Peugeot 360: A car without wheels for complete agility!
08.19.08

Concept cars are all about thinking out of the box and designing something that is both cool and special. It is about being one of a kind and if you can be that special and also help the planet go green, then it is all the more better. It is interesting to note that concept cars these days are scarcely coming out using a conventional engine that burns fossil fuel. Every concept car designer feels that their vehicle runs on a super-charged electric engine and the problem is that we just do not have such efficient electric engines yet!

The car designed by Andrei Franca has as concept the replacement of the usual car wheels for spheres, allowing the Peugeot 360 to increase agility and freedom in small spaces in the urban centers. Three domes, with an electric engine each, independents and synchronized by a board computer that is responsible for the control of the three spheres. Each engine provides traction to a group of pulleys, disposed on two directions, and each group of pulleys guiding a sphere. The suspensions are directly connected to the pulleys that fix the spheres on the ground.

Additional three small spheres are distanced by a 120 degree angle each, horizontal planned and centralized in the sphere, which as a result, will remain at the dome. The car totalizes three seats. The two in the front have access to the central joystick that controls the vehicle. To allow a 360 degrees turn, the joystick moves around its axis. Moving the vehicle sidelong is a much easier way to park at urban centers. The whole thing truly looks out of this world and the LCD monitor instead of rear-view mirror adds to the feel. The Peugeot 360 truly goes green with the concept and its execution, but now we will have to wait and see if it can ever get beyond the drawing board!


[Thanks: Andrei França]
Intteresting concept for the drivetrain but the body concept is bad. Getting in and out of the car in a rainstorm means everything gets soaked and your sitting in wet seats. Yes it’s just a concept but if thats the stupidity in the body design it gives little credibility to the technichal design.