NanoFlowcell, a London-based company trying to bring a new and innovative type of electric powertrain to market, has established its headquarters in New York City. It also introduces a car model that represents the technology it has developed over the years.
Although it’s not a household name, NanoFlowcell has appeared on these pages before: it frequents Geneva car show in the 2010s to reveal a series of futuristic concepts. It hasn’t been talked about much in the past few years and there’s no longer a Geneva auto show to showcase concept cars, but work on developing an electrolytic fuel-powered powertrain continues behind the scenes. . Executives hope that their US division will develop market-specific applications for the technology, and they eventually plan to make cars and fuels there.
Fuel production is critical because NanoFlowcell’s concept cars and prototypes are not ordinary electric vehicles — notably they are not equipped the battery pack. Instead, they run on an electrolytic fuel called Bi-Ion that uses seawater or wastewater as a base. No matter where it comes from, the water is purified and fueled by nanostructured Bi-Ion molecules. They are described as “charge carriers developed for portable renewable energy storage.” The electricity this liquid generates is what sets the electric motors to motion.
On paper, the results are impressive: the Quantino 25 concept (pictured above) is a 2+2 roadster powered by four electric motors, each with 80 hp. The company cites a 0-62-mph time of 2.5 seconds and a maximum driving range of more than 1,200 miles. Fuel is stored in a pair of 33-gallon tanks installed under the floor, a configuration that is said to improve handling by lowering the center of gravity. Visually, the study of design looks like an evolution of Quantino debuted in 2015although it is now equipped with what looks like a removable roof panel.
NanoFlowcell emphasizes that its US division has already started looking for ways to roll Running out of Bi-Ion fuel is here, but there’s no word yet on when (or even if) a Bi-Ion-powered EV will be available. The company adds that it has tested its technology for more than 300,000 miles.
Related videos:
