A high-tech electric car capable of travelling up to 400 kilometres from a single charge has been prototyped in Portugal in a collaboration between a small car manufacturer and an engineering institute.
- 08 July 2015
The development of such an innovative vehicle solution led to substantial media exposure at the national and international level and consequently has helped to promote the Oeste region as a birthplace of innovation. Most producers of electric cars balance high production costs by going for high-value sports cars. Rather than aiming for a Ferrari, we are building an electric equivalent of cheaper compact sports cars.
The aim of the three-year Veeco project was to push the boundaries of electric vehicle technology, which has so far been hampered by the limitations of currently-available battery technology, low maximum speeds and slow acceleration. For these reasons, although electric vehicles have been on the market for several years, they have not so far been widely adopted.
The project partners were the Fabricação de Veiculos de Tracção Eléctrica and the Instituto Superior de Engenharia de Lisboa.
Together, they built two highly-efficient prototype electric cars that defy the usual expectations of electric vehicle technology as they are fast, have a long battery life and accelerate quickly. The final three-wheeled prototype for two occupants, which was unveiled in February 2012, can accelerate from a standstill position to 100 km/hr in just ten seconds and has a maximum speed of 170 km/hr: a performance which is comparable with petrol or diesel-fuelled vehicles and could be used for daily commuting. The car can travel around 100 km using just one euro’s worth of electricity.
These remarkable characteristics were achieved by designing and building a car out of ultra-light materials and adopting a “water-drop” shaped body design that optimises airflow and reduces drag.
Regional economy receives a boost
In addition, the prototype vehicles are significantly safer than other electric vehicles. By using a low-voltage battery pack of 96-volts, the risks of accidents through electrocution are significantly reduced. The lithium-iron phosphate battery technology also eliminates the risk of the battery cells exploding.
Both project partners are now working towards turning the prototype into a vehicle that could be launched commercially.
The project led to the creation of seven jobs but this number is expected to increase considerably when the prototype moves into commercial production. When that happens, the local economy will be boosted as components will be sourced locally with the aim of creating a regional supply chain.
Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for the project “Veeco RT EV” is EUR 1 700 000, of which the EU’s European Regional Development Fund contributed EUR 900 000 from the Portuguese “Thematic Factors of Competitiveness” Operational Programme for the 2007 to 2013 programming period.