pressure sensors to control the airbag in the front of the car take up all of the deformation energy so that the foot well remains intact. The 6.5 litre tank made of aluminium - with an opening designed for automatic robot filling - is located in the collision-protected area behind the passenger. Four aluminium disc brakes and aluminium brake callipers in combination with an anti-locking system of the latest generation ensure safe slowing down. The entire braking system weighs only 7.8 kg.
Important goals of the development were the minimisation of all driving resistance by means of lightweight construction, excellent aerodynamics, development of new tyres and chassis parts, taking account of ergonomics and current safety standards as well as familiar operation options. The target of reaching consumption of one litre fuel for 100 kilometres, however, meant turning away from conventional vehicle concepts. The driver and passenger sit one behind the other in the high-tech vehicle, the plastic bodywork characterises an aerodynamic streamlined shape and the engine is located transversely, in front of the back axle.
One Cylinder with 299 Cubic Centimetre Capacity
The engine is a one-cylinder diesel with an automatic, sequential direct manual gearbox. The crankcase and cylinder head of the 0.3 litre engine were made of aluminium with a monoblock construction. In principle, the one-cylinder SDI is not a derivation of a familiar engine, but a technologically highly sophisticated new development. The aspiration diesel direct injection engine has an output of 6.3 kW at 4,000 rpm and helps the car weighing only 290 kg to a maximum speed of 120 km/h/75 mph. The pump-nozzle high-pressure injection with a six-hole nozzle and pre-injection supplies working pressures of over 2,000 bar/29,400 PSI.
The tight space for an engine did not allow the use of a series production gearbox. That is why a compact six-gear manual gearbox made of magnesium with a stop-start system including free-wheel function was built, which is operated via a rotary switch in the cockpit.
Figure from the Wind Tunnel
To keep the air resistance as low as possible, an unusually narrow and very flat silhouette was chosen. The bodywork of the 3.65 m long, 1.25 m wide and just over one metre flat vehicle developed in the wind tunnel is completely made of carbon fibre. It was not painted for reasons of weight. The outer skin is stretched over a spaceframe, which is not made of aluminium, but of much lighter magnesium.
The front view is much more reminiscent of the Volkswagen W12 Coupé than a typical research vehicle. To achieve consumption of one litre, the engineers has to stretch aerodynamics (cW value: 0.159) to its limits as well as working on the engine. As there was to be space for two people, but the front area had to be as small as possible, the two seats were arranged one behind the other, like in a glider. Entry is via a 1.50 m wing door, which is pulled down on the left-hand side for easy entry.
Instead of exterior mirrors, the car has cameras in the side indicator lights that show the traffic behind on two little monitors in the cockpit to the left and right of the central round instrument. When parking, the area behind the vehicle is visible due to a reversing camera fitted centrally in the high-mounted brake light. The storage space behind the seats has a capacity of 80 litres.
Lightweight Construction under the Bonnet
The entire front axle construction with a double wishbone made of aluminium and magnesium including spring-absorber unit weighs only 8 kg. The driven rear axle has many lightweight construction elements. The leaf spring is made of fibreglass-reinforced plastic, the transverse pipe and the wheel carriers are made of aluminium, the wheel hubs of titanium. The drive shafts and the wheel bearings are integrated in the axle construction. The direct mechanical steering is also made of aluminium and magnesium. The seat frames are also made of magnesium and light, but extremely firm stretch fabric covers are used instead of classic upholstery.
In cooperation with a tyre manufacturer, Volkswagen has developed a wheel-tyre combination that counters propulsion with as little mass as possible. Like the bodywork, the 16 inch rim is made of carbon fibre compound materials and, at 1.8 kg, is over 50 per cent lighter than a conventional rim. The special tyre mix and the profile were designed so that the driving resistance was reduced by 30 per cent in comparison to a standard tyre of the same size. The rear wheels are fully covered.
