Lotus Concept Ice Vehicle promises to aid arctic expeditions, Thunderbirds missions

You know, if you're going to go to the trouble of undertaking an arctic expedition, you might as well do it in the most completely over-the-top fashion imaginable. At least that seems to be the thinking behind Lotus' new Concept Ice Vehicle (or CIV), which appears to have been specifically designed to help out the Moon Regan TransAntarctic Expedition. Among other notable features, the biofuel-powered, propeller-driven vehicle boasts an ice penetrating radar to detect potentially perilous crevasses, seating for one brave individual, and a spiked "foot" to stop the thing in a hurry. Be sure to head on past the break for an unfortunately all too short video of the vehicle, and hit up the link below for a few more pics.

[JR @ Aug 13th 2008 5:56PM]

The perfect vehicle for that one-man, one tank of fuel, almost now supplies "expedition".
Huh.

[Blackstar @ Aug 13th 2008 6:13PM]

Well, just one thing they did not think of.... "Arctic wind chill". That REALLY could use some kind of canopy.

[NewJohnny @ Aug 14th 2008 12:06AM]

Not just the canopy, how about seating for two or more? Why would you want to tear off into the arctic by yourself?

[neofolklore @ Aug 14th 2008 7:41AM]

WE NEED THE MEGAZORD

[Krush @ Aug 14th 2008 1:02PM]

reminds me of the Planet Express ship ....

[ronzo @ Aug 13th 2008 5:58PM]

Doesn't Lotus know that "Global Warming" will make this thing obsolete in a few years? *cough*

[dg @ Aug 13th 2008 6:08PM]

That's why it's powered by BIOFUEL, duh!

I'll bet this thing is carbon negative, and their goal is to get people to save the earth by flying around in these things, all the while being reminded that they're helping to preserve the sweet sweet ice sheets that they're blowing across!

What a genius idea, Lotus!

[George @ Aug 13th 2008 6:19PM]

@dg...

um...I think he was refering to the medium on which the vehicle travels and implying that there would be no ice left due to global warmin, rendering the vehicle obsolete. But I could be wrong.

[Onetruebill @ Aug 13th 2008 9:16PM]

Not to worry...
Whoever rides in that KNOWS they will be dead before global warming gets any worse.

[Techie @ Aug 13th 2008 11:07PM]

ronzo thought about that before hand so that's why this thing is about to float like a hover craft but that's only in my imagination =D

[dg @ Aug 14th 2008 2:02PM]

@George,

I know. I was joking, saying that it would be an interactive way to see what you could be saving (the ice!) by buying and riding one these things. That is, if the thing is carbon negative.

[Adam @ Aug 13th 2008 6:01PM]

Hell, I'd take one just for winters here, looks like a whole lotta fun to drive. Although I'm sure I have enough snowmobile parts and what-not lying around to DIY one!

[JR @ Aug 13th 2008 6:10PM]

You must have some pretty sweet what-not.

[Adam @ Aug 13th 2008 6:40PM]

If you call parts from a slew of '71 to '84 Arctic Cats and Ski-doos sweet, then yes! I for-see a prop affixed to a Chevy 454 though, I'll have to look-up what they used on this.

[Adam @ Aug 13th 2008 6:45PM]

If you call parts from a slew of '71 to '84 Arctic Cats and Ski-doos sweet, then yes! I for-see a prop affixed to a Chevy 454 though, I'll have to look-up what they used on this.

[Adam @ Aug 13th 2008 6:47PM]

Curses, foiled again by the comment system and my own inattentiveness!

[Nytrojen @ Aug 13th 2008 8:09PM]

I thought you said "unattractiveness". At least you can be forgiven for that...

[Ken @ Aug 13th 2008 6:01PM]

A cockpit would come in handy in the Arctic

[neofolklore @ Aug 14th 2008 7:41AM]

"THE POWER... IS YOURS"

[Bruce @ Aug 13th 2008 6:04PM]

Video # 2: 19 seconds....would be nice of them to show it off a bit more:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14wIjeYzc7o

[This Is Me @ Aug 13th 2008 6:06PM]

Forget THUNDERBIRDS, this is straight out of JONNY QUEST: http://www.classicjq.com/art/production/images/SnowSkim.gif

[Toadlet @ Aug 13th 2008 6:23PM]

Yes. The lack of puppet strings is a dead giveaway.

[Kris @ Aug 13th 2008 8:15PM]

@Toadlet, the Thunderbirds nor Johnny Quest had puppets or puppet strings.....

[Toadlet @ Aug 13th 2008 8:37PM]

Perhaps it wasn't clear that I agree with "This Is Me". Also, you should read this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thunderbirds_(TV_series)

[Kris @ Aug 14th 2008 10:25PM]

Haha, I was thinking of the Thundercats. Do'h!

