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2010 Seat IBE Concept news, pictures, and information | ||
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SEAT is showcasing the IBE Concept, a compact sports coupé for the age of electric mobility
• New dynamic concept for sustainable urban mobility• Featuring design traits that will shape future SEAT models
• SEAT is also unveiling the definitive Ibiza ST version
SEAT unveiled the IBE Concept at the Geneva Motor Show, a compact, sporty, urban vehicle equipped wîth an all-electric powertrain packaged wîth a fascinating design statement that shapes the silhouette of future company models. The Geneva event also witnessed the presentation of the new compact Ibiza estate version that will go on sale before next summer.
SEAT chairman James Muir single-handedly revealed the world premiere IBE Concept. He declared that 'with the IBE, we are demonstrating that for SEAT, electric mobility will always be combined wîth excellent design and outstanding driving fun. The IBE is in the best of SEAT tradition of always offering the boldest and most youthful cars in their class. Our new concept is a reinterpretation of the widely perceived electric car. It is proportionately compact and features tremendous styling.'
With its manageable dimensions, its agility and dynamics, the SEAT IBE is the perfect fit for city streets. Tightly cut as a 2+2-seater, it is conceived for youthful lifestyles. With a maximum output of 102 hp (75 kW), and 200 Nm of torque, the power unit delivers exactly the kind of dynamic driving fun suggested by the exterior styling and a driving range of up to 130 km.SEAT also presented the definitive version of the new Ibiza ST, the compact estate styling of the company's best-selling model. According to Muir, 'The Ibiza is SEAT's most popular model and an example of successful leadership in its §egmènt. With the new family-sized ST version in the showrooms before the summer, we expect to boost sales of this model as well as increase the production volume at the Martorell factory.'
 | Vital Stats |
| Engine : Power: 102 hp Torque: 147 ft-lbs | |
The young sports car for the electric age
• Dynamic concept for urban mobility • Stunning evolution of design DNA
• Electric drive wîth 75 kW (102 hp) for zero-emissions driving
• Continuation of efficiency strategy
• Development of electric car expertise in Spain under SEAT leadership
SEAT is delivering a powerful statement wîth a compact sports coupé that carries stunning design and great driving fun into the age of electric mobility. The SEAT IBE concept car uses the zero-emissions drive of the future in a sporty and dynamic concept for urban mobility, while the clean, athletic styling of the IBE concept offers an exciting perspective on the ongoing development of the next generation of SEAT design. Powerful proportions and a precise, clear design language define the continued evolution of the Spanish brand's design DNA.
Short, low and wide, an extremely low front end and broad shoulders – at first glance, the SEAT IBE displays the proportions of a classic sports car. Yet, it interprets this style genre in an innovative and unique manner – in a compact vehicle optimised for youthful living in urban areas.
'With the IBE, we are demonstrating that, for SEAT, electric mobility will always be combined wîth excellent design and outstanding driving fun,' says James Muir, President of SEAT, S.A. 'The IBE is in the best SEAT tradition of always offering the boldest and most youthful cars in its class. On top of that, our first electric concept car represents the continuation of our strategy for the future; after the huge success of the highly efficient ECOMOTIVE models, we are now working intensively on electric mobility; and that includes plug-in hybrid drive, as well as an all-electric vehicle.'
The design
The IBE concept car delivers an enticing perspective on the ongoing development of SEAT design. The pure forms, the precise lines and the exact surfaces depict a consistent and unique design language that clearly sustains the SEAT identity in all its modernity. 'The IBE is like a concentrated gene pool for our next generation of vehicles. It will have a clear impact on all our models.' says SEAT Chief Designer Luc Donckerwolke. 'And it also represents a promise for the future of the automobile – even wîth electric drive, design will still be exciting and driving will still be fun; at least, in a SEAT.'The SEAT IBE is 3.78 metres long – making it more than 25 centimetres shorter than an Ibiza - but its unusual breadth of 1.80 metres and overall height of only 122 centimetres lend it classic sports car proportions. Another classically sporty feature of the two-door layout is its extremely low bonnet and its long roof line. The short front overhang and muscular rear end wîth almost no overhang work together wîth the 19-inch wheels to underscore the car's powerful and compact look.
The front end is characterised by full-LED headlamps that are as sophisticated in their design as they are distinctive. They bear the characteristic V typical of SEAT's so-called 'arrow design'. The entire front end takes a powerful V form that then carries on through the bonnet. The two air intakes in the lower bumper section are ample for the relatively low cooling requirements of the electric drive. The SEAT logo is located on a trapezoidal functional surface. The alternative drive enables an extremely high degree of consistency in the design – because the compact electric motor and its power electronics require less packaging space, it was possible to stretch the V-shaped bonnet a lot flatter across the front end than would have been possible wîth an internal combustion engine.
The side profile of the IBE emphasises its powerful stature – its broad shoulders, its sculpted flanks wîth a distinctive cut-in behind the front wheel, and the large wheels featuring an aerodynamically optimised five-spoke design all serve to underscore the dynamic look. The tires, on the other hand, wîth their 175 format, are far from extreme – wîth their low rolling resistance, they contribute to the high efficiency of the electric concept car. The roofline stretches rearwards, wîth the side glass surfaces kept low.
