Electric TH!NK FROST concept vehicle makes snowmobiles cringe
By Darren Murph 
posted March 13th 2009 12:58AM
posted March 13th 2009 12:58AM
[Via DVICE]
posted March 13th 2009 12:58AM
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Looks good for hard packed snow, not so good for powder.
Todd Palin would be proud.
If you're going to state something might as well follow up with some calculations, and some snow deformation constants.
Otherwise I'd suggest to refrain pulling a meaningless comment out of your ass...
Pretol must be new here, this is Engadget! Take your facts elsewhere, mister!
Dear comrade Pretol, in response to your request, let me calculate that someone likely pulled you out of their ass.
Yeah, it's way too low. Maybe a lift kit would be appropriate :D
see it in the new x-men movie.
Might be good for mud too.
http://www.mattracks.com/
Looks cool! Literally!
The problem is that people don't give a rat's ass about looking cool when their asses are freezing. And that's the kind of environment this car is for.
It's the same reason why they didn't put the disco ball in the middle of the battles in WW2. It is also why modern day tanks don't have a Nike swoosh on the sides.
Even though both of those would look hella cool.
From the front, at least, it reminds me of a Stingray era Corvette.
batteries + cold weather = problem. i wonder what the range is going to be, going to be hard to keep the batteries charged in the cold weather.
Exactly...
This moron knows nothing about batteries.. just how to make something look cool. idiot.
This is a prime example of the internal combustion superiority. YOU WANT THE HEAT!
And if you knew anything about battery chemistry you would know that this isn't a big deal. If you read around for any specifications for Lithium-Ion batteries you will find out that they will work reasonably well to a temp of -30°C. Yes, you do get lower output current at very low temps, but the lower temps also have the property of increasing the internal resistance of the cells. This makes them warm up to a more normal operating temperature quickly enough. Heat is more of a problem than cold.
Here's an old blog post by the Tesla guys. They ran the roadster at reasonably cold temperatures.
http://www.teslamotors.com/blog4/?p=55
Ooh, look on the big brains on SuperQ! I was just gonna make a comment like "thats why we have engineers! To solve problems like those!"
Anyway, traditional batteries are greatly affected by cold (such as lead acid car batteries). At freezing, they are only putting out 65% of the amperage as at 80 degrees. And at zero degrees fahrenheit, only 45%. But like SuperQ said, LiIon batteries are different, and engineers are creating even better ones in the lab with better features.
Also, that is why we have insulation, and use some juice to keep the batteries at a more optimal temperature. And while I don't think batteries are at a point right now to make this concept worth building (an IC engine would be a better fit right now), in 10 years the landscape will be quite different.
Very nice concept. Love the exposed engine! My first though was "cracked egg shell" :). It seems a bit weird that it has rubber tracks as this is more of a urban than arctic necessity.
Also, cred for the concept backgrounds. The new opera (1) fits right in with the concept.
1. http://media.aftenposten.no/archive/00654/_opera_tittel_jpg_654675g.jpg
Candidate for Engadget Recession Antidote?
Is there a convertible option? You know, when you are cruising for chicks through the tundra.
I can see it now...
/Gets to glacier.
"ah finally got here. Oh look I need to charge the battery. Well time to plug in the ba....oh $%#@."
It's Friday the 13th.... where's Jason? :(
The term "Eskimo" is out.
They're Inuit now. No biggie. Just a heads up from Canada.
L.M.
Don't worry, nobody cares since the car is from Norway and we don't have any Inuits.
Th!nk makes a range of electric vehicles (as in actual production), and are opening a factory in the US.
OffT: Havent they been inuits all along?
OnT: I hope Th!nk can ramp up production of something useful. The people in Oslo aren't in desperate need of snowmobiles, (or conseptual ones for that matter).
Oslo actually has the most electric cars per capita in the world. :)
It looks ready to transform into a Decepticon.
How in the world is anyone going to find the person should he/she gets stranded in this white vehicle?