[Kris S. @ Aug 13th 2008 6:07PM]

I won't want one until they put a rotor on top of it in case I fall into a crevice.

[neofolklore @ Aug 14th 2008 7:42AM]

"GO GO GADGET LOTUS"

[Ken Klassy @ Aug 13th 2008 6:12PM]

Yeah... if your gonna bring that thing down here your gonna need a whole lot better protection from that. You will freeze your face right off.

Antarctica will eat that thing for lunch, and the juicy insides for a between mean snack.

[kjb434 @ Aug 13th 2008 6:22PM]

This is meant for housing at a base station or a ship that will allow quick trips.

It's not a long haul vehicle. It's pretty much an ATV for ice.

[JR @ Aug 13th 2008 6:37PM]

It seems like overkill for a runabout though, doesn't it?

[meist3r @ Aug 13th 2008 6:33PM]

If it comes with a heated cabin, a stereo system, some more storage space, a loaded shotgun, satellite aided GPS and mobile phone with solar recharge and a life insurance ... I'm in.

Oh it's a Lotus? Forget what I just said, they'll never put in a radio.

[charliex @ Aug 13th 2008 8:16PM]

oh if only that were true!

[Outinthedark @ Aug 13th 2008 6:36PM]

Great now I want to run home from work and watch Thunderbirds...damn you Engadget!

[bjsguess @ Aug 13th 2008 7:06PM]

I would think adding a little extra room for a 2nd person would make some sense. Rescues, space for bringing supplies, etc.

Cool idea though.

[skulldriveshaft @ Aug 15th 2008 3:58AM]

nah, you just drag those things behind you...

[Rich Henry @ Aug 13th 2008 7:24PM]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14wIjeYzc7o
Another view of the thing

[Rich Henry @ Aug 13th 2008 7:27PM]

Another ice vehicle
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWvBOQM_E54

[Qsat @ Aug 13th 2008 7:37PM]

J.A.Bombardier, the snowmobile inventor was making that kind of propelled vehicules in the 40's. He then realised that they suck, so he put a track under them.

[Qsat @ Aug 13th 2008 7:46PM]

First comment won't show up..... Just went on J.A.Bombardier website and found out that Bombardier made a very similar vehicule in 1922, so Lotus is almost a hundred years late on this one....

http://www.museebombardier.com/fr/content/jab/biographie1907_1925.htm

[Nytrojen @ Aug 13th 2008 8:40PM]

Just be glad that they didn't decide on a puller prop...

[rv @ Aug 13th 2008 9:09PM]

Man, propellors are so old school. Hook it up to a jet engine instead and make it like that james bond movie.

[John @ Aug 13th 2008 10:06PM]

Looks cool, and it appears to be powered by a BMW R259 air-cooled, fuel injected motorcycle engine. Very reliable engine and parts are easy to come by at any BMW Motorcycle shop. Hopefully this thing won't suffer from the final drive issues that have plagued BMW's bikes ;-)

John

[Dan @ Aug 14th 2008 1:02AM]

Looks like something I'd come up with using Legos as a kid.

[Dan @ Aug 14th 2008 1:03AM]

lkj

[Brian @ Aug 14th 2008 1:25AM]

Wow, this looks exactly like something designed by a team that has never set foot on snow, let alone antarctic or arctic ice. The skis will catch on large drifts, they will sink into cracks and melt spots, plow under powder, and the entire thing will tip if it encounters rough terrain, breaking the prop on chunks of ice. Add to that no cargo capacity, no large fuel capacity, no cockpit, one seat and you've got a bucket full of failure. For proper snow vehicles look at Russia, Iceland and polar buggies from Alaska and northern Canada.

[Bernie @ Aug 19th 2008 1:09PM]

The CIV was designed by a Formula 1 designer and a guy who does polar
expeditions. It is an unmanned vehicle (although clearly is can be
driven manually as well). It is not intended to go on very rough
terrain, although it is light enough to be move by one man if it gets
stuck. It does not need a cargo capacity because it is a remote scout
vehicle. It is fitted with a radar which scans for sub terrainian
crevasses. It's task is basically to ensure that the route is safe
for the two heavier vehicles that follow it. Andrew Moon and Andrew
Regan, the guys that broke the world record for the fastest journey
from the coast of Antarctica to the South Pole, are using this on
their next expedition and I'm sure they know what they are doing!!!!

[joe blow @ Aug 14th 2008 4:19AM]

I wonder what kind of weaponry it has?

[highjumpman @ Aug 14th 2008 9:01AM]

Q, I bet you could fit a nice load of missiles under those outriggers for 007.

[Jon Acheson @ Aug 14th 2008 10:32AM]

They should put guns and missiles on it and sell it as a GI Joe toy.

All in all, though, I would rather have a normal sno-cat with a heated cabin. Or even a snowmobile.

[Rocko @ Aug 14th 2008 5:08PM]

Thunderbirds are go!