SEAT unveils plans for its first electric car

    | Charis Whitcombe

    SEAT has joined the automotive industry’s electric revolution: the Spanish manufacturer has just announced that it’s working on its first electric car – which should be in production from 2015.

    Technology-wise, the company is backing two horses, so to speak. First, SEAT is developing a prototype plug-in hybrid, the Leon TwinDrive Ecomotive, and secondly, there will be a totally electrically driven Altea XL Electric Ecomotive.

    SEAT intends its all-electric Altea to put out a comfortable 115HP and 270Nm of torque, translating to a limited top speed of 135km/h. The car will be aimed at company or family use – and the manufacturer hopes that by putting the batteries under the rear seats and boot, there will be plenty of room for passengers. Meanwhile, one of the many ‘green’ technologies is on the roof: photovoltaic cells which help produce energy for the climate control system.

    As for the hybrid Leon, SEAT claims a range of 52km and top speed of 120km/h in full electric mode; and in combined mode (electric plus internal combustion) forecasts a mere puff of CO2 – just 39g/km, despite a cheerful top speed of 170km/h.

    All in all, SEAT is working hard on its environmental contribution. It’s also announced a number of programmes to reduce CO2 emissions from its manufacturing and shipping – including a vast rooftop photovoltaic facility, targeted to produce 10.6MW and reduce CO2 emissions by 6,200 tonnes per year. And we like it even more for being called ‘SEAT in the Sun’.

     

    [Photograph: istockphotos.com]