APPLUS+ IDIADA SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETES WORLD'S MOST POWERFUL PROTOTYPE ELECTRIC SPORTS CAR

The project undertaken by the Spanish company on behalf of the European Commission* shows that electric vehicles can have sporty performance

BARCELONA, February 28, 2013 - Applus+ IDIADA, a company specialized in engineering for the international automotive industry, has successfully completed the Volar-e project, an innovative prototype electric car with high performance, comparable to or even better than conventionally-powered sports cars.

Volar-e has been presented today at the Circuit de Catalunya during the F1 Test Days, in an act that has been attended by, among other authorities, Antonio Tajani, Vice-President of the European Commission, Sebastian Salvado, President of RACC, and Carles Grasas, CEO of Applus+ IDIADA.

Applus+ IDIADA, a division of Applus+ specialized in the provision of design, engineering, testing and homologation services, was awarded the project by the European Commission in late 2012 in a tender in which companies across Europe took part. In just four months, the company has managed to meet and exceed the performance features required by the EC, among others:

- Powertrain:

-- Provide maximum motor power and torque to the vehicle (1000 HP, 1000 Nm)

-- Achieve fast-charging (15-20 minutes)

- Vehicle dynamics:

-- Regenerative braking system

-- Aerodynamics

-- Independent power control for all 4 motors, iTORQ original by Applus + IDIADA

In the words of Fernando Basabe, CEO of Applus+, "this project is recognition of the technological capacity of Applus + IDIADA in the field of engineering for the automotive industry". Carles Grasas, CEO of Applus+ IDIADA, stresses the technical challenge that the award of the project by the EC implies: "successful completion of the project in four months is the best demonstration of the capabilities of the company in engineering and project management”.

The project, which is co-funded by the European Commission, will allow the Applus+ prototype to become a flagship for the promotion of electric vehicles in European society. Users, the car industry, energy sector and government have a reference in this demonstrator of the great potential of electric vehicles.

Excellence in electric vehicles

Applus+ IDIADA has in recent years made a significant commitment to acquiring electric vehicle know-how. The company’s Electric Vehicle Centre of Excellence, presented in December 2011, is as such one of the main centers of technological knowledge regarding the vehicles of the future.

Together with iShare, an innovative electric car concept designed for car sharing that the company presented in China at the end of last year, Applus+ IDIADA has developed other projects such as eBorn3, focusing on functionality and versatility in an electric passenger car; eTruck with the full electrification of a light commercial vehicle, and eScooter, an electric motorcycle developed by local partners.

Technical specifications:

SOURCE: Applus+Idiada