Next-gen A2 goes electric

Trying to keep up with compatriot BMW and its new I Series, Audi is responding with an A2 concept front-wheel drive electric vehicle (with the potential to resurrect the name that last graced the Audi line-up in 2005).

Like the Mercedes-Benz B-Class hatchback (and in particular, the F-Cell version), A2 features a sandwich floor which houses electric components – the 31 kWh lithium ion battery and the 85 kW electric motor. Acceleration to 100 km/h reportedly takes 9.3 seconds, while top speed is limited to 150 km/h.

Audi claims a range of 200 km (rated on the European driving cycle) and a charge time of four hours using 240V household current (so it's safe to assume 10.5 hours plugging it into a 110V outlet) or 1.5 on direct current. It is also ready for wireless charging (where you simply park the vehicle over a charging panel).

Dimensionally smaller than the B-Class, the A2 features an opaque roof that becomes transparent at the push of a button, and a non-opening hood up front. The modified Audi trapezoidal grille's solid top panel flips down to reveal the charge port. The lower part lets air through to eight graphite foam cooling blocks that act as a radiator.

LEDs are used for all lighting functions (high-beams, low beams and running lights up front; a twin line of light across the side and taillights at the rear). Of interest, the headlight LEDs can illuminate independently depending on need (such as dimming for oncoming traffic), the taillights can illuminate at different intensity depending on ambient light, and the light rails along the side burn blue when the driver approaches, orange when the vehicle is in motion and pulsing red during turns to the appropriate side and during braking. The dynamic light functions are mirrored inside, on the door trim panels.

Also of note, laser diodes are used as rear fog lights; in clear conditions, they remain invisible to the eye, but when there's moisture in the air, their light strikes off the particles making a floating triangle behind the car.

The biggest news inside is the completely flat floor and the lack of vents (air flows from the perforated panel running along the entire width of the windshield base). The steering wheel uses touch sensitive surfaces for redundant controls. If both touchpads are activated at the same time, the A2 switches into semi-autonomous mode.

Touchpads are also used on the dash for the control centre (air conditioning and multimedia functions) and the single speed transmission (shift by wire), and on the retractable centre console for secondary functions (such as a keyboard for inputting nav system destinations or phone numbers). Onboard connectivity includes Bluetooth and a WLAN mobile hot spot.

The minimalist seats feature storage compartments below the fold up cushions up front, while the rear seatbacks fold forward to unveil a bracket into which to fit front bicycle forks. The cargo area features a two position load floor.

OLED100 results and demonstrator coming soon

OLED100 - the EU-funded collaborative R&D project tasked with improving OLED lighting technology for general lighting applications - has wrapped up and results will be disseminated in November 2011.

33cm x 33cm OLED lighting panel developed by the OLED100 project consortium. Image: OLED100For general lighting, OLEDs have to compete with existing and upcoming lighting, achieving power efficacies of up to 100 lumens per watt, which fluorescent tubes are capable of, and operational lifetimes of up to 100,000 hours, which are now possible with commercial inorganic LED lighting. As well as improving efficacies and long operational lifetimes equivalent to commercial general lighting technologies, the project has also focused on fabrication on larger glass substrates.

As part of the dissemination of the project next month a press event will be held where a demonstrator based on nine 33cm x 33cm panels connected together will be unveiled. OLED100 was completed at the end of August.

OLED100 coordinator Stefan Grabowski works at Philips in Aachen, Germany, where the company's OLED lighting pilot facility is also located. Grabowski presented an overview of the project's final results earlier this week at the Plastic Electronics 2011 conference and exhibition in Dresden.

In due course, Philips should be able to indicate how the project results will be transferred to enhance production. Philips, which produces OLED lighting products for lighting designers and architects, announced a 40 million expansion of its OLED pilot production facilities earlier in 2011.

Grabowski says to develop OLED lighting for general illumination applications the emphasis needs to encompass R&D, to design more advanced OLED lighting technology, as well as investment in manufacturing capacity. Challenges include getting more light out of the OLED stack, enhancing efficacies, lifetimes and transferring to production.

Under OLED100 the 33cm x 33cm panels have been made on the Gen. 2 line at Fraunhofer IPMS, a pre-pilot production facility in Germany. Other project partners include materials supplier Novaled, Osram and Siemens.