Hyundai's Concept Models - A Glimpse of the Future

There's something about an auto show that gets a car fanatic's heart racing. Is it the mere sight of the perfectly polished display models, the facts and figures that get your jaw to drop time and again, the dream of seeing one of these beauties parked in your own garage someday or just a combination of all of the above. Whatever your brand, whatever your preference, there is one car that will always steal the show, the concept car and it's easy to see why. The concept car is a promise of what's to come. Though it might not ever go into production, it's enough to make us look forward to the future with great motoring expectations.

Hyundai has certainly delivered its share of futuristic concept cars at international auto shows over the last few years. Incorporating its styling evolution, future Hyundai models seem to take its fluidic sculpture design philosophy to a whole new level, bringing together form and function in an aesthetically breathtaking manner. Two recent concept models certainly piqued interest from the crowds - the Hyundai Hexa Space concept and the Hyundai i-oniq concept.

The Hyundai Hexa Space concept made its debut at the New Delhi Auto Show not very long ago and carries trademark Hyundai design elements such as bold character lines on the side panels and a hexagonal grille. But what makes this vehicle truly unique is its interior layout. Echoing the grille, the 8-seater Hexa Space incorporates hexagonally shaped seats that fit together like honeycomb puzzle pieces to maximise internal space without having to compromise the width of the vehicle. Better yet, the seats offer multiple configurations that allow you to adapt the space according to your travel needs. To further add to its space efficiency and practicality, this future Hyundai model also boasts an innovative door design. The rear doors lift and slide back to make entering and exiting the Hexa Space a breeze.

The Hyundai i-oniq concept car only recently made its debut at the 2012 Geneva Auto Show and is an iconic example of the evolution of the company's signature design language. With sleek lines, dynamic proportions and muscular surface treatments the i-oniq boasts an athletic stance with premium appeal. Created at Hyundai's European R&D centre in Germany, this electric sports hatch features a range-extending petrol engine. And with doors that open to the side and up, futuristic floating instrument cluster and uniquely framed day-time running lights, the i-oniq undoubtedly echoes Hyundai's 'New Possibilities' promise to a t. What other future Hyundai models can we look forward to? Only the auto shows will tell.

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Are Electric Cars the Way to Go?

Electric cars have been around for decades, but only now are the bigger car companies latching on to the idea of it. At the moment they're been used mainly for city driving and only the some companies Citroen, Peugeot and more recently Vauxhall with the new Ampera have gone forward with the idea of making a practical and useful electric cars.

Is this the way to go with vehicles or not? Some argue that if everyone uses them we will drain the power from the whole of Europe and it won't be able to handle it. However it has been proved that if there were 100 million electric cars on the road they would only use 0.67 of the whole of Europe's electricity supply. It's estimated that by 2020 there will be 6 million of these alternatively powered cars on the road in the world, so how many by 2030, 2040 and so on?

Some say that they will never take off as they don't have the same power as cars do now, so will we compromise power, or will it always be one of those ideas where you either like it or don't? Maybe in years to come they will have even more power that cars do now as technology is always evolving. When on your driving lessons it would be helpful to have an electric car to learn in as instructors do thousands of miles a year, it would save them money and save the environment. In addition to this it would also get you used to driving the next generation cars if the time ever did come when the switch over was made.

So electric cars are looking pretty good at the moment as they save money and the environment. But how useful are they for everyday life. The new Vauxhall Ampera can travel 25-50 miles on its battery engine alone with a further 310 on a full tank of fuel, some cars that run of gasoline do more miles to the tank, and 25-50 miles just wouldn't do for some travelling far to work.

Are electric cars the way to go? For now I would say no and driving lessons will be continued to be taught in petrol and diesel run cars as the electric cars just aren't yet practical enough for everyday use for most. City drivers may gain some benefit from having an electric car but not drivers in general and this question will have to be asked again in the near future when car manufactures explore electric car ideas even further.

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Nissan Future Models Go Electric

Electric cars... a few decades ago the mere thought of a mass produced battery powered car would've been laughable, but then again a century ago the thought of a man walking on the moon would've been unthinkable. Thanks to sheer dedication and passion for innovation, companies like Nissan strive to make the impossible, possible and they won't give up until they do.

It might surprise many to know that Nissan's electric vehicle research dates back as far as the 1940's when it released its first electric vehicle in 1947, the Tama EV which was equipped with lead batteries. In 1997 it released the Prairie Joy EV and then in 2005 the Nissan Pivo followed by the Pivo 2. With various limitations such as short cruising ranges none of these vehicles really took flight. That was until 2009 when Nissan announced its latest and so far greatest EV yet, the all-electric, 5-seater Nissan LEAF.

In 2010 the LEAF was launched in Japan, Europe and the United States and received a positive response from owners and the motoring industry alike earning it the coveted 2011 World Car of the Year title along with many other international awards.

Though the Nissan LEAF might not produce sports car performance and SUV capability it delivers ample power and torque to get the driver from A to B and back. It's 80kW and 280Nm electric motor lets you travel distances of up to 160km on one charge while it's capable of reaching a maximum speed of 145km/h. And charging it is effortless and hassle-free. The Nissan LEAF is powered by a lithium-ion battery and can be plugged into your regular household socket, while it takes around 8 hours to fully charge.

This Nissan future model isn't just 100% electric and fully rechargeable, but also promises low fuel consumption and zero gas emissions making it likely the greenest car on the planet today. Though we often find it hard to quantify the reduction in damage on the planet that fewer emissions will achieve, Nissan explained it in simple terms in a recent update. If the LEAF units already sold were powered by gasoline, it would've emitted 17,633 tons of CO2 and for a forest to process that amount of CO2 it would require 1,261,643 trees. When looking at the numbers, EVs do seem like the logical move forward for the motoring industry. And more future Nissan models are expected to follow in the LEAF's emission-free tracks.