Volkswagen Terrafine Concept, Off-Roading While Keeping Terra Fine

Building electric vehicles that would satisfy even the most exigent tree-huger is a key priority for many car companies out there but it takes years until the paper sketch actually comes into mass production. But designer Niklas Palm wanted to lend a hand so he created what he calls Volkswagen Terrafine, an off-road vehicle that could provide the best off-road experience while keeping emissions to zero.

The name of the car actually represents its main ability: keeping the earth fine. In other words, the concept should incorporate all the features that would make it suitable for off-roading, supported by an electric motor.

Although we're talking about a simple design, the idea is pretty simple. The car uses a flexible body and adjustable suspension, so the driver can easily modify the suspension system's settings depending on the type of terrain he plans to drive on. Plus, it employs rimless wheels which not only give a futuristic look to the vehicle, but also contribute to a significant weight reduction programme.

As we all know, cutting weight is one of the main ways to reduce fuel consumption and emissions, obviously corroborated with some other fuel efficiency enhancing technologies. In order to reduce weight to minimum, the Swedish designer thought that it would be a great idea to remove the roof of the car entirely, leaving the driver enjoy the surrounding landscape.

Palm says his design was inspired by Chris Craft’s boats and the American east coast, but the idea to create such a vehicle first came in 2008 after seeing the Renault Ondilious at the Paris Motor Show.