BACKGROUND:
The Vauxhall RAK-e Concept, first shown at the Frankfurt IAA in 2011, opened a new chapter in the concept of pure electric mobility and extended Vauxhall’s pioneering role in alternative propulsion systems. The Concept was specifically aimed at younger buyers and was defined by minimal energy costs, 62 miles for £1, and with a maximum speed of 75 mph. The name “RAK-e” was chosen by GM in recognition of Fritz von Opel, the grandson of Opel founder Adam Opel, and his revolutionary 1928 experimental rocket-powered car, called RAK 2, which had a top speed of 135 mph. The RAK-e Concept was a joint project between Vauxhall / Opel’s Design Centre and KISKa of Anif-Salzburg. KISKa is a specialist design consultancy which specialised in racing motorcycle & car design as well as prototype build facilities. The GM project engineer assigned was Stefan Gloger whilst the design was primarily done by KISKa but head of GM Europe Design Mark Adams was involved from the start in order to ensure that the Vauxhall Opel design DNA was retained.
EARLY DESIGN IDEAS & SKETCHES:
CLAY MOCK UP & PROTOTYPE
BUILD:
MARK ADAMS TRIES THE SINGLE REAR PASSENGER ARRANGEMENT ON THE
STYLING BUCK
MARK ADAMS COULDN'T RESIST GETTING INVOLVED AND ADDING HIS OWN
PERSONAL TOUCH
EXTERIOR
&
CONSTRUCTION:
Superbly aerodynamic yet muscular and stable in aspect, the
Vauxhall
RAK-e
brings low cost electric mobility to the city with bodywork made of
fully recyclable synthetic material. The jet fighter theme extends
the length of the sleek, tinted bubble canopy. This lifts forward
to enable access to the two tandem seats further reinforcing the
aircraft similarity. Eye-catching paint, contrasting with the roof,
and futuristic LED lights round off this vehicle’s unique look. The
Vauxhall RAK-e Concept proposes Vauxhall’s vision for the future of
personal mobility and
is just 1.3 metres wide, around 3 metres long and 1.19 metres high. The underlying structure is a steel space-frame structure combined with a skin of conventional synthetic material. For its design, KISKA and Vauxhall adopted a new approach, with both the interior and the exterior designed in a single process, breaking down the barriers between car and motorcycle design. The canopy combines the functions of roof and windshield and gives a 270-degree view with no blind spots. The steering wheel automatically swings out of the way when the canopy is opened, and the hinge arrangement ensures that the vehicle maintains its low profile. Although quad-cycle rules make no safety stipulations, GM has imposed its own, for side, rear and frontal impact, besides developing a Formula One-style occupant restraint system. A single motorcycle-style swing arm carries the rear wheels, whose transversely mounted rear disc and calliper brake the single speed gearbox’s output shaft, ingeniously saving weight. The front suspension is double wishbone.
INTERIOR:
The Vauxhall RAK-e interior was designed as a tandem two-seat commuter car concept, and is like an intriguing mix of car, motorbike and jet-fighter. The large cockpit canopy gives the driver and passenger a feeling of spaciousness and of course all-around visibility. The front seat, steering column and armrests automatically tip forward to enable easy-entry. On top remote control via smart phone enhances the optical effect of this action. The pedals and the steering wheel adjust to the size of the driver. Although fully enclosed, in a similar arrangement like the Renault Twizy, there is no air conditioning and in-cabin cooling achieved by raising the canopy slightly, while seat heaters provide warmth when needed. Instrumentation consists of a single screen providing a speedo, eco gauge and battery range indicator, supplemented by a smartphone that provides navigation and the means to control some functions remotely while the car is charging, such as the seat heaters. Style wise the interior is excitingly different, besides the drama, and convenience, of that panoramic screen there’s the novelty of the RAK-e’s narrowness, a go-kart-style pedal pairing so that you left-foot brake, a dinky little squared off-wheel, a fixed seat and adjustable pedals. And if you’re carrying one, a passenger that sits in very close but not in uncomfortable proximity. To go, you merely toggle the prototype rocker switch gear selector hidden close to your right shin, press the accelerator and away you go. It also goes quite slowly and steers rather lazily given its low weight, but neither of these characteristics is remotely representative of how the real thing would drive. But what the RAK-e Concept does hint at, even when driving it in a very large room, is just how much fun it would be to thread through traffic, or to speed along tight, country lanes. Which is why GM has allowed it a higher top speed than most baby commuter cars, its 75mph maximum partly the product of the compact, low drag frontal area afforded by its motorbike seating.
TECHNOLOGY:
In an age where rocketing fuel prices and crowded city streets are robbing the pleasure from driving, the Vauxhall RAK-e stands out as a bright light. Imagine putting 62 miles for just £1 and doing it in a sleek, jet aircraft inspired shape, being able to park virtually anywhere and all with zero vehicle emissions. That’s the reasoning behind the Vauxhall RAK e. The lithium ion technology of the Vauxhall Ampera was the natural starting point to achieve this. Officially, this narrow-tracked, canopy-roofed, electric city car is an L7 category heavy quad-cycle, which means that it can weigh up to 400kg, and offer up to 15kw of power. Its rear-mounted motor produces 49bhp @ 6000rpm with torque of 43lb-ft from zero rpm and can accelerate to 60mph in under 13 seconds, and onto 75mph. The gearbox is a single speed automatic. So modest is its energy consumption that it requires no more than a year’s worth of output from five square metres of solar panels harvesting energy beneath far-from-totally sunny UK skies to propel it 6200 miles. In other words, it’s ultra-economical, costing under a pound to travel the 62 miles that also happens to be its nominal range, Which is 10% of the cost of running a small hatchback.
PRODUCTION?
You may think that this is exactly the kind of concept that you can never buy but amazingly, Vauxhall is serious about this machine. Technically the RAK-e is production ready, but says GM project engineer Stefan Gloger the challenge is more about how and where it is built. Figuring that out depends on how many Vauxhall & Opel believe they can sell, and with a fresh concept like this, that’s hard to calculate. But on the Vauxhall RAK-e’s side are a projected price in the £8500-£11,500 range, and the discovery that everybody of all ages liked the car when quizzed. A major plus is the Vauxhall RAK-e’s sheer desirability, and never mind its ultra-low running costs and zero local emissions. It also promises to be a riot to drive. Vauxhall should be as bold with this as it has been with the Ampera. The RAK-e is the electric commuter car made exciting, and for the price of a Corsa then yes, why wouldn’t you want to buy one, not only as a second or third commuter car, but as a weekend entertainer besides? Insiders have said the car has been put on hold. Let’s hope Vauxhall dares to illuminate it, for rich-kids it could be made for even younger customers thanks to a low-power mode with speed limited to 28mph for 16-year old drivers!
PRESS
RELEASE 08.09.11: