Rinspeed Exasis Concept: More Information

Press Release

Swiss made: Esoro

Frank M. Rinderknecht used highly advanced technology and a Swiss-based network of top automotive specialists for his project. Although there is no automobile production in Switzerland, there is a very active automotive supply industry there. Many highly innovative prototypes have been developed and manufactured in Switzerland. engineered by Esoro - What you dream is what you get.

For the eighth time the Swiss engineering company Esoro was hired to serve as general contractor for the entire vehicle project. Esoro was responsible for project management, implementation of new technologies, engineering, design and manufacturing of the Rinspeed “eXasis”.

Esoro realized the concept with the help of its highly competent suppliers Schwaller AG (chassis), Weber Motor / Swissauto (engine) and Protoscar (styling). Starting with initial concepts, it took the highly skilled development team just six months to realize the entire project.

Esoro has been a contract developer in the areas of automotive production, lightweight design and plastics technology for 16 years. During this time it has gained a well-deserved reputation for excellent efficiency and innovative solutions not just in these but also in other fields, including fuel-cell vehicles and prototype design. Esoro has impressively demonstrated its expertise with numerous extraordinary prototypes.

Another recent development from Esoro is the new E-LFT production technology developed for Weber Fibertech. E-LFT makes large scale production of high-strength and lightweight composite parts affordable. E-LFT composite parts weigh 30-50 percent less than comparable steel parts. The tailgate of the new smart fortwo is actually produced with our E-LFT technology. Furthermore another production process for niche markets, like high performance cars, trucks and caravans is now introduced by ESORO to several OEM’s. The new and patented process called Melt Embossing does offer the possibility to produce high end thermoplastic composite parts with low initial invest for structural and semi-structural applications. Esoro is able to offer the entire service starting from topological optimization and explicit FE calculations trough to the delivery of the serial parts.

eXasis – why the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE) is involved in this project

The SFOE is interested in the eXasis concept for two main reasons: The vehicle is energy-efficient thanks to its lightweight construction and it is powered by renewable energy.

The most effective way to cut a motor vehicle’s fuel consumption is to reduce its body weight, and this in turn gives rise to other weight reductions: Lighter vehicle - lighter components - smaller and lighter engine.

Effects of improvements:

The SFOE is of course well aware that the eXasis can never be brought onto the commercial market. However, components and assemblies based on its technology can certainly help cut fuel consumption. Viewed in this light, eXasis can function as a demonstration platform for lightweight (i.e. energy-efficient) components such as: seats, body panels and fenders.

The second reason for the SFOE’s involvement in this project concerns the fuel the vehicle uses: E85. This is a mixture comprising 15 percent petrol and 85 percent ethanol. Ethanol is a renewable bio-fuel that is largely CO2 neutral when burned. In the future it will become especially attractive once it can be marketed as a second-generation bio-fuel (i.e. use of the entire plant instead of just its fruit). Thanks to its high octane level, E85 can also be used in engines with a high compression ratio, and this in turn increases the engine’s level of efficiency.

Reduction of CO2 with bioethanol

By signing the protocol of Kyoto, Switzerland engaged to reduce the emission of climate affecting gas. Our law on CO2 requires that the emissions up to the year 2010 get reduced for 10 % compared with 1990. The use of bioethanol as fuel may be a contribution to reach this objective. During its project Etha+, Alcosuisse – a profit centre of the Swiss Alcohol Board – analyses the use and the competitive ability of ethanol blended petrol in Switzerland.

Bioethanol means ethyl alcohol obtained by fermentation of sugars in plants. The chemical formula of bioethanol is the same as for traditional ethanol (C2H5OH). Ethanol may only be named as bioethanol if it is produced from vegetable raw material like for example wood, beets, corn and grass. These renewable energy sources we know also as biomass.

Concerning the production and use of bioethanol as a fuel, Brazil is probably the most advanced country. There, bioethanol takes 22 % of the fuel needs. In the USA, more than 10 % of petrol is blended with more than 10 % bioethanol. In Sweden, the petrol that is blended with 5 % bioethanol gets distributed by the normal cannels and without any special label at the filling station.

Unleaded petrol as a blend with 5 % bioethanol reduces the emission of CO2 for about 3.5 % to 4.0 % per litre petrol replaced by bioethanol. That means there is a reduction of 1.6 kg to 1.8 kg CO2 emission. As long as the ethanol is produced only from renewable raw materials the production lasts CO2 neutral. The emission of greenhouse gas during the production and combustion of bioethanol get compensated by the plant's CO2 intake during its growth.

Several studies allowed express by concrete figures the reduction of CO2 emissions. Unleaded petrol blended with 5 % bioethanol provides for savings of 1.3 litres crude oil and 2.4 kg CO2equiv per added litre bioethanol on the same power density. If the total of Swiss petrol consumption was replaced by ethanol blended petrol, we reached an annual reduction of CO2 greenhouse gas emissions for over 600'000 tons.

However, from the production surplus from potatoes, grain, sugar beets and whey, there could be produced 45 million litre bioethanol today. This corresponds to 900 million litre petrol blended with 5 % bioethanol. That means about a fifth of the Swiss petrol consumption.

Due to the high labour costs and several legal regulations to be met, the prime costs in Switzerland are much higher than for example in Brazil. That's why, for an inland production of bioethanol, a protection by customs or contingents especially during the starting phase would be necessary. This might be difficult to agree with the current economic policy and the existing trade agreements. So, for politic and economic reasons it seems obviously to import the bioethanol. If this is also ecologically efficient, is undecided.

Actually, the largest part of bioethanol that is used for fuel purpose in Switzerland is produced by Borregaard Schweiz AG in Attisholz. The ethanol is obtained by fermentation of a by-product of the cellulose production. The raw material of this Swiss Bioethanol for fuel purpose is wood.