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Is this the city car of the future? Shell reveals bizarre bug eyed vehicle with a flip up front

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Screen Shot 2016-04-23 at 07.27.30Shell’s city concept car uses a third less energy compared to the average car, as it gets 107 miles per gallon and is only 1.5m high, 2.5m long and 1.3m wide – making parking in the city a breeze. One unique feature to this futuristic car is that there are now doors that open out, in order for riders to get inside they have to pull the top up and climb in

By STACY LIBERATORE FOR DAILYMAIL.COM: 23 April 2016

In about 50 years, three-quarters of the world is expected to live in cities, while the number of cars on the road will double.

While most manufacturers are developing electric solutions, unsurprisingly Shell has designed a vehicle that they say ‘is intended to inspire thinking about maximizing personal mobility, while minimizing energy use’.

Shell’s city concept car uses a third less energy compared to the average, as it gets 107 miles per gallon and is only 1.5m high, 2.5m long and 1.3m wide – making parking in the city a breeze.

Last year, well-known car designer Gordon Murray revealed his collaboration with former engine specialist Osamu Goto and oil company Shell, called ‘Project M.’

‘We decided to build a car from scratch, a practical solution to driving in modern cities,’ said Murray.

‘The car is now here, it works and its performance is incredible.’ 

This car of the future is based around the concept of ‘co-engineering — the body, powertrain, and lubricants are all designed to work with each other.

‘You could build this car and drive it for around 100,000 kilometres before consuming the same energy it takes to make a typical SUV,’ says engineer Bob Mainwaring, Shell’s Technology Manager for Innovation, who is leading the project.

Electric, low-carbon biofuels or hydrogen powered cars are going to play a major role in the transportation industry of the future, but experts say we still need to develop more efficient combustion engines using petrol and diesel if we want to combat climate change.

‘We wanted to see what kind of an impact we could have if we really pushed the boundaries of what combustion engine cars can do today,’ says Mainwaring.

The concept car maxes out at speeds of 110 kilometers per hour, but rides like a dream at 50 to 70 kilometers per hour.

Shell has conducted independent tests that show it will only use 2.6 liters of petrol on a 100 kilometer drive, while coasting at a steady 70km/h.

The car also proved to give off a quarter fewer CO2 emissions than the average hybrid cars.

Shell used low-cost, recycled carbon fiber for the car’s body, which reduced the weight to 550 kilograms and cut energy used to manufacture it by 45 percent compared to a city car that is on the market.

”We decided to build a car from scratch, a practical solution to driving in modern cities.’

”The car is now here, it works and its performance is incredible.’

One unique feature to this futuristic car is that there are now doors that open out, in order for riders to get inside they have to pull the top up and climb in.

And the firm placed tiny digital cameras that transmit the view of the road behind the car to screens inside, in place of traditional wing mirrors.

‘The lower weight and the aerodynamic improvement has been a significant factor in increasing the efficiency,’ said Matt Brewerton, the lead project design engineer at GMD.

As of right now, Shell has no plans to move into commercial production with the concept car, says the firm.

Royal Dutch Shell was established in 1907 and is currently based in The Hague, the Netherlands.

The firm’s strategy ‘seeks to reinforce our position as a leader in the oil and gas industry, while helping to meet global energy demand in a responsible way’.

‘Safety and environmental and social responsibility are at the heart of our activities’.

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