GM, partner to unveil 2-seaters
ADDRESSING URBAN CONGESTION
BY TIM HIGGINS
FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER
To Americans, the two-person vehicle -- dubbed EN-V -- might look like a giant helmet on two wheels but General Motors sees the concept as a potential answer for overly congested cities where the idea of an easy-to-park, zero-emissions vehicle could be appealing.
GM was set to unveil today its latest vision of future personal transportation for large and densely populated cities, such as those exploding in Asia.
"EN-V reinvents the automobile by creating a new vehicle DNA through the convergence of electrification and connectivity. It provides an ideal solution for urban mobility that enables future driving to be free from petroleum and emissions, free from congestion and accidents, and more fun and fashionable than ever before," Kevin Wale, GM China president, said in a statement.
GM, which has been working with Segway on the concept, said that the EN-V could be one-sixth the size of a regular passenger car and sell for substantially less. GM and its Chinese partner, Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp. Group (SAIC), are to show off the three working versions of the vehicle -- the Pride, Magic and Laugh -- at the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai, which runs May through October.
By 2030, GM noted, more than 60% of the world's 8 billion people are expected to live in urban areas, putting even greater pressure on already struggling public infrastructures, such as roads. To read the entire article click here:
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