Thursday, October 13, 2011

Work on the next-generation EN-V concept vehicle, representing General Motors’ vision to meet the growing demand for safe, connected, zero-emissions personal transportation could participate in pilot demonstration programs in megacities around the world to determine real-world practicality.

In addition, future EN-V concepts will carry a Chevrolet badge, Chris Perry, vice president, global Chevrolet marketing and strategy, told media on Wednesday in advance of Chevrolet’s Nov. 3 Centennial celebration.

“For 100 years, the Chevrolet brand has been focused on making advanced technology that improves customers’ lives accessible and affordable, and the Chevrolet EN-V will continue that tradition,” said Perry.

“By 2030, more than 60 percent of the world’s 8 billion people will live in urban areas,” said Perry. “The Chevrolet EN-V represents a possible solution for global customers living in markets where alternative transportation solutions are needed.”

The award-winning Chevrolet EN-V, short for Electric Networked-Vehicle, is a two-seat, electric urban mobility concept that maintains the basic principle of personal mobility - freedom.

One of the stars of the 2010 Shanghai World Expo, EN-V was designed to address environmental issues and help alleviate traffic congestion, parking, safety concerns and energy consumption.

The next-generation Chevrolet EN-V concept will add new features that customers need, such as climate control, personal storage space and all-weather and road condition operation while preserving key elements of the original EN-V, such as the small footprint and maneuverability. It will also retain its battery electric propulsion, connectivity and autonomous driving capabilities.

“The Chevrolet EN-V has the potential to reinvent transportation in key markets by creating a new vehicle DNA through the convergence of electrification and connectivity,” said Chris Borroni-Bird, GM’s director of Advanced Technology Vehicle Concepts. “It provides an ideal solution for petroleum- and emission-free urban transportation that is free from congestion and crashes, and more fun and fashionable than ever before,”

In April, GM and the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City Investment and Development Co. Ltd. (SSTEC) signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on integrating the next-generation EN-V into the Tianjin Eco-City from a power, communications and physical infrastructure perspective.

Borroni-Bird said Chevrolet will explore other locations around the world - including the United States - for potential pilot programs.

The EN-V is a zero-emissions vehicle powered by lithium-ion batteries. Recharging from a conventional wall outlet using standard household power allows EN-V to travel at least 40 kilometers on a single charge, an acceptable range for most urban trips.

By combining GPS with vehicle-to-vehicle communications and distance-sensing technologies, the EN-V can be driven manually or autonomously. In autonomous mode, EN-V offers mobility to people who may not otherwise operate a vehicle. By leveraging wireless communications, it allows drivers and occupants to communicate hands-free with friends or business associates while on the go.

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