Concept Car of the Week: Keio Advanced Zero (2001)

‘Eight-wheeler electric limo-MPVs are the future!' said nobody. Ever. But professor Hiroshi Shimizu from Keio University in Japan believed such a machine could help him promote his innovative electric car concept.

The Keio Advanced Zero (KAZ) was designed in collaboration with Italy's IDEA Institute and 14 Japanese companies over a five-year period. The project cost $4million, and gave the designers completely free reign to come up with a unique look to cover the KAZ's innovative lithium-ion powertrain with its eight in-wheel motors.

Professor Shimizu's ambition was to produce an electric car which offered better performance and functionality than conventional ICE cars. Each motor produced 55kW maximum power, taking the total power output to a massive 440kW, or 590bhp.

All 84 batteries and electric components were built inside the strong floor structure, which left more space in the cabin and lowered the center of gravity.

The initial top speed target was 300km/h but with only a week to test the car on the Nardo track in Italy, the team had to work day and night to fix technical problems. It was eventually clocked at 311km/h (193mph), which is very impressive considering this was the first prototype.

The KAZ does not only goes like a train, it also looks like one. At 6.7-meters long and almost 2-meters wide, it needed at least 6 of its 8 wheels steering to turn - the four front wheels turn in parallel while the rear wheels turn in opposite direction. It offered room for eight passengers, but the technical layout of the powertrain could also be adapted for buses and trucks.

After its unveiling at the 2001 Geneva Motor Show, professor Shimizu was approached by various car manufacturers, including Toyota and Nissan. He chose to refine his concept and presented the Ellica three-years later. It still had eight wheels, but thanks to a more streamlined design, the top speed rose to 370km/h (230mph).

First seen 2001 Geneva Motor Show
Length 6,700mm
Width 1,950mm
Height 1,675mm
Weight 2,980kg
Max power 440 kW/590bhp
Top speed 311km/h (193mph)

Your author, Flavien Dachet, is a UK-based, French-born car designer. You may know him as the purveyor of KarzNshit, a photo blog that if it isn't already in your bookmarks, it certainly should be.

By Flavien Dachet