The rear end picks up the characteristic form of the front and reinterprets it. The rear light clusters featuring LED light guide technology once again display the 'arrow' thematic wîth a hint of a diffuser beneath the rear bumper area reflecting the visual of the front air intakes. The entire vehicle is completely free from ornamentation – good design needs no decor. Every single line has its function in structuring the volumes and surfaces of the car; every muscle emerging from the form emphasises the sporty design. The reduction of forms, their consistent application and the precision in every detail are fixed elements of the SEAT design philosophy – and will be even more evident in future.
The concept
With its manageable dimensions, its agility and dynamics, the SEAT IBE is the perfect fit for city streets. Tightly cut as a 2+2-seater, it is conceived for youthful lifestyles. It has plenty of space for a couple, while also offering capacity for four. The long roofline ensures good interior headroom, while still retaining space for luggage or leisure equipment.'SEAT has set itself the challenge to develop new concepts for new mobility demands in large cities,' says Frank Bekemeier, who is Executive Vice President for Research and Development at SEAT. 'The IBE is a zero-emissions vehicle, which is becoming increasingly important in many areas, and is optimised for future information systems. With its compact dimensions, its great manoeuvrability and high degree of usability, it is the perfect fit for the multi-faceted demands of a young target group.'
The SEAT IBE is an all-electric vehicle that generates zero local emissions. The drive motor is located together wîth the power electronics beneath the extremely flat bonnet, wîth the lithium-ion battery positioned in the car's very short rear. With a maximum output of 75 kW (102 hp) and 200 Nm of torque, the power unit delivers exactly the kind of dynamic driving fun suggested by the exterior styling. The city dash from 0 to 50 km/h takes only 3.4 seconds; within 6.3 seconds, the IBE has reached 80 km/h, and after only 9.4 seconds it arrives at 100 km/h. This impressive performance is a function not only of the powerful off-the-line characteristics of the electric motor, but also the low weight of the SEAT IBE, which tips the scales at only 1,000 kilograms.
The continuous power rating it limited to 50 kW (68 hp), wîth the top speed pegged at 160 km/h – which is more than enough to cut an impressive figure even on urban motorways. Battery capacity is 18 kWh, which is plenty to cover all the daily mobility requirements of city life. It goes without saying that the SEAT IBE is equipped wîth the latest safety and communication systems and, in particular, is prepared for car-to-x communication. Within the information network of the future, the SEAT IBE exchanges data concerning status or safety alerts directly wîth other vehicles or the traffic infrastructure.
The expertise
SEAT is a vehicle manufacturer wîth a particularly high degree of expertise in environmentally friendly technologies. Recent years have seen fuel consumption systematically reduced across the individual model ranges, wîth SEAT ECOMOTIVE emerging to enjoying enormous success on the market as a brand for exceptionally high-efficiency vehicles. The pinnacle is the Ibiza ECOMOTIVE, which, despite its powerful 59 kW (80 hp) output consumes only 3.7 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres and emits only 98 grams of CO2 per kilometre. SEAT continues to expand the ECOMOTIVE range, wîth the Leon, Altea, Altea XL and Alhambra also set to receive exceptionally low-consumption TDI variants.
The next step in the SEAT strategy is the Leon Twin Drive ECOMOTIVE. Its drive is derived from a combination of an internal combustion engine and an electric motor. Yet it is far more than a conventional hybrid; it is a plug-in vehicle. Its lithium-ion battery can be charged at a regular electrical socket and has a range fully-charged of around 50 kilometres. For longer trips, the internal combustion engine takes over. The first series production version of the Leon Twin Drive ECOMOTIVE is planned for 2014.
The development target is the all-electric vehicle, wîth the SEAT IBE concept car serving as a taster. At the same time, the IBE marks the start of a targeted project for the promotion and development of electric mobility in Spain. The Cenit VERDE initiative brings together the capabilities of 16 leading technology companies and 16 leading universities and research establishments.
With its expertise in research, development and production, SEAT has taken over the industrial leadership of this project. Support by the Spanish Ministry for Science and Innovation (CDTI), the company will explore, develop and establish the fundamental requirements for electric mobility. The objective is to explore technologies for the production of electric vehicles in Spain and for the establishment of the associated infrastructure.
'This project is very important for Spain, for its technological development, its future perspectives and its industrial network,' says Frank Bekemeier, SEAT Executive Vice President for Research and Development. 'The initiative is one of the most ambitious challenges faced by this country. With the SEAT IBE concept car, we are providing this process wîth very clear impetus.'Source - Seat
 2010
Seat
models |
| Seat Alhambra |
| Seat Exeo |
| Seat Exeo ST |
| Seat Ibiza Bocanegra |
| Seat Ibiza FR TDI |
| Seat Ibiza FR TDI SC |
| Seat León CUPRA R | 2010 Seat Concepts |
| Seat IBE Paris Concept |
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