EDAG, a German design and development firm with a history of producing concept cars for major automakers, has rolled out its latest in-house concept called Light Car -- Open Source
Not likely to see production, the Light Car is essentially a demonstration platform for several advanced technologies that may soon find their way to production automobiles. The car's structure utilizes a new material called basalt fiber that the company claims is lighter and cheaper than aluminum or carbon while retaining the same strength properties of conventional materials, all while being 100% recyclable. Under the car's glossy exterior, the basalt fiber structure has been designed as a rolling chassis that can have many different body styles attached to it, cutting production costs.
Another key feature of the Light Car is its heavy use of OLED (organic light emitting diodes) both inside the vehicle and out. On the outside, EDAG has embedded OLEDs into the "Makrolon" glass-like surface of the car, allowing either the factory or the end user to design the shapes of the car's lights to suit their preferences. Further, the car's tailgate is a transparent display that can be configured to display information to following drivers, such as braking intensity, following distance or obstacles ahead. Inside, OLED displays allow the driver to customize their instrument cluster and controls.
The little Light Car is an electric vehicle propelled by electric motors mounted in the wheel hubs. They draw their energy from lithium-ion batteries on board and can drive the car for 93 miles on a full charge. Thanks to the "monovalent drive system," the Light Car needs no gasoline engine or gearbox, giving the automaker more freedom in designing the car and allowing them to retain ample interior room in a compact vehicle. The Light Car is just 13.1 feet long and 5.6 feet wide with a wheelbase of 9.5 feet, giving the car very short front and rear overhangs.

edag light car