Ford has given advanced billing for a rolling design thesis it is calling the Evos Concept, a new kind of plug-in hybrid that will go on display this month at the Frankfurt Motor Show.
Don’t expect to see it coming to any showrooms however. The custom-made vehicle is rather “an ultimate expression of Ford’s new global design and technology vision” and a promise of things to come.
“The Ford Evos Concept unites three key elements which are at the core of our One Ford global product strategy: outstanding design, smart technologies and fuel economy leadership,” said Derrick Kuzak, group vice president of Global Product Development.
Ford Evos Concept.
In a longer-than-average press release, Ford says the four-seater fastback is a first view of “customer focused and intuitive technologies.”
Head in the ‘clouds’
While the company does get around to saying it is a “driver’s car” propelled by the C-Max Energi’s powertrain, it spends a lot of word space up front explaining how “the driver’s ‘personal cloud’ of information is at the heart of the vision for its capabilities.”
Ford says the car will offer a personalized and seamless extension of the “connected lifestyle” from the office or home and signals how Ford will build on the momentum of innovations including its SYNC in-car connectivity system.
“Our goal is to focus on enriching a customer’s every experience with their vehicle – by personalizing it, adapting it, and creating unique, unexpected features that surprise and delight them,” said Kuzak. “In the Ford Evos Concept, this objective is explored and extended to the area of connectivity, where the intent is not to convert the vehicle into a smartphone, but rather to provide personalised and safe connection to the outside world in an enriching manner designed totally for the vehicle context.”
Functional and visually dramatic.
Ford also says the car will get to “know the driver” and automatically adapt handling, steering and engine controls to him or her.
“At Ford, the future of technology in the car will be defined by the experience that it delivers to the driver and passengers,” said Paul Mascarenas, chief technical officer and vice president of Ford Research and Innovation. “We see technology as more than just an impressive list of microprocessors, sensors and software; it’s about the application of that technology to create an experience that enhances the driver’s time behind the wheel.”
What’s in it for passengers? Both rear-seat guests “get an equally special experience,” Ford says, with dedicated touch-screen displays to interact with the vehicle and individually adjustable sports seats.
A car that cares
Ford says it wants occupants to be healthy and drivers operating at 100-percent capability, so an emphasis on “wellness” is baked into the tech-laden Evos.
“Our wellness research and technologies are focused on relieving driver stress and enhancing their situational awareness,” said Mascarenas. “Drivers around the world are spending more time behind the wheel, and the car should not be another stress point in their lives.”
Red driver’s seat.
The red driver’s seat carries over previously developed heart-rate monitoring ability, the interior is made of hypoallergenic materials, and the air filtration and monitoring system are nothing to sneeze at.
The car can even access air quality data and suggest an alternate route.
In “dynamic driving situations” the instrument panel can switch to display only vital data so drivers can better focus, and the integrated smartphone goes into a “Do Not Disturb Mode,” to further avoid distracted driving.
Powertrain
Normally the powertrain is among the first things described in a car review, and Ford does say it is just as proud of this aspect as the novel cloud concept it is attempting to float.
But the Evos is no hi-po Mustang beater. Instead it’s an ultimate expression of a comparatively sedate offering. Its go-power – donated by the C-Max Energi – includes a high-voltage lithium-ion battery, electric traction motor and high-efficiency Atkinson-cycle gasoline engine.
All the data one could ask for.
So don’t let those Aston-Martinesque looks fool you. This aesthetic wonder is eminently eco-friendly, and not likely to pin you to the special driver’s seat on a quick trip to 100 mph and beyond.
Its speed and driving range are equivalent to the donor car, Ford says, while noting its 500 mile (800 km) combined distance attainable are “more than any other plug-in or extended range electric vehicle.”
Ford says its “powersplit” hybrid architecture lets it run in all-electric mode or combined petrol-electric.
The Evos could arguably be called the world’s coolest C-Max Energi.
Its default mode is all electric before switching to charge-sustaining mode as needed.
The Evos’ immense data processing capabilities make its powertrain also “cloud optimized.” One of its capabilities is to select the ideal combination of powertrain modes for any journey.
“Access to historical driver behaviour and travel patterns allows us to calculate the optimal fuel and energy efficiency by predicting the destination,” said Mascarenas. “Our researchers are working to increase understanding of driver behaviour, develop accurate protocols to predict it and enhance the trip by providing the smartest use of fuel or battery for the situation.”
The Evos would further “know” when to save energy and switch modes depending on data from the predicted travel route, any emissions restricted zones and current weather conditions.
London, Berlin and Stockholm already have low-emissions zones, for example, and regions in France may soon also. Ford says it will be ready with a car that can adapt.
Design
Ford upstaged Lamborghini by giving the Evos four hinged gullwing doors which not only scream for attention, but, Ford adds, are practical because they give ease of ingress and egress.
