CRISTIAN GNATICOV wrote:Chinese automaker Techrules believes that it has a real shot at the supercar segment with their first production model - the Ren.
Displayed in Geneva in a world premiere, the exotic machine is available in three configurations, with two, four, and six electric motors, and a patented diesel-fueled turbine (TREV) charging system.
Get ready to be blown away by the official output, as it sits at 1,305 PS (1,287 HP) and 2,340 Nm (1,725 lb-ft) of torque in the range-topper, which uses two electric motors at the front and four at the rear. This configuration allows the 0-100 km/h (62 mph) acceleration to be made in just 2.5 seconds; top speed stands at 320 km/h (199 mph).
If these numbers scare you, then the supercar can also be had with 870 PS (858 HP) and 1,560 Nm (1,150 lb-ft) of torque in the four-motor version, while the two-motor one comes with more down-to-earth figures of 435 PS (429 HP) and 780 Nm (575 lb-ft) of torque.
Coming to provide the necessary juice are three battery packs, with capacities of 14 kWh, 25 kWh and 32 kWh. These can be charged up to 80 percent in less than 15 minutes, using a DC fast charger, and have a lifespan of 100,000 cycles.
Two types of TREV are available - 30 kW and 80 kW, and in its most frugal offering, the Techrules Ren can be driven for 2,000 km (1,243 miles) on 80 liters of fuel. Moreover, the zero-emission range stands at 200 km (124 miles). The automaker says that the TREV is more efficient when running on diesel, but it can also be used with gaseous fuels.
Numbers aside, the Techrules Ren doesn’t look half bad, and for two good reasons - Fabrizio and Giorgetto Giugiaro, two renowned automotive designers, who have come up with the striking modular 3-cockpit look.
The supercar has a fighter jet-style canopy that rises to enable occupant access, alongside the star-burst reversing LEDs, laser headlights. The modular layout allows it to be configured with three canopies, providing the necessary space for the driver, driver and one passenger or driver and two passengers.
Three separate monitoring screens take center stage inside, alongside fine Italian leather, denim fabric, and exposed carbon-fiber section. Moreover, the Chinese incorporated speakers and microphones into the seats to improve communication between passengers, while the driver can talk to whoever is outside using a speaker and microphone-system hidden under the side badges.
Techrules estimates that production will commence next year, and a limited run 96 examples will be hand-built in Italy, but in no more than 10 units annually. Pricing has yet to be revealed, but it will likely sit in the 7-digit zone.
