Green Automotive Company announced today that its UK subsidiary, Liberty Electric Cars, has been chosen by the European Union to be a major partner in the prestigious epsilon innovation programme. Selected due to the company’s leading electric vehicle design and engineering accomplishments, the project’s ultimate goal will be to successfully develop a small electric passenger vehicle that optimises safety, performance and comfort features while integrating all the benefits of a lightweight unique body construction. The project will be co-funded by the 7th Framework for Research and Technological Development which is the EU’s main arm for financially supporting essential research throughout the continent.
Liberty Electric Cars will advise on the best materials to be used throughout the vehicle body construction and the precise manufacturing methods that will need to be employed, while directly contributing to the overall market research and resulting vehicle design specifications. In addition to balancing a low vehicle weight (less than 600 kg) with performance and comfort considerations, an ultimate goal will be to achieve an excellent vehicle safety rating for both occupants and pedestrians by receiving at least a 4-star Euro NCAP rating (equivalent to the American NCAP rating). The epsilon project also aims to successfully reach a new level of energy efficiency that can result in a pure electric driving range of at least 150 km in a realistic urban driving environment, with an acceleration time of 0-100 km/h in less than 10 seconds.
