GM Creates 'The Lab' Blog to Test Transportation Concepts

GM is continuing to push ahead with a company reinvention and in an unprecedented move, has created The Lab blog to post concept work from the design studios online. Two concepts have just been added which are results of an ECOinitiative project aimed at understanding and developing greener transportation alternatives. The two concepts explore the theme of the 'Bare Necessity' which, as GM Designer Therese Tant writes, is a back-to basics approach, less is more, less cost, less complexity = efficiency.

To see a special image gallery of GM's concept designs, click here.

The Bare Necessity Truck looks at making utility vehicles smaller and more efficient. The design team's idea was to have a reversible bulkhead between the cargo bed and the passenger cab area to allow for a space flexibility. This shared area allowed the overall size of the vehicle to be smaller and lighter. They estimate 2 feet in the overall vehicle length are saved.

The Bare Necessity Car explores the design of a four seater car with the lowest cost per mile operation. The designers worked to use the minimum number of parts and the integrate the most use of sustainable materials they could.

GM opened up the Lab for visitors to comment on the design work. Traditionally for automakers, this kind of design work was never seen outside of the design studios to keep competitors in the dark. This is an interesting move by GM to give a peek at what is currently being generated on the designers desks.

This article originally appeared on PSFK.com.

Comments

[DavidJames]

You know it does look like one of the circus cars that the clowns pile out of.

The future is here for those who can cope, but GM just does not get it.

"GM Designer Therese Tant writes, is a back-to basics approach, less is more, less cost, less complexity = efficiency."

I looked under the hood of my 2003 Prius and what did I see? Incredible complexity. For a 3500 lb car, it gets an incredible 47 average mpg. Toyota didn't make the Prius by going back to the 50s.

[WASanford]

I like this car. Is it like the one in the circus where it pulls up and twenty clowns come out of it? Seriously, is GM really interested in new ideas that might improve their products? Would they take those ideas from the public. I have an idea that captures some of the 40% of the energy that escapes from an ICE out its exhaust pipe and use it to extend the car's range. Yes killer, it makes hydrogen from a source of energy that's normally wasted. Since the car has a device on it to break water into its components, AKA on site generation, in this case on the car itself, it's a simple matter to add a power supply to generate hydrogen overnight.

I'm doubtful about having a car that runs on battery power after having my laptop do a flame-out in the library. They said it was the battery and that the exploding battery voided the warranty on my computer.. Nevertheless with an eight year warranty on the volts battery pack, it just might be worth a look. But a $40K Chevy and it's not even a Corvette, I don't know.

[KillTheMessenger]

Wait... I thought this was supposed to be a blog. And you car cutting EVERY submission?

:-)