Lotus Emeya hyper-GT telah mencapai pencapaian yang mengagumkan dengan berjaya menamatkan program ujian dan pembangunan global yang menuntut, menghadapi keadaan yang sukar di seluruh dunia.
Pada bulan-bulan musim sejuk, grand tourer elektrik ini tahan terhadap suhu sejuk di Ivalo, Finland, turun sehingga -25 darjah Celsius. Ia juga menghadapi ‘peti sejuk’ automotif, menahan suhu sejuk tulang -40 darjah Celsius. Ujian yang ketat ini menandakan akhir perjalanan pembangunan tiga tahun yang teliti di 15 negara di dua benua.
Emeya diuji di pelbagai jenis tanah dan iklim, dari jalan-B UK ke autobahn di Jerman, jalan Alpine, dan landskap terpencil di Inner Mongolia. Ujian trek di tempat-tempat terkenal seperti Nürburgring Nordschleife dan kemudahan seperti Nardò di Itali mengesahkan keupayaan Emeya dalam pelbagai situasi.
Jurutera meneliti setiap aspek prestasi Emeya, memberi tumpuan kepada sistem casis, pembangunan tayar, ciri bantuan pemandu, prestasi bateri dalam cuaca extreme, dan sistem pengurusan thermal. Matlamatnya adalah untuk memastikan dinamik pemanduan dan keselesaan yang terbaik dalam semua keadaan.
Ujian melibatkan dua pendekatan: ujian terkawal untuk penilaian yang tepat dan ujian dunia nyata untuk mengesahkan hasil di persekitaran yang berbeza. Menyambung tradisi Lotus yang menarik prestasi, keselamatan, dan pematuhan terhadap standard global adalah keutamaan.
Sebagai grand tourer elektrik, Emeya dilengkapi dengan sistem kawalan yang canggih dan penggerak empat roda untuk kestabilan dan kawalan dalam semua cuaca. Pelanggan boleh menggunakan Aplikasi Lotus untuk menyesuaikan suhu kabin, tempat duduk yang dipanaskan, dan tetapan roda stereng sebelum masuk ke dalam kereta.
Dengan ciri-ciri seperti kamera dan cermin sisi yang boleh dipanaskan, bersama dengan Mod Salji untuk paparan kepala 55-inci, Emeya memastikan kelihatan yang lebih baik dan keselesaan yang tinggi dalam keadaan bersalji. Dengan ujian yang teliti dan ciri-ciri canggihnya, Lotus Emeya berjanji untuk menentukan semula pengalaman grand touring bagi pelanggan di seluruh dunia.
2022 looks like the year of electric hypercars as some manufacturers will either unveil their products or start deliveries. Among them is Automobili Pininfarina which has announced that its Battista hyper GT – Italy’s most powerful production car ever – will start going to customer in early 2022. Final production prototypes have been running with test-drivers completing assessments of various systems.
Nick Heidfeld, ex-Formula One and Formula E driver, is a Test and Development Driver for Automobili Pininfarina who has been working with the engineers for the past 2 years. “From the first time I experienced Battista’s performance in 2019 in an advanced simulator, to today on road and track, I believe the Automobili Pininfarina team has successfully developed a unique hyper GT that is enormous fun, as well as incredibly fast,” he said.
Heidfeld has experienced the Battista on the road and track in Italy in production-intent form, accompanied by its emotive soundscape for the first time. “In this test, I was able to drive Battista with full power available. The effect under acceleration is completely mind-bending – drivers will never bore of the experience, no matter how many times they feel it. This roadcar sprints faster than a Formula 1 car, and in Furiosa mode, I was left with a huge grin on my face every time. Every client that experienced Battista with me was positively overwhelmed by the experience – there is simply nothing like it!” said Heidfeld.
The Furiosa mode mentioned unleashes the full 1,900 ps, which also utilises the full torque available from the 4 independent electric motors. Originally projected to produce 2,300 Nm of torque, the Battista is now developing an increased 2,360 Nm. This comes from two 250 kW motors at the front, and two 450 kW motors at the rear, with 280 Nm of torque for each front motor and 900 Nm at each rear motor. Their combined output makes it possible to go from 0 – 100 km/h in a claimed time of less than 2 seconds and reach a top speed of 350 km/h.
Besides the Furiosa mode, there are 4 others – Pura, Calma, Energica, and Carattere. Control of the driving experience is provided by a beautifully-milled rotary dial, ergonomically situated right next to the driver, allowing for quick changes in driving mode, each one lending a unique character to the Battista’s drive, perfectly adapted to a range of driving conditions.
