The British designed and built Axon two seater 2+2 multifunction hatchback is a concept car, set to go into production in 2010, that is expected to go from 0 to 60mph in 12.5s yet achieve 80mpg and produce only 80g CO2 per km, making it free of road tax. Top speed is 80 mph.
Axon Automotive, that has developed it was founded by Steven Cousins, who was previously a professor at Cranfield University, where he researched low carbon vehicles at the Honda Eco-Technology Centre. The car is powered by a 500cc, two cylinder, two stroke engine developed by Ptech at Snetterton in Norfolk. The company has received £2.7 million from the Technology Strategy Board in May 2008 to take the project forward. David Payne, director of automation at Axon, which is based in Wollaston, Wellingborough, told us when we met him at the recently held “Tigers of Tomorrow” event in Cambridge that he expected the carbon fibre bodied car to sell for about £10,500. He also said that part of the reason for its fuel efficiency is aerodynamic, pointing out that, “The underside of the car is completely flat”, and that in conventional cars, there is, “A lot of turbulence round the wheel arches” that the new car eliminates.
The car was designed with the help of Rhino and Solid Edge.
For more information: www.axonautomotive.com
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