September 24, 2009

Peugeot BB1-4 Seater "Just 2.5m long"


One of the most visually distinctive cars on show at Frankfurt on the opening day of the world’s most important car show was Peugeot’s BB1 concept car. Looks aside though, the inbuilt practicality of a car just 2.5 metres long and capable of seating four people indicates how the design freedom afforded by electric cars opens the way for reinventing the automobile in every way: architecture, style, interior design, interior space and connectivity.
The world is always on the move and urban traffic levels are forever increasing. Everyone wants to save time, but the protection of the environment is an ever increasing priority.
To meet these ever changing needs, Peugeot has developed a range of mobility options across all of its many product offerings. Depending on age and individual needs, everyone can find a suitable solution in Peugeot's lion-branded range of bikes, motorbikes and automobiles.
Peugeot are, however, constantly studying and sharing mobility ideas within all the different sister companies to pool their expertise and their creativity to create particularly innovative and original projects. Indeed, Peugeot has always sought to be a global, recognized provider of mobility, with an inventive, responsible and competitive range of vehicles, whether they are on two, three or four wheels.
The BB1 concept car, unveiled at the 63rd Frankfurt Motor Show, paves the way for this ideal by pushing back the barriers to bring an innovative, fun, expressive and stylish vehicle. This electric vehicle aims to explore new grounds with regards to urban mobility.
The design brief for the BB1 was to meet the mobility needs of everyday individuals on a daily basis and provide maximum versatility, a compact size, manoeuvrability (3.5m turning circle) and good performance levels.
To achieve all this, the Peugeot teams faced a real challenge - never before in the history of the automobile has a car been created to accommodate four people in an overall length of just 2.5m. This amazing use of interior space can also be adapted to increase the potential load capacity, even though its "compact" size gives it the ability to park in extremely tight spots - even perpendicular to the pavement.
To meet this challenge, the design of the structure of the passenger compartment has drawn inspiration from two-wheeled vehicles in terms of the ergonomics and controls. The driver controls the vehicle by adopting a novel driving position - more vertical than is usual. This is mainly made possible through the absence of foot pedals, as in a conventional car.
Access to the vehicle is through the reverse opening doors, while the load area access is through an innovative tail board / tailgate design. The interior can be transformed as required to offer a load volume of up to 160 litres (with four occupants), or 855 litres (with just one person in the car).
The style of the vehicle highlights the interior space and the unique driving position. With its bold styling lines at the front, large glazed surface area, low door waistline (for the passenger compartment ventilation system) and extended wheel arches, the car represents a real move away from current vehicle design.
Robust and protective, the quality and technology shine through in every detail, such as the "full LED" front headlights and rear view cameras. The double bubble roof, similar to the RCZ, helps with the feeling of space within the vehicle, as does the openness and brightness created by the large glazed surface areas.
The BB1 includes an extensive range of interactive technologies. The colour multi-function display and the vehicle's audio system provide the ideal link for all the functionalities of a “smart phone”: telephone, navigation, Internet access, radio, MP3... Just connect the device to the USB connector and the 12V power socket if necessary.
Universal and user-friendly, this system enables the BB1 to provide a range of essential services without the need for multiple pieces of equipment, bringing extra safety to driving and saving considerable weight.
Similarly, the rear-view cameras remove the need for mirrors, optimising the width of the vehicle and improving its aerodynamics, while adding to the high-tech feeling of the interior.
Creative - the BB1 breaks new ground with its electric drive system. It is fitted with two electric motors mounted in the rear wheels, designed in association with Michelin. This original set-up maximises the interior space and draws its inspiration from the world of the quad bike. They produce a maximum power output of 15 kW (20hp) - or 7.5 kW per motor, proving the optimum power to weight ratio for the vehicle in its urban driving environment. This ensures the best possible response at start-up (0 to 19 mph in 2.8 seconds) and excellent in-gear acceleration (19 - 37 mph in 4 seconds), ensuring driveability and safety are to the levels expected of a Peugeot.
The power for the vehicle is provided by two lithium-ion battery packs supplying energy to the respective electric motors located under the right and left-hand rear seats, with a comfortable range of 75 miles. This layout avoids any reduction in the interior space or the available storage space. Furthermore, this location between the front and rear wheels helps with the weight distribution of the vehicle and benefits vehicle stability, especially during braking.

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