The young and almost unknown company Techrules from China presented two supercars at the Geneva Motor Show, which present not only an impressive data sheet but also innovative technology. The E-cars rely on a patented turbine charging system and want to drive away all current problems of electromobility.
The AT96 and the GT96 are each driven by an 768 kW / 1.044 PS strong electric motor. The new thing about it: The range extender is not a piston engine but a gas turbine. For this reason, the vehicles are referred to as turbine recharging electric vehicles (TREV) and are intended to achieve enormous performance and consumption values. According to the manufacturer, more than 2.000 kilometers of range are possible. The consumption should be at only 0,18 liters per 100 kilometers. The driving performance also reads impressively: speed is at 100 in 2,5 seconds, only at 350 km / h is it limited.
The range extender system generates power through a microturbine, which in turn charges a battery pack. The wheels are then driven by electric motors. The newly developed battery technology promises higher charging efficiency and also requires less battery cells, which saves weight and space. A full charge should only take around 40 minutes.
When it comes to the technology of the hybrid drive system, William Jin, founder of Techrules, was influenced by aviation technology and power generation. The microturbine is more efficient compared to the reciprocating piston engine because less energy is lost due to friction losses and the energy of the fuel is better used. In the sports car, the turbine is arranged behind the vehicle interior and in front of the rear wheels.
Among the disadvantages of e-cars in addition to the short range is currently still the poor supply of too few charging stations. In order to avoid investments in new grids, the turbine of the TREV system is tested in different variants and can be operated with natural gas, biogas, diesel, petrol and the jet fuel kerosene.
There are currently two versions of the turbine loader racers that could give an outlook on future series models. The GT96 - GT for gas turbine - is designed for gaseous fuels such as biogas and natural gas and designed as a roadworthy vehicle. The AT96 is a racetrack version with a large rear wing. The abbreviation AT stands for "Aviation Turbin" and makes it clear that the turbine is designed to operate with a liquid fuel such as diesel, petrol or kerosene.
The super sports cars should be ready for series production in just a few years and then be available in a small edition. After that, the technology will be used in small and compact car segment city cars, which can be produced in large numbers.