Other more subtle cues inside and out are portents of future Fords, the company says.
Would you kick this out of your garage?
“We wanted the Ford Evos Concept to give a clear message about where Ford design is heading – shaping vehicles that are fun to drive, have a strong premium visual appeal, and above all, are stunningly beautiful,” said J Mays, group vice president, design and chief creative officer.
The Evos measures 177 inches (4.50 m) long, 77 inches (1.97 m) wide, and 53 inches (1.36 m). Its wheelbase is 108 inches (2.74 m).
These dimensions are close to a global “C” platform in length, and a “C-D” platform in width to create a car reminiscent of great GTs of the past, but more user friendly, Ford says.
“This is an exciting new interpretation of the fastback bodystyle, with a really innovative silhouette as well as dramatic and very modern proportions,” Mays said.
Eye candy
Ford’s press release waxes quasi-eloquent with lavish self praise for what looks like a pretty neat car with great potential that unfortunately will never be.
The face of things to come from Ford.
One question is now that Ford has shown what it can do, and says this is a rolling showcase of future design and tech elements, what vehicles will it build that incorporate them and how soon?
As for the concept, we think it is quite spectacular, but incongruent in one key respect.
Namely, a car that looks so athletic ought to have more power than what is provided by a C-Max powertrain.
But that is not the point. Since the Evos never has to go anywhere except to the show circuit and photo shoots, Ford can get away with an upscale mythical pony car that reflects favorably on its almost-ready C-Max. Meanwhile Ford will continue soliciting and accepting spectators’ oohs and ahhs, while never being so forthright as to state that its ostensible stallion is actually gelded.
More Evos videos follow if you click through at the end.
“Both the exterior and interior of the Ford Evos Concept clearly communicate that this is a driver’s car, so that as soon as people see the vehicle, they will immediately want to get in and drive,” said executive design director Moray Callum.
Yes, maybe so. And while we would not turn down a spin, we hold no illusion that appearances of unbridled performance are anything more than deceiving. No word was given on curb weight, performance, or potential price, which does not matter because it will not be for sale.
Source: Ford
This entry was posted on Tuesday, September 6th, 2011 at 5:55 am and is filed under General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
+5
Sep 6th, 2011 (6:42 am)Nice looking concept, but it sounds like it will have to fire up the old-fashioned gasoline engine to get full performance. In my opinion, this is a bigger drawback than the performance being only moderate.
The brilliance of the Volt is that it is a full performance EV for the first 35 EPA miles!
GSP
+7
Sep 6th, 2011 (8:16 am)I keep trying to imagine going out in a snowstorm and opening those doors – you would have to shovel out the inside of the car!
Looks like a lot of smoke and mirrors to me.
Volt gen-1 is available. Volt gen-2 is on the way!
And my Volt will be built this month.
When Ford can say that, call me…..
+1
Sep 6th, 2011 (8:23 am)This is a sweet looking sedan and it’s a real shame Ford won’t be producing it. Motor Trend suggests we will see many of the design elements of this car in the next Fusion. I would welcome that if true.
A few years ago, a friend and I were joking that the car of the future will be an iPod with wheels. After reading this article about the cloud computing and so forth, the iPod car may be closer than we imagined, LOL!
+5
Sep 6th, 2011 (8:28 am)Concepts are Soooooooooo……………………………… Yesterday
+3
Sep 6th, 2011 (8:42 am)Meh. All show and no GO.
Nice take on gullwings though.
+6
Sep 6th, 2011 (9:12 am)I know Volt originated as a future-car concept, but right out of the box GM was touting it’s powertrain as it’s key feature.
Here, Ford is ballyhooing an adaptive driver interface/experience and it just reads like a whole big pile of Dearborn doo doo to me. Am I alone in thinking people today still dream, but they want to see practical, doable designs – sporty, yes, but not pie-in-the-sky.
C-Max Energi is a positive step, indeed – Prius V is much sleeker and future-esque. Prius V with a plug would win many fans. Will Ford wow us with surprise high mileage cars that perform well, or is this just more hype to sell us electronic gizmos we don’t really need?
PUMP OUT THE VOLTECS! ,
James
Sep 6th, 2011 (9:50 am)I totally missed the article on the CMax hybrid plug in.:
http://gm-volt.com/2011/06/10/ford-announces-new-hybrids-triple-u-s-electrified-vehicle-production/
and this vehicle uses the same powertrain.
So Ford basically has their own version of Toyotas HSD that they will mfg themselves (as opposed to the fusion that imports the trans from Japan. I guess this ties in w/ DonC’s (and others) comments on Fords lawsuit where they basically can use a similer version of HSD w/o patent infringement on Toyota. This puts Ford in a very advantageous position. They have a head to head competitor to the Prius plug in.
