Envisioning a vehicle that minimizes auto waste, designer Alexander Vittouris has come up with an innovative vehicle called the Chevrolet T-REX that simplifies, consolidates and reduces (unnecessary) auto parts to cut down not only production costs but pollution as well, even without hampering the performance of the vehicle. Featuring self-contained electric in-wheel motors to create a simple “bolt on” drivetrain solution, the concept car replacing the traditional sheet metal is finished with textile-liberated “skin” that ensures durability, other than reducing the weight and mass of the vehicle. Powered by the bolt on engine, the futuristic car makes use of Tweel (tire technology derived from Michelin) to reduce the avoidable parts. Incorporating interconnected structural elements, the vehicle provides sufficient protection to commuters, while maintaining strength, agility and stability.
Just stumbled across this post. I’m the designer of this vehicle, which was completed for final year industrial design at Monash University, Melbourne. One of the other ideas incorporated into the design of the T-REX, was the seamless integration of interior and exterior - the exterior material becomes the seating cocoon for the driver and the two rear passengers.
Almost all vehicles, both production and concept, have a disconnection between the notion of the interior and the exterior - this was amongst many of the issues I was looking into.
The idea for the T-REX was formulated before the public release of the BMW GINA concept, however, I would like to think of my concept as distancing itself from the GINA by the strict parts reduction of structural members - allowing for flat packing of parts, whilst also focusing on minimising suspension and drive train components, and the mentioned integration and simplification of interior space.
The idea behind the extremely simplified interlocking chassis flat pack design was to include the consumer in the production process, thereby - something rarely seen in mass production culture (except for IKEA!)
As I am looking at making this concept a reality, I’d definitely value any questions to my email carsvittouris(at)hotmail(dot)com
