The Bugatti Type 35 is a classic Bugatti racing model. Popular in the 1920s it is noted as being very successful in races from that era, notching over 1,000 wins in its time.
The original used “an evolution of the 3-valve 2.0 L (1991 cc/121 in³) overhead cam straight-8 engine first seen on the Type 29.” It is a fitting car to serve as a concept inspiration for an electric supercar of the future as envisioned by French designer Marc Devauze.
Dubbed the Bugatti TypeZero, this concept idea, showcased on Behance, takes the turn of the century looks of the Type 35 and gives it a decidedly 21st century look. Devauze notes, for example, the electric car idea’s interior “is constructed like an old race car with an enveloping bucket seat stretched through the car.”
The vehicle is propelled by an electric motor on each of the four wheels, powered by user replaceable lithium-air batteries. These batteries, even with their “great capacity,” said the designer, may still need to be charged when the vehicle is used intensively. Items in the design tied to the electric car include an electric charge display built into the side as well as kinetic energy recovery to help recharge the batteries.
An interesting aspect of this design is what is described as mechanical feedback. The vehicle is designed to provide the driver information through various means, such as the interface and the interior’s layout, of the performance of the electrical power train.
The batteries are visible from the interior, and the TypeZero’s instrument cluster is laid out as such that it is comprised of “one speedometer, one aviation type type electric contactor and a real time energy intensity display.”
It is unlikely this concept is actually something Bugatti would turn into a real car. Still it is a great green vehicle design idea.