Gaining Energy with Brakes
A starter generator with so-called recuperation is used to generate energy. Here, the braking energy is fed into the generator and thus recovered. A nickel-metal hybrid battery is used to store the energy. The board network is designed in CAN-Bus technology. The bi-xenon dipped headlight consumes only 32 Watt with the same light output as a conventional 60 Watt headlight. That is also why no headlight cleaning system is needed. The entire headlight element is made of polycarbonate and in total weighs only 1.5 kg. The day driving light, all indicators and rear lamps are designed using LED technology.
As Safe as a Racing Car
In spite of the consistent lightweight construction, great importance was attached to safety from the outset. Anti-locking system, the Electronic Stability Programme ESP and a driver's airbag are all part of the safety equipment. Deformation elements in the frontal area and the spaceframe construction ensure collision and toppling protection equivalent to that of a GT racing car. So-called crash tubes with integrated pressure sensors to control the airbag in the front of the car take up all of the deformation energy so that the foot well remains intact. The 6.5 litre tank made of aluminium - with an opening designed for automatic robot filling - is located in the collision-protected area behind the passenger. Four aluminium disc brakes and aluminium brake callipers in combination with an anti-locking system of the latest generation ensure safe slowing down. The entire braking system weighs only 7.8 kg.
エコカーの祭典???~フランクフルトショー~
ドイツVolkswagen社は、フランクフルトモーターショー開幕前日の9月14
日、Volkswagenグループの発表会を開き、電気自動車のコンセプト車「E-up!」を発表した。2013年ごろの実用化を目指したコンセプト車で、Liイオン2次電池を搭載して航続距離130kmを実現した。Volkswagenグループ会長のMartin Winterkorn氏は「電気自動車の生産台数が現在のポロのレベルに達するのは早くても2020年ごろだろう。ガソリンやディーゼルを燃料とするクルマは中長距離では今後も主流だが、市街地ではE-up!のようなクルマがエンジン駆動のクルマを補完していくことになる。それが始まるのは2013年ごろと見ている」と述べた。
日、Volkswagenグループの発表会を開き、電気自動車のコンセプト車「E-up!」を発表した。2013年ごろの実用化を目指したコンセプト車で、Liイオン2次電池を搭載して航続距離130kmを実現した。Volkswagenグループ会長のMartin Winterkorn氏は「電気自動車の生産台数が現在のポロのレベルに達するのは早くても2020年ごろだろう。ガソリンやディーゼルを燃料とするクルマは中長距離では今後も主流だが、市街地ではE-up!のようなクルマがエンジン駆動のクルマを補完していくことになる。それが始まるのは2013年ごろと見ている」と述べた。
同コンセプト車は2011年の投入を予定している新しい小型車シリーズ「up!」をベースとしている。しかし、全長を3190mmに短縮して3＋1のシートコンセプトを実現、より小型化した。全幅は1641mm、全高は1468mm、ホイールベースは2190mm。
前部に最高出力60kW、定格出力40kWのモータを搭載し、最大トルクは210N・m。スタートから100km/hまでは11.3秒で加速する。2次電池は質量が240kgであり、フロア下に搭載する。電池容量は18kWh、航続距離は130kmで、最高速度は135km/hとなる。パワートレーンは電気系と駆動系を一体化した「インテグラルドライブ」を採用し、全体の質量を140kgに抑えた。同社によればモータ、変速機、デファレンシャル、インバータ、DC-DCコンバータなどとまとめてモジュール化されている。ルーフは1.4m2の広さに太陽電池を埋め込んであり、さらにサンバイザーの裏にも太陽電池を搭載することで、面積を1.7m2に拡大できる。この電力によって停車中に車内換気用のファンを駆動させ、車内の温度上昇を抑える。
E-up!を説明した研究開発担当取締役Ulrich Hackenberg氏は「電気自動車だけでなく電動キックボードも開発している」とし、バックドアを開けて取り出した折り畳み型の電動キックボードも披露した。新しいモビリティに向けて同社はゼロエミッションの小型車両を複数開発しており、電動キックボードはその一つ。up!の後部シートを折りたたまずに収納でき、目的地に到着した後に短い距離をクルマなしで移動できることを狙った。
車のサイズがどんどん小さくなってきている。これからは軽スモールの時代なのだよ。
2009/09/12
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