"Damn. I popped the car. Anybody got any duct tape?"
Actually, that scenario is unlikely, according to the designers of the inflatable electric car. The material that makes up the outside of the car, they insist, is bulletproof.
A report in Product Design and Development magazine explains, "XP's Mini Utility Vehicle prototype cuts costs and time by using 70 percent less parts and novel materials that require simpler factory devices." It's also...well...inflatable like a balloon.
"XP's MUV does not consist of a lot of internal componentry," PD&D writes. "In fact, most of it is air using XP's XPanelBTM technology pressure membranes. The seat is inflatable, the dashboard is inflatable, and the internal structure and carrying racks are inflatable, or a mesh suspension." The car reportedly uses a battery pack "capable of delivering around 125 miles per charge with four passengers," or longer range with additional fuel-cell power unit that buyers can add and remove at home. In fact, the batteries themselves can be removed, and carried up apartment stairs for recharging, since Chairman Scott Redmond tells PD&D, "the age bracket that we're targeting appears to not be able to afford a house."
The car doesn't need much power because it weighs so little, with few rigid structures.
But the most incredible claims about the inflatable car have to do with its safety. PD&D reports, "According to XP's current simulations, the first destructive test car will, most likely, survive all destructive tests." That's right - they claim that the car will survive crash testing with little or no damage. They insist "The nano-tech fabric is not only bullet proof, but it can also withstand crashes by a large SUV without harm."
Slashdot comments, "The recent struggles of the auto industry and a political climate that supports the development of alternative energy vehicles have given the car a better chance at actually hitting the market."
Autoblog Green, however, is skeptical. They point out, "there doesn't actually seem to be a prototype in existence aside from computer renderings. Also troubling is the claim that it can both achieve a range of 125 miles with four passengers (after which an auxiliary power unit kicks in and extends that range to 300 miles) and contains its batteries in shelves that consumers can remove, throw over their shoulders and carry up to their apartments to plug in and charge. Considering the weight involved in batteries capable of taking you that far, it's a proposition that seems unlikely."
If you're in the market for a new car, check out the U.S. News rankings of this year's best cars as well as this month's best car deals.