My only concern is that GM does not have a product in this C Max plug in category. The Volt is too expensive.
Maybe the Malibu e assist could be considered the competition to C Max but it’s not a plug in.
So where is GM’s competing product??
I suggest a 2 mode plug in. The only problem w/ that is that the 2 mode is a pretty complex and expensive transmission (or is it??)
+4
Sep 6th, 2011 (9:51 am)Other than a ’67 Mustang, I think that’s the only other “Ford” I would want to be seen in.
+1
Sep 6th, 2011 (9:53 am)Jim I,
“Would you kick this out of your garage?” as Jeff says.
Yes, if the gullwing doors hit the bikes hanging from the celing. They look cool, but are not very practical IMO. They’d be better off designing a door that opens like a mini-van door (or a star-trek/elevator door)
or something like this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGRzPFUlIeY
Sep 6th, 2011 (10:31 am)Could side (rearview) mirrors that size be legal?
Ford can dream about their design being manufactured while GM continues to build Volts!
Sep 6th, 2011 (10:43 am)The Converj had the same size mirrors and used cameras instead. I don’t know what the law allows.
[edit: do you mean side mirrors]
Sep 6th, 2011 (10:49 am)Meh. (Ditto Loboc) Even without the doors, which will never make it to production, it’s a great looking Fusion Hybrid with a HSD which is so yesterday.
I like where Ford is going with the design. However, to move into the Prius class sales numbers Ford needs to have a distinctive look for its hybrids. Making every hybrid look like other cars isn’t working. People spending a few thousand more for a hybrid drive train generally want something more obvious for their money.
Put a 32 kWh battery pack in a nicely styled car like this and they’d have my attention.
Sep 6th, 2011 (10:58 am)Mark Z and kdawg, I think it depends on state law, and I think many states require physical mirrors. Cameras would work but these laws always lag the technology. I believe that Aptera was going to use cameras but found CA law required physical mirrors.
I think GM could benefit from something like the Orlando. I don’t think they need a parallel hybrid because their EREV is vastly superior. The Volt is expensive, but I think when Toyota announces the pricing for the PIP we’ll find it’s not that much more expensive, especially after rebates, than the downscale technologies used in the parallel hybrids.
Sep 6th, 2011 (11:19 am)You are probably right. I don’t think we will see a 2 mode plug in. I DO think we will see a pure EV from GM though. Hopefully they can make it interesting. This should be the next big announcement from GM. (Along w/ some new Voltec platforms/MPV.)
+1
Sep 6th, 2011 (11:23 am)It’s not only the automotive laws, it’s the licensing laws. If you have glasses or other visual needs, some States require side mirrors not side cameras.
This is one area where DOT and State laws are way behind the technology curve.
I can imagine having adaptive cameras so that they block out the small spots where the headlights are blinding you and enhanced with infra-red and night vision. Cameras can make a huge difference in what you can and cannot see by shifting the image into the visible light range. A composite display can be where the inside mirror resides right now showing all angles with no blind spots.
Sep 6th, 2011 (11:23 am)DonC,
Hopefully the rebates don’t get eliminated in the guvm’t fiscal austerity move (ha, ha). but it could happen. Esp if the repubs make big in roads in the next election. Need to take advantage before then.
Sep 6th, 2011 (11:26 am)That’s a good thought Loboc. I do not like driving at night. It would be nice if someone came up w/ a gizmo like you say. (maybe they have already I don’t know)
-1
Sep 6th, 2011 (12:41 pm)“Meh” was the first word that came to my mind, so ditto to Loboc and DonC too.
#4
And that was my second thought, LOL.
+1 to all.
+1
Sep 6th, 2011 (1:29 pm)Really? I can see this concept being “yesterday” since it uses the HSD system. But concepts, in general, are still relevant for future. They propose ideas that may or may not go into manufacturing.
The Volt may be the most technically advanced car out there right now. But that doesn’t mean they won’t ever come up with something a lot more technically advanced. 30 years from now, the Volt will seem primitive. That’s how technology works.
Sep 6th, 2011 (1:43 pm)“…stunningly beautiful”. Yay! Finally! We’re seeing some great work out of styling departments these days, IMO, such as this car, the next Ford Escape, the Converj, some of Audi’s cars, the Karma, etc. Competition is literally a sight to behold.
Sep 6th, 2011 (2:06 pm)Night vision has existed for quite some time. Along with sonar, forward-facing imaging would help prevent collisions. Especially with animals since you sometimes can’t see them until they’re right in your path.
BMW already has night vision in the lab.
http://www.leftlanenews.com/video-bmws-night-vision.html
+1
Sep 6th, 2011 (2:13 pm)I had a ’68 and it was a p.o.s. It had more rust holes than paint. One of my friends had a ’69 Boss 302. That one wasn’t bad.
