Air Motion Design Study (Sweden, 2010)

Volvo developed for the 2010 LA Design Challenge a vehicle lighter than a Formula 1 racing car, driving without gasoline. The Volvo designers focused on minimizing weight and complexity, while maximizing driving enjoyment.

The Volvo Air Motion is designed like a clam shell and sculptured from ultra light carbon fiber.
It uses thousands fewer components than a traditional car thanks to simple compressed air motors that replace a heavy internal combustion engine. The motors cool down under load rather than heat up, and make heavy cooling systems superfluous.

The Air Motion is powered by air turbines floating 1,000ft in the air they harness the power of the wind and convert it to electricity to provide the compression. Hence, the car unites Scandinavian design and a guilt free, raw driving experience.

In 2010 the Design Challenge was awarded at the Los Angeles Auto Show for the 7th time. Clearly, the challenge 2010 was referring to the need for society to minimize consumption of the earth's resources and produce and consume more sustainably.

The major automotive design studios were invited to develop an efficient, light-weight, four passenger vehicle (not to exceed 1,000 lbs./454 kg kerb weight), that is both comfortable and safe, while delivering satisfactory driving performance without sacrificing the styling consumers demand. For the first time studios from Germany and Japan took part in the competition which gives studios a chance to explore new ideas in automotive design.

Volvo Air Motion has been developed at Volvo Monitoring and Concept Center (VMCC) that opened in 1986. VMCC is situated in Camarillo, California. VMCC Air Motion Team: Chris Benjamin, Dean Bakker, Steve Goodrich, Bjorn Wessman, Doug Frasher, Dean Shaw and Geza Loczi.