Tucked away in the corner of this year’s Geneva Motorshow were a couple of rather interesting concepts created by the coach builder Carrozzeria Castagna (maker of the original new MINI wagon that debuted a few years back). In our mind the most innovative of these concepts on the Geneva stand was Castagna’s MINI Hybrid concept. Here’s the full press release on the car:
>The luxury of not polluting. Traveling silently, going where other vehicles have to stop.
>From today forward, all our creations can be equipped with hybrid engines. On the occasion of the Geneva Motor Show, we are showing a functional application of our technology, based on a MINI.
>Retaining the vehicle’s original mechanical and propulsion systems, a strengthened suspension system and an electronically controlled electric motor are fitted at the rear of the vehicle, allowing the driver to select the propulsion method he/she desires.
>The latest generation batteries, managed by a specially developed on-board resource optimisation programme, guarantee a maximum range of up to 200km, at a top speed of approximately 140 km/h.
>The combustion engine can be used to power the vehicle on the open road, or as a generator to charge the batteries.
>A special digital instrument panel fitted to the vehicle allows the driver to check the battery charge level, the remaining range and the operating mode in use.
>Thanks to a dashboard-mounted control, the driver can select either conventional or electrical mode, battery power or the utilization of the combustion engine as a generator.
>There are two control options for managing the on-board electrical resources: CITY or SPEED. The former reduces consumption in order to ensure maximum range (200km) and limiting the maximum speed to 70 km/h. In SPEED mode, the top speed increases to slightly more than 130 km/h, giving a maximum range of approximately 120 km.
>The batteries are guaranteed for a period of 5 years and they can be fully charged in 6 hours through a domestic power outlet.
You can download Castagna’s full 2006 catalog of coachbuilding on the MINI Chassis below. Dial-up user be warned, it’s a hefty 12MB.
[ 2006 Castagna MINI Coachbuilding Catalog (PDF) ] Carrozzeria Castagna
Related:
The First Electric MINI ] MotoringFile
pics and diagrams i await.
There is some more information <a href="http://www.evworld.com/blogs/index.cfm?page=blogentry&authorid=12&blogid=221&archive=0" rel="nofollow">here</a>. The total conversion is some 40,000 euros!!! They had to stretch the boot to make space for the batteries and that alone was 19,500 euros. The Traveller will make a better candidate for this.
Very, very cool. I hope BMW has taken notice of this car.
I’d rock a hybrid MINI, or a MINI One -D for that matter.
On the otherhand, the Castagna’s Crossup I’m going to stay far far far away from. ick
Amen to that. Only thing right now that’d make me trade in for a newer Mini is the possibility of a hybrid or diesel.
Q: why equate diesels with hybrids?
Diesels are horrid environmental monsters. Less mileage with a premium-burn petrol is better. The US can not afford more diesel fumes. BMW sees the CAFE numbers.