The Hypercar (sm)

John Whiteman(in place of Tom Crumm)

CCCDDD333

Hypercar

The Hypercar (sm)

CCCDDD333

Hypercar

A modest promise…...

CCCDDD333

Hypercar

History

• 1991 Rocky Mountain Institute propose hybrid ‘supercar’• 1993 Partnership of ‘big 3’ to create 80

mpg family car by 2004

CCCDDD333

Hypercar

More history

• 1994 Hypercar Center set up at RMI• 1995 Report on technical aspects of

Hypercar• 1997 Hypercar project launched

– with industry funding to demonstrate feasibility• 1998 formation of Hypercar inc• 1999 initial equity investments• 2000 ‘exciting developments tba’

CCCDDD333

Hypercar

Design strategy

CCCDDD333

Hypercar

Not totally crazy….?

• Idea of a systematic approach to design– more expensive per part/pound– but virtuous circle of weight and cost reduction

• Startling facts:– 15% of fuel energy reaches the wheels– 95% of it is used to move the car

• Also cuts product cycle, equipment, space, parts count

‘Mass is optimised to save money not onfuel but on building the car.

Paradoxically this saves far more fuel’

CCCDDD333

Hypercar

The environment….

CCCDDD333

Hypercar

The environment, continued

CCCDDD333

Hypercar

Buy one today…...

CCCDDD333

Hypercar

Or wait for the real thing?

CCCDDD333

Hypercar

Lots of news…..

5/00: Honda, with Insight demand far outstripping supply (2000 sales are expected to be twice projections), announces 2001 Japan release of its first mass-market Civic hybrid, using engine drive until fuel-cell models become available starting 2003. GM says its "long-term vision is of a hydrogen economy." A Deutsche Shell director predicts 50% of all new vehicles, and 20% of the existing fleet, to be hydrogen vehicles by 2020; Daimler-Chrysler plans fuel-cell fleets in 2004. Shell and RWE say it would take at most 2 years to convert many thousands of German gasoline filling stations to offer hydrogen

CCCDDD333

Hypercar

More news...

‘ 8/00: GM says it'll always stay ahead of Ford with regard to fuel efficiency, and confirms that within a few years it will beselling hybrid-electric versions of its full-sized pickup trucks. Environmentalists cheer the combatants on. Several California cities confirm commercial orders for fuel-cell buses’

CCCDDD333

Hypercar

Final thoughts from Hypercar

The Hypercar (sm)

John Whiteman(in place of Tom Crumm)

Good cars are always difficult,but better to be difficult because they’re simple

than because they’re complex.

This industry has been in the complex phasefor decades, it’s ripe for something different