Has General Motors solved China’s congestion problems?
Tiny electric vehicle presents unique solution to parking, traffic, and air-quality issues.
In case you missed it, last week at the Beijing Auto Show, General Motors unveiled the company’s vision for the future of personal transportation when it presented renderings of the second-generation Chevrolet EN-V 2.0 concept.
Artist’s rendering of Chevrolet’s EN-V 2.0 concept.
The EN-V, which stands for Electric Networked-Vehicle, is a two-seat electric car. Unique looking, yes, but this concept vehicle has a purpose besides turning heads: it is specifically designed to alleviate the population’s concerns with traffic congestion, parking availability, air quality, and affordability, especially in tomorrow’s growing cities.
What does it have to offer?
For a theory-based car, the EN-V 2.0 concept sure is thought out pretty well. It can drive in all weather and city road conditions, comes with in-vehicle climate control, personal storage space, and wireless communication to provide the driver and/or passenger a “social network” that can be used to communicate with friends, family, and business associates while on the go.
“Our designers and engineers are exploring a range of options for turning the EN-V concept into a reality,” said Kevin Wale, president and managing director of the GM China Group. “The EN-V 2.0 concept would use technologies such as the mobility Internet, electrification and telematics to help change the automotive landscape and ensure a sustainable future for our industry,”
Mr. Wale presents an image of the Chevrolet EN-V 2.0 concept in Beijing.
In the quote above, Mr. Whale alludes to the original EN-V concept. It was a centerpiece of the SAIC-GM Pavilion at World Expo 2010 Shanghai and remains one of the GM’s most popular concepts to date. It too was a two-seat electric vehicle and the purpose of it back then was to present the idea of introducing a new approach to the modern-day automobile, one based on the convergence of electrification and connectivity.
The idea behind it proved so successful, the group went ahead with this, the second version of the car.
Outlook
Prototype models are expected to be employed in pilot studies throughout China over the next few years. Industry experts speculate that Chevrolet’s EN-V 2.0 concept is still at least 10 years away from full commercial production. ■
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