Sep 6th, 2011 (2:52 pm)Loboc,
Thx for the link.
It almost seems like you could just use the nightview screen as your primary view. Sort of like making the windshield into a huge nightview screen. (regular view not req’d)…. You could then adjust the brightness of on coming headlights–ie tone them down with the electronics…and of course still see all the important things.
Sep 6th, 2011 (3:05 pm)The refresh rate would be a problem. If it has a delay like my old HP camera, you’d crash before you saw what you hit.
Personally, I don’ t like a lot of gadgetry. A stick, a wheel, some gauges and a big engine are all I need. I’m firmly in Dodge’s ‘Never Neutral’ territory.
The smoke of burning tires in the morning is as beautiful as any napalm display. (My reference to ‘Apocalypse Now’ for today.)
Sep 6th, 2011 (3:13 pm)Then you should build a kit car. The ultimate acceleration and/ or cornering machine!!
Sep 6th, 2011 (4:01 pm)The gull wings may not make the cut, but Ford would be foolish not to build some of these lines into some of their cars in the future. From the Fusion to the Fiesta, Ford could use a healthy dose of bold. And if the cDa is improved, even better. I am really curious to see what the aero number is on this concept.
0.28 or lower? The car looks slick but the grill does not.
Sep 6th, 2011 (4:13 pm)Would I kick this car out of my garage? I don’t think I could get the doors to open up enough so I could get out of it to try….
+1
Sep 6th, 2011 (4:27 pm)Good point! If they offer you one, and you get stuck, just let me know. I’ll take it off your hands, no problem.
Only question is how involved do I want to get in the necessary performance upgrades to match my purdy new C-Max Energi to its fantastic custom body and upgrades? …
Sep 6th, 2011 (4:49 pm)You can put gull-wing doors and software galore, but it sounds like it’s a Prius at heart. 8-(
Sep 6th, 2011 (5:12 pm)I had my host car all set, but, I got transferred and that put the brakes on kit cars.
Imagine a VW Ghia with a 455 Olds FWD (Toronado) turned around as a mid-engine driving the rear wheels.
http://www.sterlingkitcars.com/
+3
Sep 6th, 2011 (5:12 pm)OT Breaking News:
U.S. News & World Report has ranked the Volt #2 among 21 “Upscale Midsize Cars”.*
(Volt tied with BMW’s 3-series for #2 & of two of Volt’s GM siblings: the Buick Regal ranked #1 —while the Cadillac CTS ranked #4 in a 3-way tie with the Infiniti G & the M-B C-Class)**
/* http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-trucks/Chevrolet_Volt/
//** http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-trucks/rankings/Upscale-Midsize-Cars/
+1
Sep 6th, 2011 (5:50 pm)P.S. to my above post: Volt also ranked #1 among all 21 upscale midsize cars in performance!
Sep 6th, 2011 (6:30 pm)Those are great cites but maybe not breaking news. (I think this was discussed in the forums a few months back). As for performance, yeah, I’ve been trying to tell people this but I think some here think I’m delusional. LOL (I may be just not on this one).
Also note that the ONLY reason the Volt is ranked #1 is because of the interior. Spend $500 or $1000 more there and it would easily be #1.
+1
Sep 6th, 2011 (7:38 pm)Car porn. Sheet metal striptease. We all love it.
Which is why all car manufacturers do it of course. But aren’t almost all concept cars kinda sexy looking? Anyone who pushes out a boring concept car would be asking for bad press.
The trouble comes when people believe that the the styling and stats will be real and available for purchase and start comparing it to real, available cars. Even when a concept car is given the green light, it more often than not will fail to live up to the concept car’s sex appeal or stats (see Volt). What survives the wind tunnel, various product, production, and cost managers will often only be a fun house mirror reflection of the concept car we drooled over.
Also, my hypothetical concept car has a 600 mile range, beating Ford’s hypothetical concept car.
-1
Sep 6th, 2011 (8:24 pm)Here’s a kit car built by a factory…
…most embarrassing thing Saab ever did.
+1
Sep 6th, 2011 (8:47 pm)My best friend did a total frame-off resto-mod. Took him 3 years. It will be at the “Route 66 Car Show” in San Bernardino on the 15th thru 18th this month:
Sep 6th, 2011 (9:00 pm)Thx ,
nice picture.
I loved the Shelby GT350 in the old body style the best. and if you could get a Hearst rental Shelby it was almost as good. The stripes were gold instead of blue.
And the Shelby Cobra was the best IMO……oh wait no 427 vette goes first
GSB
Sep 6th, 2011 (9:57 pm)correction that’s HEARTZ Rental Car.
Sep 6th, 2011 (10:09 pm)I know it’s just a concept car with non-legal/non-practical elements, but it is an amazing looking vehicle.