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Venturi Eclectic
by Ross Bonander, Contributing Writer
Type: Electro-solar-wind tribrid vehicle
Class: quadricycle (although NEV is equally accurate)
Manufacturer: Venturi
The Manufacturer Says...
“The Venturi Eclectic is the first electro-solar autonomous vehicle in the history of the automobile … its low energy consumption makes it the most economical environmental vehicle ever built.”
The Critics Say...
“Taking a spin in an electric vehicle that’s self-sustained through its solar-panel roof and plug-in wind turbine is, frankly, pretty amazing.”—popularmechanics.com
Overview
Set to make her debut at the 2008 Paris Auto Show, the Venturi Eclectic is a 3-seater with bragging rights on all sorts of firsts, including the first vehicle fully powered by 100% renewable resources—which is nothing to scoff at. The Eclectic itself is another matter altogether; she’s part Model-T, part Herbie, part Legoland, part lunar lander … is this the future of the ultra-economic vehicle?
What We Like
• The wind turbine. This is glorious; park your Venturi Eclectic, pull out the wind turbine and set it up next to the car. As you go do your thing, a healthy breeze is charging up the battery, giving you a solid 9 or so extra miles. This is audacious, hilarious, ingenious.
• The roof. Two and a half square meters of PV cells can give you 3-4 extra miles and give the feel of, well, of a sun roof.
• The plug-in. Stellar addition, it really makes all the difference; otherwise you rely on sun and wind.
• The personalization program. Cloth-covered wood seats? No problem. Fabric doors? Done. A trunk with a lock—how novel!
• The justification for its design. Says Venturi, “This is a vehicle that has no desire to look like other cars which depend on ‘black gold’”, it is “avant-garde” and its driver is not a ‘consumer’ but a ‘producer’.
What We Don’t Like
• Battery life-span. 500 charge cycles, that’s rather weak. You can upgrade to their NIV-7 (Hydride metal Nickel) 48V batteries and get 2,500 cycles, but the additional on-board energy is only 1.6 kWh.
• The cabin. The driver’s in the middle, two seats in back on either side—this makes for an awkward configuration, turning a few traditions upside down: It eliminates the need to call ‘Shotgun’, but not in a good way—everyone’s in the backseat and the driver’s riding bitch. Leave it to the French to screw that up.
Venturi Eclectic Specifications
Propulsion system:Asynchronous 11 KWc engine
Top Speed: 30 mph
Zero-to-60: NA
MPG: NA
Vehicle range: On batteries, 30 miles
Fuel(s): Electricity , Solar, Wind
Battery System:Hawker 48V 168 Ah (full recharge, 5 hours with onboard charger)
Tailpipe emissions: None
Conclusion
The Venturi Eclectic is a production vehicle, albeit limited, and let’s be up front—its range makes her an NEV, and she sure does try to do a lot. But the Eclectic is the anti-car in every way shape and form. You’ll be lucky to catch one on the roads—ever—but it is so innovative that we think you’ll see its descendents, even if you don’t recognize them.
More information on the Venturi Eclectic at:
venturi.fr
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