Photo: Toyota
Alessandro Giuseppe Antonio Anastasio Volta is not just a lineup of Italian names to make the introduction of this material. He is the man that made cellphones and laptops exist as you know them today, by inventing the battery in the 1800s.
What does this have to do with Toyota? Well, the Japanese automaker teamed up with Italdesign-Giugiaro to make a one-off hybrid concept car dedicated to the man that allowed us to stay connected with people on the go. If you haven’t heard about this awesome machine, hang on and further learn about it here.
The Toyota Alessandro Volta is a mid-engined sportscar concept which was first seen at the 2004 Geneva Motor Show, but unfortunately never got into production due to high costs involved.
Measuring 4.3 meters (169 inches) long and slightly under 2 meters (78.7 inches) wide, the sleek-shaped sportscar was built on a carbon-fiber chassis, which allowed the car to weight only 1,250 kg (2,756 lbs).
Powering the Alessandro Volta is a hybrid powertrain, consisting of a mid-mounted 3.3-liter V6 and two electric motors - one for the front wheels and one at the back. This 408 bhp (394 kW) setup enabled the car to hit 0 - 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4 seconds, while reaching a top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph). It also has a 700 km (434 miles) range, being the first car to prove that performance can be achieved in a more economical way.
Another interesting feature implemented on the concept sportscar is represented by the fly-by-wire pedal and steering systems. Having a flat floor, the designer fitted three seats in a row inside the cabin and sliding controls, so if you were on the left seat and got bored of driving (presuming that you could get bored in such a car), you could slide the steering and pedals to the middle or right passenger and let him/her drive.
With all these interesting features, it’s a shame the car never went into production. Check the photo gallery bellow to see the unique vehicle in details.
The Toyota Alessandro Volta is a mid-engined sportscar concept which was first seen at the 2004 Geneva Motor Show, but unfortunately never got into production due to high costs involved.
Measuring 4.3 meters (169 inches) long and slightly under 2 meters (78.7 inches) wide, the sleek-shaped sportscar was built on a carbon-fiber chassis, which allowed the car to weight only 1,250 kg (2,756 lbs).
Powering the Alessandro Volta is a hybrid powertrain, consisting of a mid-mounted 3.3-liter V6 and two electric motors - one for the front wheels and one at the back. This 408 bhp (394 kW) setup enabled the car to hit 0 - 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4 seconds, while reaching a top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph). It also has a 700 km (434 miles) range, being the first car to prove that performance can be achieved in a more economical way.
Another interesting feature implemented on the concept sportscar is represented by the fly-by-wire pedal and steering systems. Having a flat floor, the designer fitted three seats in a row inside the cabin and sliding controls, so if you were on the left seat and got bored of driving (presuming that you could get bored in such a car), you could slide the steering and pedals to the middle or right passenger and let him/her drive.
With all these interesting features, it’s a shame the car never went into production. Check the photo gallery bellow to see the unique vehicle in details.
Google News