The revolutionary Tesla Roadster, the high-performance electric sports car, may soon have a rival in its emerging field in the form of the Volage Roadster.
French company Venturi plans to release the Volage into production in 2012, but early performance analysis suggests it will be a serious competitor to its big name rival with the ability to reach 160mph and travel for around 200 miles with the on-board battery.
The Volage made its debut at the Paris Motor Show where it impressed journalists and visitors alike with its 295 horsepower engine, 171lb-ft of torque and the ability to travel from 0-60mph in just five seconds.
So what makes the Volage tick? Well, the Venturi has introduced a new breed of motors to power the vehicle. Each wheel contains two electric motors which provide traction, regenerative braking and active suspension. As all of the power comes from the wheels there is more room in the carbon fibre chassis allowing for more traction control and better stability.
Of course this idea in itself is nothing new – Siemens has plans for a similar system and the ZAP Electric also boasted about it. However, in the Venturi Volage it may be appearing in a truly winning package – the whole car weighs just 2,369lbs, significantly less than more current sports cars allowing for agility and better aerodynamics. If successfully brought to production it too could help rewrite the rule book for electric vehicles.