@ andres & iGoon#2
You know you are absolutely right. that is why I never use my battery powered hand warmers or socks or jump suit (battery powered warmer) when I go skiing or ice climbing. I mean heck there is no way to protect those batteries from the tropical environment of La Chaux-de-Fonds in Switzerland (which is colder than Siberia).
And as a mamby pamby foo foo Norwegian designer, how would he/she/they know anything about cold environments. This little puppy was/is designed for THINK...
Who wodda thunk it, aye...
Read the attached article before you make any judgements....
BOSFHs
STFU!
Concept and reality are 2 very difference things...
Foo, you Think! battery tech can power torque hungry tracks AND supply heat to keep the batteries AND occupants warm?
Yea enjoy your 45 minute run time...
Damn tree hugging whale kissing moon maidens,
Where is Richard Nixon's head when you need him... he got around to making sure that hippies like you get due unwarranted beatings...
@iGoon#2...
So obviously you know how to communicate effectively and I am sure that in "real life" you could kick some ass and not need Richard "who is dead" Nixon to do the job for you! Most especially since on this end you are going up against a former US Navy Seal team member. But you go for it you little phuque!
So, please tell me your technical expertise in cold use of batteries in Arctic or Antarctic environments. I bow to your superior use of grunts and knuckle dragging but I find your demeaning comments about someone whom you have no idea you are speaking truly indicative of your Neanderthal point of view. Oh, and by the way, they are all dead, too - except for you!
As for battery use in cold climates and this design - you must not live in a colds climate. There are ways to keep batteries functioning and warm without too much additional energy expended. But I don't want to confuse you with the facts. I'll just wait for the oil to deplete and watch you freeze you ass off...
Have you figured out what BOSFH means?
Didn't think so.
over exposed much?
That is one SWEET grocery-getter....
Another example of useless modeling and rendering exercise.
a) The tracks would need to be some really soft rubber for them to do such a tight corners in the triangle "wheels". That would mean that they would wear very fast and be pretty useless fast. I have no idea what the yellow things are, but I can see no function in them at all.
b) Why on earth it has turning front "wheels"? Why no just do as the tanks do: alter the speed and direction of rotation the tracks and the vehicle would turn. The current setup would, especially in high speed, be problematic as in turn the forces pushing the car forward would easily push the tracks off the "wheel".
c) the vehicle isn't structurally sound. c1) The "wheels" don't seem to be properly attached to the chassis. c2) there's no space for (tubular) frame to hold the body work up.
concept vehicle = vaporware
When I was up in the Arctic a couple years ago, I had a pick-up with similar tracks on it. It was awesome - I loved driving it with those on. You could drive around just about anywhere. The only problem was you couldn't see how steep the other side of a snowdrift was until you were already going down!
Unfortunately, they tore the stock-off-the-lot truck apart as they were too hard on the suspension, so I lost them. Looked weird seeing it glide over the snow.
You need to be able to turn to go where you want - not being able to turn would mean you drive back & forth in s straight line!
When the nuclear winter arrives (after we "beat" the soviets), these will be all the rage... I'm delighted to see such insightful engineering...
The only thing it needs is a complimentary Funker Vogt soundtrack...
Why wouldn't you want more glass?
I like to see.
"Based on current drawings" Ha! I'm wondering if you actually did that on purpose?
"the all-wheel drive contraption can lug two Eskimos around at a time"
How about room for that dead polar bear in the trunk? Or at least a rack for the narwhale tusk?
Umm... looks cool, but is this supposed to be a snow-MOBILE (to go somewhere) or a snow-plough? Clearance is a bit of an issue driving in snow, which is why snow vehicles usually have the passenger compartment mounted high (http://www.psfk.com/2008/08/working-concept-arctic-vehicle-by-lotus.html) or directly on the treads (like 'ski-doos').
Wow, this look pretty cool. The only problem is that it is electric. Everyone knows that electric vehicles suck.
Two words: FUCKING BADASS!
I have a boner