Mazda’s aggressively styled KAAN concept vehicle represents an innovative foray into the future of racing. A finalist in this year’s Design Los Angeles Automobile Design Challenge, the all-electric car envisions a transit system where vehicles are propelled by roadways imbued with “a sub-level electro conductive polymer” powered by solar panel farms in the Mojave desert. The emission-free vehicle sports a sleek aerodynamic profile and is powered by electric motors encased within wheels infused with electric pickups.
This year’s Design Los Angeles Automobile Design Challenge featured some incredible concept cars that sought to define the future of racing. What was remarkable about the competition was that the car designers needed to not only design the car of the future, but the actual racing system itself.
Whereas Mercedes Benz’ Formula Zero Racer proposed a race judged by speed and energy consumption, Mazda’s designers are proposing a vehicle that is powered by an electro-conductive polymer that has been resurfaced into the freeway. According to the designers, this would allow the vehicle to be propelled up to speeds of 250 mph with zero emissions.
The team created a series of sleek vehicles that race in groups in order to improve the aerodynamics of the team. The tighter that they are to each other, the faster that they will go, and the design of the vehicle reflects this, with the cockpit safely housing the driver, while the rather large electric motor-driven wheels propel the vehicle to victory.
Via Dvice
5 Responses to “TRANSPORTATION TUESDAY: Mazda’s Futuristic KAAN Racer”
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How does this Great looking car turn? So so awsome it sould have a rotary in it!
Looks like Fiskars lost their lead designer.
Presumably it turns by adjusting the differential for the front wheels, but it would be a very wide and shuddering turn. It wouldn’t be able to mount even a well-worn speed bump either. Futurmobiles running on grids are wonderful, but if you can’t “off road” in an emergency you’re going to be a victim of one sort or another.
Beautiful all the same.
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Looks great but it would need a flat surface to travel or maybe it’s only for indor activities or can it transform and adapt to it’s surfaces.