Evonik Industries, an industrial corporation in Germany and one of the world's leading specialty chemicals firms, unveiled
its lightweight electric Elise-E at CAR-Symposium 2012 in Bochum,
Germany. The battery-powered Elise-E tips the scales at a scant 2,094
pounds, allowing its 150-kW electric motor to propel it from 0 to 60
miles per hour in just 4.4 seconds. Top speed is listed at 124 mph.
The Elise-E fuses the combined efforts Evonik, British automaker
Lotus, and lithium-ion battery firm, Li-Tech Battery GmbH, which is a
joint venture between Evonik and Daimler. Lotus's platform has seen
plug-in vehicle applications before: its chassis was used in the
first-generation Tesla Roadster―which halted sales last year after Tesla
finished its 2,500-unit run of Elise-based sports car―and the
short-lived Dodge Circuit EV concept, which was part of the Chrysler's
now-disbanded ENVI electric vehicle program.
The Elise-E will showcase Evonik and Li-Tech's CERIO battery
technology, which features a light-weight ceramic separator membrane
called SEPARION, which Evonik describes as "extremely thin and highly
heat-resistant." The patented separator draws on nanotechnology to allow
for a compact design, which the company claims results in "high energy
density at a low weight."
Focusing on weight, Evonik Industries made use of its structural foam
ROHACELL and carbon fiber to design a structure for the Elise-E that's
nearly 70 percent lighter than a comparable steel unit. In addition, the
Elise-E features lightweight PLEXIGLAS side windows and unique
lightweight, low-rolling resistance tires manufactured by Evonik.
The Elise-E truly showcases how the use of lightweight materials
throughout a vehicle can result in a finished electric automobile that
weighs less than 1,000 kilograms. In fact, Evonik says that the Elise-E
is the "first-ever electrical sports car with a weight below 1,000 kg."
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