Developed in conjunction with MIT, the Terzo Millennio Concept is Lamborghini’s take on a future EV that is designed to push the technology far beyond current levels. As part of program, MIT intends to develop body parts that not only provide structure for the car’s shape, but also act as “energy accumulators”. In other words, they would be able to store energy like a battery pack. But unlike current battery technology, these elements would function more like a hybrid between that technology and supercapacitors, which can store and discharge energy much more quickly. This capability is something that would enable high performance and quick recharging while at the same time being stable enough to retain energy for the same time current batteries do.
If you take a good look at the body of the concept, you will see that all body panels also have an aerodynamic function. The Terzo Millenio is fitted with electric motors in each wheel, something that increases the unsprung weight and may present handling challenges, but Lamborghini is also committed to making lighter electric motors and lighter wheels, which could minimize these issues.
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Carbon fiber that heals itself
Another innovative element of the Terzo Millennio is the use of carbon fiber even in parts that are highly susceptible to fatigue, such as the suspension. One approach being explored is developing carbon fiber pieces that are able to regenerate themselves. The idea is to fit them with nanotubes containing chemical compounds. When (and if) they crack, these chemicals could cure these damage as soon as a problem appears and prevent the parts from breaking.
Despite previous statements that the company has no interest in self-driving features, Lamborghini flirts with autonomous technologies in the Terzo Millennio. The concept’s autonomous systems, called Piloted Driving, can take its driver through known circuits, such as Imola. It would be like a “virtual instructor” controlling the vehicle. After learning the ins and outs of the track, the aspiring driver could take full control of the car and try to repeat the performance of the “instructor” by chasing that virtual image (presented as a hologram in a head-up display) around the track.
Started in November 2016, this partnership between MIT and Lamborghini is expected to last another two years. During this period, the proposed technologies will be developed into a working concept as early as November 2019. As it sits now, Terzo Millennio is just a mock-up that may point to a future design direction for the Italian make.
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