Mercedes-Benz Archimed Concept from Iran

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed)
Dec 21st 2009 at 7:01AM

When Iran makes it into the media here these days the focus tends to be negative, but not all the news is bad. Mohammad Morassafar, a young mechanical engineering and design student at Azad University in Tehran, has shown that with his newly unveiled eco-efficient Archimed Mercedes-Benz concept. His innovative three-wheeled, two-door, four-passenger luxury transport is named in honor of Archimedes, the Greek mathematician, physicist, engineer, inventor, and astronomer. Fitted with gullwing doors, the hybrid vehicle carries a combination of three different engines, two electrical and one diesel powered. With a hypothetical output of 356 hp it's designed to achieve a top speed of 158 mph. Able to literally turn on a dime and rotate 360 degrees while stationary, it's designed to maneuver in cramped urban quarters.

[via JamesList]

Tags: car design, CarDesign, concept car, ConceptCar, hybrid, Iran, Mercedes-Benz, Tehran

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Green

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Kirk Dec 21st 2009 9:41PM

Copying the Aptera much?....its a pretty design, but not original at all.

Leon Stark Dec 26th 2009 11:25PM

Refer to the Buckminster Fuller "Dymaxion". Three wheel, turn on a dime and hyper-efficient.

reallytorkedoff Jan 9th 2010 11:07PM

Per this page, the Dymaxion car was a mess:
http://hotgates.stanford.edu/Bucky/dymaxion/timeline.htm

I do like the Aptera. Futuristic looks and apparently solid engineering.

I just wonder if there's enough cargo capacity for a good Costco run.

Steve Jan 20th 2010 2:46PM

I've seen the Aptera up close. Not that impressive at all and neither are the staff that's trying to sell them. I talked with other people that had put down an deposit for one and generally, the view was "its ok, but not worth $25-40K" Simple questinos like "where's the spare" were unanswered. I got my deposit back instead of waiting for one that "might" be built in 2010. The original designer and engineered were fired by the venture capitalists that own the company. A Detroit auto "expert" was hired to run it (add into the ground).