Now THAT’s an electric vehicle
Mining
Infiniti unveiled a stunning new single-seat electric speedster car in the US overnight.
The “Prototype” 10 represents a bridge between early Californian speedster vehicles of the past and the new electric sports cars of the future, according to the Hong Kong-based luxury car maker.
And it looks like something Batman would drive.
The Prototype 10 is a global effort involving Infiniti’s Japanese design center, digital design teams in the UK, and those who hand-crafted the car in San Diego, California.
Prototype 10 — unveiled at the 2018 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance on Thursday in Monterey, California — is designed as a “monoposto” or single-seat speedster, with a striking geometric form most evident in the 90-degree accord between the bodywork and the fin just behind the driver’s head.
It’s a look inspired by classic single-seat grand prix race cars.
The Prototype 10 is also defined by the elegant geometry found throughout the car.
From the straight-lines that define the grill and smooth side strakes that dip into the rear arches to the angular cooling ducts and triangular rear light formed with a razor-sharp touch.
No detail has been left untouched here.
For Infiniti’s consumers, the concept’s most important feature has to be its electric powertrain.
“A daring speedster is the perfect study for our designers to explore an electrified future and ignite such excitement,” company President Roland Krueger said in a statement.
Every one of Infiniti’s all-new models will feature electric powertrain technology in some form starting in 2021.
That means all brand-new Infiniti’s introduced after that year will either be a battery electric or a series hybrid.
Global sales of electric vehicles could reach as many as 100 million by 2025 and internal combustion engine cars could be phased out by 2050, according to a recent research report from Amadee + Company.
Electric and hybrid cars are now the biggest driver of the battery market, pushing the automotive sector to account for 38 per cent of total battery sales by 2022 — up from 34 per cent today.
The global market for car batteries will pass $US54 billion by 2022, driven by growing demand for expensive lithium-ion batteries required by electric cars and hybrids.
“Increased penetration of [hybrid electric vehicles] will fuel rapid demand for batteries worldwide, with lithium-ion products absorbing the bulk of gains,” says US researcher The Freedonia Group in its latest Global Batteries report.
This article first appeared on Business Insider Australia, Australia’s most popular business news website. Read the original article. Follow Business Insider on Facebook or Twitter.