Calibrated using thousands of kilometres of software simulation before being introduced to development cars, the driving modes allow the driver to fine-tune the driving experience and unlock both the full potential of the advanced torque vectoring system and honed characteristics of the Battista.
The system recuperates and transfers electrical energy without using the brakes – the active energy shifting takes place directly via the 4 electric motors, resulting in a much faster, more precise and efficient shift of torque compared with torque vectoring by braking.
The motors are powered by a powerful 120 kWh lithium-ion battery and, depending on driving style and other conditions, the range is claimed to be up to 500 kms.
“The handling on open roads – even on unpredictable surfaces – proved Battista to be beautifully balanced. Just how a hyper GT should feel. Battista’s performance on track had already surprised and impressed me after I experienced it in Nardo earlier this year, so my expectations on this occasion were set high. This test however confirmed that the team has achieved its target of creating a new type of hyper GT which is rewarding on all surfaces. The ride quality and damping both feel excellent, and the steering feels natural and the perfect fit for what we want to achieve in Battista. I am very sensitive to steering feel as a racing driver, and the sweet spot here is for it to feel light yet connected, and direct yet smooth,” explained Heidfeld.
Paolo Dellacha, Automobili Pininfarina’s Chief Product and Engineering Officer, commended Heidfeld for his input which has helped the engineers to fine-tune the car. “Nick has been a brilliant partner throughout the whole development programme, not only for his driving skills and unique experience in both Formula 1 and Formula E, but also for his ability to evaluate and improve the programme in its various stages of development by delivering the anticipated view of our customers,” he said.
The Battista in production form made its global debut at California’s Monterey Week in August this year. Potential customers had an opportunity to experience the hypercar on the scenic coastal roads and listen to its ‘tailor-made exterior soundscape’. Those who decided they must own one would have to book a unit which will cost from €1.98 million (about RM9.37 million).
John Hennessey, the founder and CEO of Texas-based Hennessey Performance, is a man who loves powerful cars and his company has been ‘making fast cars faster’ since 1991. His work covers not only musclecars but also trucks and SUVs, with notable recent models like the 700-bhp Velociraptor F250 and a ZL1 Camaro nicknamed ‘The Exorcist’ with 1,000 bhp.
In 2017, he started Hennessey Special Vehicles to develop even faster cars, with the Venom F5 being of hypercar status and the first road car capable of achieving more than 480 km/h. The Hennessey team developed an all new, twin turbo V8 engine that can deliver 1,817 bhp which sits on a lightweight chassis enclosed by an all carbonfibre body.
The Exorcist, a Camaro ZL1 with 1,000 bhp (above) and the Venom F5 are just some of the superfast cars from Hennessey.
The F5’s combination of light weight, low drag and massive horsepower is claimed to enable an acceleration time from 0 to 300 km/h in less than 10 seconds, making the new Venom quicker than current Formula 1 racing cars.
Project Deep Space
Now Hennessey Special Vehicles is taking things further with a strategic product plan to introduce 3 all-new vehicles over the next 10 years. Project Deep Space, the codename for one of the vehicles, will be the world’s first 6-wheel drive Hyper-GT.
During the next 10 years, electrification will be permeating through the industry and Hennessey is going with the change by making the hyper-GT run only on electric power, generated by 6 motors. With a 50% increase in surface contact over traditional 4-wheeled vehicles, the performance of the hyper-GT will be astonishing.
Fitted with dramatic gullwing doors, Project Deep Space will be constructed with an ultra-lightweight carbonfibre chassis and body panels. The car will be a unique, ultra-luxurious, Grand Tourer that can transport 4 adults in comfort along with 4 sets of golf clubs, plus luggage.
Diamond=shaped seating layout
The distinctive diamond seating arrangement places the driver in a central position and the rear offers lie-flat seating. The interior will be fitted with the highest quality materials and for the asking price, customers will be able to add whatever they want to personalize their hypercar.
“I’ve been building some of the world’s fastest accelerating vehicles for decades, yet they have always been performance-limited by mechanical grip. Six-wheeled electric propulsion is the solution. The technology is unprecedented in this segment – both forward-thinking and innovative. Our design and engineering team is excited about embracing the future,” said John Hennessey.
World’s most expensive EV
Full specifications for Project Deep Space are yet to be announced, but Hennessey has confirmed that pricing will start at US$3 million (RM12.6 million at today’s exchange rate) which will make it the world’s most expensive EV (unless Bugatti or someone else comes out with a rival model). Only 105 hypercars will be built with production planned to begin in 2026.
