British Car Design Research presents the ‘Budget Airline Car’. An electric six-seater that should be able to transport people completely autonomously over relatively large distances, as an alternative to short flight trips.
According to a calculation of Science Focus you could have 330 Ford Mondeo 1.8 TDCi make a trip from Heathrow to Edinburgh (650 km) and emit as much CO2 as one Boeing 747 making that same trip. If both those Mondeo’s and the 747 were full, the cars would emit much less CO2 per person than with the plane. Moreover, short flight trips are relatively the most polluting, since a lot of emissions are released especially during take-off and this therefore happens for a relatively short total flight time. For relatively short trips, it is certainly worth considering using the plane much less in that context. Then you could, for example, go by train or with your own car.
According to Car Design Research, it can be done even more efficiently, namely with an (ultimately fully autonomous) electric taxi. They call it the ‘Budget Airline Car’. A particularly streamlined, fully electric car that, according to its creators, can comfortably transport six people and their luggage. Through one sliding door and one folding door you gain access to the spacious cabin, where adults including luggage according to CDR can comfortably sit in their own seat. The Budget Airline Car is about 5 meters long, roughly the size of a Tesla Model X, but is subject to much less frontal air resistance due to its only 1.8 meters width and 1.5 meters height. About 20 percent less, according to its creators.
The electric powertrain has to be fully tuned for long journeys, so can have a relatively low power output because it is mainly driven at highway speeds and does not need to win traffic light sprints. Everything for efficiency and a large driving range. Although no concrete target specifications are mentioned yet – the Budget Airline Car is more of a broad idea than a concrete concept car destined for production – according to CDR, with the increasingly greener European energy mix, CO2 emissions per person of 5 g/km should be possible. are. According to CDR, on a short flight trip, it would currently average around 250 g/km per person. That saves a sip on a drink. Of course you will be on the road a bit longer, although it can sometimes take quite a long time on short distances because of checking in and waiting for departure from door to door with an airplane.
CDR has already decked out the Budget Airline Car in the livery of some airlines that offer short flights. A further investigation into interest in this concept is likely to follow. Do you see a future in this? Let me know in the comments.
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl