General Motors is working on its next-generation EN-V (Electric Networked-Vehicle) concept – a two seat, electric vehicle – which the company says represents its “vision to meet the growing demand for safe, connected, zero-emissions personal transportation.” The automaker also announced that it (and future EN-V concepts) will be part of the Chevrolet brand.
“For 100 years, the Chevrolet brand has been focused on making advanced technology that improves customers’ lives accessible and affordable, and the Chevrolet EN-V will continue that tradition,” said Chris Perry, vice president, global Chevrolet marketing and strategy, in a press release.
“By 2030, more than 60 percent of the world’s 8 billion people will live in urban areas,” Perry continued. “The Chevrolet EN-V represents a possible solution for global customers living in markets where alternative transportation solutions are needed.”
According to GM the EN-V, which reminds us of a two passenger, enclosed Segway, is designed “to address environmental issues and help alleviate traffic congestion, parking, safety concerns and energy consumption.” The automaker says its next EN-V concept will address customer wants, such as climate control, interior storage, and inclement weather capabilities.
“The Chevrolet EN-V has the potential to reinvent transportation in key markets by creating a new vehicle DNA through the convergence of electrification and connectivity,” said Chris Borroni-Bird, GM’s director of Advanced Technology Vehicle Concepts, in a press release. “It provides an ideal solution for petroleum- and emission-free urban transportation that is free from congestion and crashes, and more fun and fashionable than ever before,”
GM isn’t wasting any time to get its vision of the future started. Earlier this year the automaker signed a memorandum of understanding with the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City Investment and Development Co. Ltd. (SSTEC), to integrate the next EN-V into the Tianjin Eco-City’s power, communications, and physical infrastructures. The automaker will explore locations around the globe for other pilot programs as well as the United States, according to Borroni-Bird.
The EN-V would be a true urban commuter with 24 mile range per charge from its lithium-ion battery. It will be rechargeable from a conventional wall outlet. It will also use GPS and vehicle-to-vehicle communications and distance sensors to avoid collisions and offer autonomous driving capabilities, allowing passengers to conduct business or socialize while the EN-V does all the driving. It will also retain manual driving capabilities.
