A European automaker claims its car uses a revolutionary fresh energy source — here’s how it works
A Liechtenstein-based car company called nanoFlowcell isВ unveiling a car that it claims uses an entirely fresh energy source to drive.
The automaker claims its car, c alled the QUANTiNO,В is capable of running on electrolyte fuel.
That’s not something we’ve ever seen in practice before, but if it works it will give off zero emissions.В
The company declined a utter interview before the Geneva Motor Showcase in March, where the car will be unveiled, but we did some research to learn more about how it would hypothetically work. Here’s what we found.В
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The car comes with a fuel cell stack that is packed with “electrolyte fuel.”
NanoFlowcell describes electrolyte fuel as “metallic salts in aqueous solution.”
Or, in other words, metallic salt water.
The fluid is circulated around the barrier separating the two cells, which produces an electrical current that powers the motor.
The QUANTiNO also has a battery that helps accelerate the sports car.
This is actually similar to hydrogen-powered cars, which are tooled with battery packs that are not as big as the ones found in traditional electrified vehicles. That’s because the batteries are not responsible for primary propulsion.
The car can reach a top speed of toughly one hundred twenty five miles per hour.
And it goes from zero to sixty two miles per hour in less than five seconds.
It can also “cover a theoretical range” of six hundred twenty one miles.
But like nanoFlowcell says — take that range with a grain of salt until the car is tested on roads.
NanoFlowcell recently got approval to test its car on European roads this year, according to a press release.
NanoFlowcell proposes creating an infrastructure of electrolyte refueling stations so people can refuel their cars.
The company notes that it’s very conceivable to build these stations out in the public or at people’s homes.
“Reminisce that ionic liquids are nontoxic and nonflammable — with excellent advantages in mass production, logistics, and storage and no need for high-level safety protocols,” nanoFlowcell wrote on their webpage.
The state of California and automakers backing hydrogen-powered cars are presently working on building out hydrogen stations to make the technology a reality. But just like electrolyte refueling stations, that’s lighter said than done.
We’re going to be skeptical about the QUANTiNO until we actually see it on the road.
But the company says after it goes through its road testing during the very first half of 2016, it will consider a “small-batch production run.”
But nanoFlowcell is serious about the venture — they’re demonstrating two cars at the Geneva International Motor Showcase that embarks March Trio.
In addition to displaying off the QUANTiNO, the company will also demonstrate the Quant FE (pictured above), which goes zero to sixty two miles per hour in less than three seconds.
We have yet to hear this car’s range and specs.
Additionally, nanoFlowcell said it is building a research and development center called QUANT City in Ticino, Switzerland.
The center, whichВ measures toughly 270,000 square feet, will be loyal to the research and development of the company’s flow cell technology. It is slated for completion in 2018.