WORLD EXCLUSIVE: GVA Eclipse electric hypercar breaks cover
Automotive design company, Global Vehicle Architecture (GVA), has unveiled a revolutionary new Electric Hypercar Concept – the GVA Eclipse – and we have the very first pictures of the full-sized prototype right here on NEWCARNET!
Designed and developed in-house in China, by a team led by British Design Director Narendra Karadia, the GVA Eclipse boasts projected performance of 0-100 km/h in less than 3 seconds and 0-200km/h in less than 6 seconds with a maximum speed in excess of 330km/h.
These figures are achieved through a combination of advanced lightweight construction techniques and the latest battery technology but, most importantly – a ground-breaking aerodynamic concept.
Karadia, whose CV includes senior design roles at Ford, VW and JLR, said, “We wanted to make a real statement with our first show car. It was not going to be enough to simply put some batteries in a sleek shape and call it a hypercar. We wanted to find a more efficient way of gaining access to the 200mph club so we decided to take a fresh look at the fundamental hard points of vehicle architecture.”
All cars on the road today have what is commonly known in the automotive industry as a ‘drop-glass’, which describes the position of the side window in its open state – a modern day requirement for all road cars to facilitate access to toll booths, drive through outlets, etc, but in the GVA Eclipse, however, the window moves in an upward direction and is located in the upper part of the door when in its fully open position.
This has allowed a sleeker and narrower lower body section, never seen before in a road car and a revolutionary aerodynamic solution allowing the airstream to pass on the inside of the front wheels, along the sides of the vehicle and then between the body and rear wheels – in principle, similar to the solution adopted by LMP racecars.
GVA says the concept is envisioned to be built using ultra lightweight carbon-fibre and powered by four electric motors each linked to an electronically controlled gearbox to produce a total output in excess of 1300 BHP and peak torque in the region of 1750 Nm. It will adopt lithium-ion battery technology with a proposed capacity of 85KWH to deliver a range of over 500 km on a full charge, or 300 km when charged to 80%, which takes 15 minutes.
Full aerodynamic testing has not yet been completed, but GVA says that the extensive knowledge and expertise of Chief Designer Riaz Sherazee (also British) was drawn upon heavily during the car’s development. Sherazee learned his aerodynamic craft at VW Motorsport Design, working on cars such as the Beetle RSI, VW formula V and the Le Mans-winning Bentley EXP speed 8 LMP of 2004.
“The basic principles are the same; the idea is to reduce the frontal area of the vehicle and ease the passage of the airflow over and through the car,” said Sherazee. “For a regular car travelling at moderate speeds the advantages are negligible, but at over 150mph the laws of aerodynamics play a huge part, and at 200mph plus, any aerodynamic advantage has a massive impact on the amount of power needed to propel the car to hyper speeds.”
The unique window concept became the GVA Eclipse’s design identity with a svelte side section aesthetic, said to hint at the physique of a toned athlete. The concept features two distinctive elements that combine to form a single volume, blending a mix of soft surfacing and hard, taught sweeps.
The cabin, accessed via large, scissor-like doors, is spacious by hypercar standards with seating for three, while cameras, which also double as side mirrors, monitor the exterior offering a full panoramic rearward view.
The interior it is not being revealed at this stage as Patents are currently pending approval but GVA says it will be shown early next year featuring a design that will ‘take HMI to a new level’.
“We wanted a car that was deliverable and would pass through a vehicle development program and not lose any of its beauty and aesthetic appeal due to inadequate feasibility,” said Karadia. “The GVA Eclipse is very much production orientated and not just a flight of fancy.”