World’s Most Efficient Electric Car

What’s the Latest Development?

Dubbed the T.27, a new car designed by Formula One racing engineer Gordon Murray, in addition to having an extremely efficient electrical engine, has design specifications that may make it a model for the future of the automobile. “There is a ‘fighter jet’ style door so that passengers can get in and out in a tight space and seats go down to fit goods from six shopping trolleys. … To cut its carbon footprint from the very beginning, the car has been manufactured using the new iStream system, that it requires much less energy and natural resources.”

What’s the Big Idea?

While development of new consumer technologies is often thought of as the responsibility of the private sector in the U.S., the T.27 was developed with the help of $7 million from the U.K.’s Government-backed strategy board. And while the car uses plastic composites rather than steel welding, Murray says the materials are based on the “hyper-strong design” of Formula One cars. While large cars and trucks will persist for the transport of goods, the future of urban transportation must resemble something like the T.27: small, efficient, clean and cost effective.