NILS, a single-seat electric concept vehicle that offers a glimpse of a new form of minimalist mobility, has been unveiled ahead of its public debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show later this month. This concept car – which features an aluminium space frame, wing doors and free-standing wheels – has the dynamic performance of a sports car, yet travels silently, and with zero emissions.
Introduction: The NILS project is supported by the German Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development, and is designed to be both technically realistic and economically supportable.
"NILS anticipates the future. The goal of the NILS project is to research a technically concrete and economically feasible vehicle concept for micro mobility which restructures individual transportation to make it more efficient and environmentally compatible based on electric drive technology, "said Dr Ulrich Hackenberg, member of the Board of Management and Head of Development for the Volkswagen Brand.
With a range of 65 kilometres (40 miles) and a top speed of 130 km/h (80 mph) NILS would be the ideal vehicle for the majority of commuters in Germany. According to the German Bureau of Statistics, 73.9 per cent of all commuters residing between Berlin and Munich cover less than 25 kilometres (15.5 miles) on their way to work.
Cars have always been mirrors of their times – their design styles and technological standards reflecting a particular era – and NILS is no different. It uses emissions-reducing electric drive technology to fulfil the specific requirements of commuters. In Germany, for example, about 60 percent of all commuters travel by car, according to the Federal Bureau of Statistics; of these over 90 percent travel alone. Zero-emissions vehicles like NILS will offer these frequent drivers a new eco-friendly mobility solution.
NILS is a very compact car that requires extremely little space in traffic. It is only 3.04 meters long – making it about 50 cm shorter than the new Volkswagen up! – just 0.39 meters wide from wheel to wheel, and a mere 1.2 meters tall.
NILS is compact and lightweight (460 kg), it is a lot of fun to drive. It has a top speed of 130 km/h, and it can accelerate to 100 km/h in less than 11 seconds. This is accomplished by an electric motor with a reasonably small 15 kW nominal power and short-term peak power of 25 kW. A lithium-ion battery supplies the electric motor with energy. The battery capacity (5.3 kWh) enables driving ranges of up to 65 km, depending on the style of driving. A battery of this size is relatively inexpensive, and its capacity is sufficient for this type of car. The research vehicle can be charged either via a conventional 230 Volt electrical outlet (maximum charging time 2 hours) or at an electric vehicle charging station. The plug port is located at the back underneath the rear lighting module.
The ‘Nils’ concept by Volkswagen is a single-seater electric commuter vehicle, to be shown at the Frankfurt motor show 2011. with an aluminium space frame, the vehicle weighs 460kg (1014lbs). its 25kW electric motor for a rear engine nonetheless sustains 130Nm of torque, powering from 0-100km/hr (0 to 62mph) in eleven seconds and with a maximum speed of 130 km/hr (81mph). a complete charge takes two hours using a conventional 230-volt electrical outlet, providing 65 kilometres (40 miles) of use. the interior cabin includes displays for speed, range, and energy usage, as well as a portable touchscreen navigation and entertainment unit that fits into the vehicle’s A-pillar. the steering is completely mechanical. the concept was developed with the German federal ministry of transport, building, and urban development, from the statistic that 74% of commuters living between berlin and Munich driver fewer than 16 miles each day to work, and about 90% travel alone.
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