CLEVER European project - a star at the European research exhibition
As the increasing demand for mobility in urban centres creates ever more traffic frustration, pollution and noise, a very small, three-wheeled mini-car running on natural gas could offer a way out of all-too familiar gridlock. The car was on display at the European research and innovation exhibition, held in Paris from 7 to 9 June. The CLEVER (Compact Low Emission Vehicle for Urban Transport) car is a three wheeled, tilting micro-vehicle which is only a metre-wide, fits two people and has a top speed of 100 km/h. The result of a three year, €2.2 million EU-funded research project, the car aims to outwit the Smart car, overtaking it as the fashionable and more environmentally friendly way of getting about town. The French Petrol Institute (IFP), one of the project partners, designed and built the engine, which runs on compressed natural gas (CNG). 'The CLEVER vehicle represents a great leap forward in the development of vehicles, as its dedicated 213cc single-cylinder, 15hp natural gas (CNG)-powered engine consumes about 1.51 litres per 100 kilometres, i.e. a fifth of most cars,' project coordinator Richard Tilgone of the IFP told CORDIS News. 'We hope that the fact that it costs less to run, is quieter and less polluting than fossil fuel based cars, will make it popular with environmentalists, as well as the general public,' he added. The CLEVER car accelerates from 0 to 60kph in less than seven seconds, emitting less than 60g/km of CO2, a figure well in line with the EU's long-term emissions targets. The vehicle is also equipped with two specially designed gas cylinders that can be removed and refilled externally, as for the time being Europe is poorly equipped in CNG refuelling infrastructure. Another innovation in the project is the vehicle's tilting mechanism. Due to the narrow track of the CLEVER vehicle, a tilting chassis was designed to maintain cornering stability at speed. An ingenious hydraulic system was therefore developed to tilt the vehicle towards the centre of the turn, based on driver and other vehicle inputs. Because of the unique turning characteristics, new tyres had to be designed, featuring specific handling characteristics, high durability and a special rain-clearing tread design. Finally, the vehicle is equipped with a two-chamber driver air bag and a special belt system, while its fully lined aluminium space frame cabin protects occupants from adverse weather conditions and provides a compartment stiff enough to withstand normal accident conditions. The car obtained a three star rating in EuroNCAP, the European New Car Assessment Programme. The mini-car proved very popular with visitors at the exhibition, but the project partners had to tell them that the car would not commercialised for another few years at least.
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France