Zero to 100kph in 4.5 seconds, top speed of 170kph and a range of 400km
Venturi incorporates WiMAX technology into its new all-electric car - the Fétish
Thanks to WIMAX technology and the technological assistance of Intel, the Monaco car maker Venturi presents its vehicle of the future: good-looking, clean and built with the future goal of sharing its energy
Intel and Venturi Automobiles announced a pooling of their talents and resources, which led to the WiMAX wireless data communication technology being incorporated into the all-electric car “Fétish”.
Venturi Automobiles is a small sports car maker working out of Monaco. In presenting this new, futuristic vehicle, it stakes a claim as the undisputed showcase for innovation in the principality.
The Venturi Fétish is the first production electric sports car in automobile history. Marking the rebirth of the carmaker, the Fétish concept-car – which was unveiled at the 2000 Geneva International Motor Show – represents the new direction taken by Venturi in terms of design (the Fétish concept-car received a “Talent du Luxe” as well as the “Michelin Challenge Design” award) but also in terms of technology.
Performance, you ask? Zero to 100kph in 4.5 seconds, top speed of 170kph and a range of 400km. Power comes from lithium-ion electric batteries weighing a total of 350kg (100 modules of 72 cells each), managed by two Intel XScale technology, one at the front of the car and the other at the back.
“The technological challenge in an electrical vehicle is not its engine, but its batteries. For more than 100 years people have been producing very good electric motors, but until now, we didn’t know how to manage so much electrical power (58KW/h) in a vehicle this light. Fétish proves that Intel technology can offer us real-time management of these 7200 lithium-ion batteries, which demand extremely precise monitoring,” said Gildo Pastor, CEO of Venturi Automobiles.
Technology-edged car, Fétish has changed the perception on electrical motorization: it takes into account current ecological challenges while combining a positive vision of tomorrow’s car made of driving sensations.
“Given the context in which the power source is the focal point of all economic concerns, it was vital for us to equip the Fétish with every technology that could help optimize electrical power management and power sharing”, adds Gildo Pastor.
This is why Venturi and Intel Corporation decided to combine their technological forces to give the Fétish a completely new data communication capability by incorporating an Alvarion pre-WiMAX wireless connection box into the car, for easier communication of data (engine temperature, etc) to its owner, who can interact with the car’s driving parameters, wherever he may be, but also find out the battery charge levels and either charge or discharge the batteries remotely, when most convenient.
The stressful days of not knowing whether or not your vehicle is charged are over. Venturi also sees WiMAX as a means of remotely monitoring vehicle operation, fine-tuning it and even updating on-board applications, in complete safety.
Intel brought to bear its expertise with WiMAX technology by creating and then testing the wireless connection built using Intel components renowned for their density, power and very low heat emissions.
"I’m thrilled about the car and delighted to see how upcoming WiMAX technology & the end to end Fleet management solution can enable a totally new experience for the driver. While today’s version of WiMAX can be used only when the car is in a fixed position, the wireless industry is eagerly waiting for 16e standard ratification to open up for developments on mobile WiMAX". said Christian Morales, Vice President, Intel EMEA.
The goal: energy-sharing
The Fétish is just the first step on the road towards optimized energy management. Thanks to WiMAX technology, the future Lunar Lover (solar powered electric vehicle) will usher in a new era of electric power-sharing networks in an urban environment. Using WiMAX technology, the fleet of Lunar Lover vehicles will be remote-managed. Better yet, each vehicle will be able to communicate with the others.
“Through its ability to store power and use wireless communications, the future electric car will be able to communicate with other vehicles, either to sell energy or to buy it. It could even act as a reservoir of energy for the State,” predicts Gildo Pastor. “For the first time in automobile history we are using the Internet to protect the environment and optimize energy resources and safety.”
About Venturi Automobiles
Since the first public presentation of Venturi at 1984’ Paris Motor show, 700 cars have been produced enhancing the quality of production and driving agility of this French GT manufacturer. In 2004, for its 20th birthday, Venturi has created the perfect combination between tradition and innovation by launching a new car: The Venturi Fétish, first historical sport car based on electrical power and produced in series.
Additional information about Venturi is available at http://www.venturi.fr/us.
About Intel
Intel, the world’s largest chip maker, is also a leading manufacturer of computer, networking and communications products. Additional information about Intel is available at http://www.intel.com.
Intel, the Intel logo and XScale are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries. Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.
