SYDNEY: Peugeot has provided a snapshot of future urban commuting with its all-electric Fractal Concept coupe.
The squat and menacing looking coupe features a removable roof and offers seating for four in a package that’s shorter than a Peugeot 208 hatch.
Power is supplied by a 40kWh battery pack, mounted in the centre tunnel, driving two 75kW electric motors – one front and one rear – for a combined 150kW output with a 450Km range.
Each of the electric motors features different gearing, with the rear engine optimised for usage up to 100km/h. From there the front motor takes over.
The Fractal weighs just 1000 kilograms, and can complete the 0-100km/h sprint in 6.8 seconds.
Four-wheel electric steering ensures nimble urban handling, and the height adjustable suspension varies from an aerodynamic 70mm ground clearance, up to a more speed-hump friendly 110mm for city commuting.
The Fractal’s i-Cockpit interior is constructed from a range of audio-inspired materials, with black oak and copper throughout the interior, textile mesh and white leather on the seats, and 3D printed anechoic surfaces (like the foam wedges you’d find in a recording studio) to reduce ambient noise.
Over 80% of the Fractal’s interior has been 3D printed. Driver information is supplied by a holographic head-up display, as well as a customisable 12.3 inch digital instrument display, and a 7.7 inch AMOLED mounted in the centre console.
French audio specialist Focal has crafted the Fractal’s sound system, featuring 9.1.2 channel sound which teams seven linen-fibre speakers, four aluminium magnesium tweeters, and two subwoofers with a two-channel tactile bass system in the back of each seat.
Tactile bass uses solid objects to transfer bass to a listener’s inner ear via their own body, reducing outside interference, and said to deliver a more immersive listening experience.
Outside the car the Fractal delivers its own sound signature, created by Brazilian sound engineer and influential electronic music artist, Amon Tobin, the Fractal is able to convey to other road users if it is accelerating, cruising, or decelerating.
The concept is also connected to a Samsung Gear S Smartwatch, and can provide info on the battery, charge time, interior temperate and vehicle location. Driver’s can also open the doors, or adjust the climate control and sound system via the watch.
The Peugeot Fractal will make its public debut at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show.
