Paris 2010: Is the Venturi America EV Dune Buggy another awesome EV we'll never see?

Venturi was last seen in America a couple of months ago, blasting across the white crystals at the Bonneville Salt Flats in the guise of the Buckeye Bullet. At the Paris Motor Show, the Monegasque company revealed a different kind of terrain-blasting machine called the America EV Dune Buggy � a jacked-up, 300-horsepower, rear-wheel-drive electric sports car as open and free as the great land it's named after.

The interior would be admirably minimal if things hadn't got cluttered up around the console screen, but the center tunnel buttons are a chunky, metallic pleasure to behold. The single display in front of the driver will hopefully present information clearly enough to keep your eyes on the road and your hair in the wind. And we aren't sure what kind of stereo is involved, but based on the speakers it looks pretty serious.

As for actually getting behind the wheel and exploring the roadster's namesake country, a retail source for Venturis has just landed in Columbus, Ohio, which means we might one day see something from the automaker outside of a blog post.

Read More

2010 Venturi Sport Cars Venturi Fetish Electric Sport Cars

DETROIT (Reuters) - Electric vehicles may not sell worldwide in large numbers for some years, but the CEO of electric sports car maker Venturi wants his company's racy models and high-end technology to demonstrate their potential. At the Mondial de l'Automobile 2010 in Paris, Venturi is presenting a completely new Venturi Fetish, directly based on developments undertaken for Venturi's World Records program in Bonneville, USA (2009-2012) with the Venturi "JAMAIS CONTENTE", the fastest electric vehicle in the world.

One of the stars of the 21st International Electric Vehicles Symposium (EVS21) to be held in Monte Carlo next week will be the world�s most exclusive electric car � the Venturi Fetish. Assembled by hand in Monaco and made to order, the Fetish has an asking price of 450,000 Euro (US$583,000) - not bad for a vehicle which can legitimately claim the title of being the first production electric sports car in history.

To get the very best out of such a motor, a new 54 kWh battery pack has been developed (LIV-10 Lithium Ion Polymer batteries) whose electronics (Battery Management System) have been entrusted to VENTEC, the leader in the field. Venturi Fetish offers a real range of up to 340 km. Thanks to its on-board charger, it can recharge using a regular electrical socket or fast charge terminals With over 300 hp (+220 kW) and torque of 380 Nm, the VM300 is the most advanced electric motor ever designed for a car.

2010 Venturi Sport Cars Venturi Fetish Electric Sport Cars

With an output of over 300 HP for total weight of 1,225 kilos, 200 km/h, and 0-100 km/h in less than 4 secs, the 2010 Venturi Sport Cars Venturi Fetish Electric Sport Cars has become a "muscle car", armed and ready for battle : above all, it is more than ever before the world's sportiest and most highly perfected example of an electric car.

The first chassis specifically designed to house a large volume of batteries, the carbon monocoque developed by Venturi provides an exceptional protection cell for its occupants ; it is completed by two deformable cells positioned at the front and rear of the vehicle. This concept guarantees the security of the battery in the event of an accident and provides a level of safety never before achieved in an electric vehicle.

The Venturi Fetish is made by hand and to order in our workshops in Monaco. The production is limited, but not the program of customization, our Designer Sacha Lakic being at the arrangement of every customer to assist him in his most exclusive desires.

2010 Venturi Sport Cars Venturi Fetish Electric Sport Cars

Read More

Venturi Astrolab, 2007

Venturi Astrolab, 2007

Astrolab (latin astro = star, labe = to take) Takes energy from the sun, in order to move.

Electro-Solar Hybrid
With 3.6 sqm of photovoltaic cells giving an exceptional yield of 21%, and covered by a film composed of prisms enabling denser concentration of solar energy, Venturi Astrolab is the first high-performance solar vehicle to be commercialized in the world.

Capable of working with very little energy (16 kWc engine) and of recharging even when in motion, this vehicle of another era does not need to be permanently exposed to the sun in order to move. Its last-generation NiMH Venturi NIV-7 batteries - liquid cooled - in fact enable it to restitute stored energy, whether solar or from the electricity supply, making it the first electro-solar hybrid vehicle.

CONSUMPTION = 0, EMISSIONS = 0
This is very first vehicle that consumes no fossile resources in order to work the emissions of CO2 required for its construction will even be compensated for by evironmental actions.

A parallel can be drawn between Venturi Astrolab and a sailboat both advance silently while making best use of the elements provided by Nature. And the piloting of both makes for sensations unlike any other.
To attain this level of performance while using very little energy, Venturi Astrolab has been designed like a Formula 1 its carbon monocoque chassis is ultra-light and serves as an oversized protection cell ensuring the safety of its occupants in the event of a collision. Its profile recalls the aqua-dynamic design of great racing yachts.


A New Era in Terms of Design
Venturi Astrolab also opens up a new era as regards automobile architecture light and highprofiled, it offers the rays of the sun 3.6 sqm of today's most sophisticated photovoltaic cells (for an overall vehicle length under 4 m).

Its designer Sacha Lakic describes Venturi Astrolab as a flying wing set on four wheels.
Optimised to incoporate its solar cells, the Venturi Astrolab's design takes into account the effect of passengers' weight on the vehicle's dynamic behaviour. Very light when empty, the tandem architecture makes for perfect balance, whether the vehicle is occupied by one person or two.

With Astrolab, Venturi has given priority to the solar solution as its energy conversion technology all of its developments allow us to hope for even higher yields in the years to come. Within a 30-year perspective, Venturi is the only automobile manufacturer capable of presenting such a solution while ensuring new driving sensations and an essential aspect of automobiles the dream.

Read More