RCA 'Future Car' design competition winner announced

Michal Vlcek, a first-year student in the Vehicle Design department at London's Royal College of Arts, has been announced by the organizers of the London Motorexpo as the winner of the competition to design an innovative electric-powered car.

The competition, which was open exclusively to RCA students, asked for designs for the four person electric vehicle of 2032, using "the packaging advantages of an electric motor to move way from the formulaic styling of many modern-day passenger cars".

Vlcek's high-quality artwork and lateral thinking proved to be instrumental in his success. The electric motors that power the car are installed within the wheels, which maximizes interior space while the vehicle's rear lights are mounted on aerodynamic vanes, helping to improve the car's stability. Rather than going for atraditional door design, Vlcek's concept has a hinged nose access point, meaning occupants enter and exit from the rear.

Nir Siegel was highly commended for his submission. His design was for a small, original city car in which the driver sits at the center of the cabin allowing maximum visibility. This is also helped by the seating arrangement, which is set in a diamond formation.

Graeme Carver, CEO of Motorexpo, commented, "Motorexpo is a celebration of all things automotive, from supercars to the latest electric and hybrid models, so it's great to be able to commission some innovative concepts for the show.

"The creative talent displayed in this competition is a credit to the RCA and to the students themselves, who I'm sure have great careers in the motor industry mapped ahead of them. I have no doubt we will be seeing some of their designs made real at future Motorexpo events."

Motorexpo is open daily at Canary Wharf, London, from 10am to 6pm (11-16 June) and 11am to 5pm on 17 June. Details on how to get there and information on the show is available at the London Motorexpo website.

By Rufus Thompson