An electric sports saloon with an 800km range and a top speed of over 300kph?
10 Feb 2015 | 3740 Views | By Autocar Professional Bureau
An electric sports saloon with an 800km range and a top speed of over 300kph? That’s what nanoFlowcell AG claims with its new electric Quant F which is have its world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show next month.
The Quant F with nanoFlowcell drive technology is a further ...
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An electric sports saloon with an 800km range and a top speed of over 300kph? That’s what nanoFlowcell AG claims with its new electric Quant F which is have its world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show next month.
The Quant F with nanoFlowcell drive technology is a further development of the Quante from 2014, the first automobile with flow cell drive to be approved by the German TÜV technical inspection authority.
“The new Quant F has been completely re-engineered and re-designed. With its new 2-speed automatic transmission we have developed a new drive system. A top speed of over 300kph in all-electric mode with nanoFlowcell drive technology and zero harmful emissions round off the exceptional performance attributes of the new Quant F,” says Chief Technical Officer, Nunzio La Vecchia.
He adds, "The Quant F is a complete re-design of its predecessor, the Quant E, and stands apart as a result of the integration of newly developed technical components. We have achieved a further improvement in performance figures with the nanoFlowcell. With the Quant F we are currently able to attain peak output of 1090 PS/801.69 kW for a limited duration and a maximum rated voltage of 735 V (previously 600 V). This represents a massive increase for an electric vehicle. I would like to point out that we researchers are not interested here in pumping up hp/kW figures, but rather in realising what is technically feasible. For both technical and economic reasons, the rated voltage for normal operation of the Quant F will stand at approximately 400 V in future. This enables efficient and economical driving and means correspondingly greater ranges accompanied by outstanding performance with zero harmful emissions.”
The enhanced nanoFlowcell continuously feeds over 50 amperes of current into the newly developed buffer system of the Quant F. In turn, this buffer system is briefly able to supply over 2000 amperes when needed for full performance. "To our knowledge, no-one has ever before put a system delivering over 2000 amperes on the road in a passenger car. This is unique. We achieve this by combining our flow battery with the new buffer system. This system opens up vast potential for the future of electric mobility," says Nunzio La Vecchia.
A newly developed monocoque made of carbon fibre with a narrower A-pillar provides the Quant F with a more spacious interior and elegant lines while offering exceptional safety for four passengers.
800km range with nanoFlowcell and ionic fluid
The 5.25-metre-long sports saloon also boasts an impressive range of 800km: "This is not a small car, but a large saloon for four people. A sports saloon. As such, nanoFlowcell AG is pointing the way to the future shape of sustainable electric mobility," says La Vecchia.
As an alternative drive system, the nanoFlowcell is operated with an ionic fluid. "Instead of using hydrogen and oxygen as in a conventional fuel cell, we work with two ionic fluids – one with a positive charge and one with a negative charge," he explains. With a total tank capacity of 500 litres, comprising two 250 litre tanks accommodated separately in the Quant's substructure, the increase in range is over 30 percent compared to the Quant E from 2014. "We are only in the initial phase of our development work. The fact that we store the energy for our drive in a fluid provides us with enormous advantages over systems employed to date in the field of electric mobility. We can use all the cavities in the vehicle to transport the ionic fluid. As the fluid is neither flammable nor toxic, we believe we are absolutely on the right track with this medium," Nunzio La Vecchia adds.
Disengageable front axle for optimum performance
Another innovation is the permanent 4x4 all-wheel drive, which is implemented via four electric motors and can be converted automatically into a rear-wheel drive at appropriately high speeds or high accleration rates. To this end the front axle is declutched and subsequently runs in idling mode. "We endeavour to provide the driver with optimum acceleration and stability in every driving situation, especially at higher speeds. This is easier to achieve with rear-wheel drive than with permanent 4x4 drive," explains La Vecchia.
Also new is the 2-stage aerofoil which is activated automatically on attaining a speed of 80kph, applying additional negative lift force to the rear wheels for sporty driving, particularly at high speeds.
With the new Quant F, nanoFlowcell AG is aiming for homologation for the purposes of series production. "The exterior is already 100 percent in compliance with the requirements pertaining to series production homologation on a technical level. The interior is around 90 percent in compliance with homologation requirements. Homologation requirements currently still require to be met with regard to the rear display, the airbags, the complex crash tests and formal tests and documentation. The crash tests are to be carried out in the USA and in Germany,” concludes Nunzio La Vecchia.