TMT

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TMT

The BRUTRUCK has evolved to the point where it deserves a new name. As you may recall, 'BRUTRUCK' was the second design in the style begun with the Brubeck. Join 'Brubeck' and 'truck' together, and there you go. The new name, 'TMT', simply stands for "Tellurian Motors Truck"...



What do you know? I promised you an image, and here it is. Looking at it, I can see that some stray pencil lines play havoc with the windshield... Who cares? It's a quick-and-dirty sketch, which after scanning was manipulated only by resizing, cropping, and colour shift from sepia tone. Click for a larger version.

I sketch on printer paper clipped to an aluminum clipboard, with layers of paper under the working sheet. On the page this crop is from are three other images. Two of them are small thumbnail sideviews, at the top. Below those is a rear 3/4 view, much larger. All three are of the TMT with its suspension raised. I didn't 'slam' it until the final sketch, which you see above.

Understand that most of my sketches are for developmental purposes and do not necessarily represent my latest vision of the concept in question. They can be messy and awkward, and it's tough for me to share them. If I had chosen to include the rear 3/4 sketch here, you would be able to see that the rear bumper has a U shape similar to the front, with a gap above it and below the tailgate, for the license plate and taillights.

You don't see mirrors because all Tellurians use small cameras and monitors instead. The TMT has its sideview cameras mounted on linear actuators, to extend out far enough so the driver can see past a trailer. You also won't see a tow hitch, because it's retractable...

Round headlights have been abandoned for this vehicle. The rectangular units shown use a multitude of large LEDs pointed backward at carefully shaped reflectors. LEDs use less power than any other light source, so it makes sense to use them for all lighting on electric vehicles -- and on series hybrids such as the TMT. I had thought of a single bar lamp, nearly full-width across the grille -- but no. This way there's room in between for a winch.

You may be looking at my sketch and thinking it looks like a toy from Hot Wheels or Johnny Lightning, issued somewhere around 1970. This was not my intent, just as it was not my intent for the Brubeck to look like one. It's possible that somewhere in my subconscious is a predilection for such shapes, due to early imprinting from toy cars of that era, which were indeed present in my childhood. If that's so, I actually think it's pretty cool...


I've thought it over, and despite what I said before there's no reason not to include a 4-door option for this truck. Contrary to that previous post, I see a 4-door instead of an extended cab, and not the other way around. Also, look for the option of a removable roof panel (which would leave a 'Targa bar', though it would not be a true Targa configuration due to square tubing on each side connecting the windshield frame to the back of the cab).

Yes, the TMT has an integral roll cage, just like every other Tellurian Motors vehicle, as part of the frame.

By the way... While writing an earlier post I totally forgot about biodiesel. With a biodiesel series hybrid (as opposed to a diesel vehicle converted to run on biodiesel) you can forget about warming the fuel before starting, since you can set off under battery power. When it's too cold for biodiesel to flow properly, in the TMT you can rely on the batteries to get you underway while the electric warmer does its job (if you really need to fire up the generator for extended range).


Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go to bed and dream about this...



Phil Smith
December 12, 2007

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Design Breakthrough

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Not long after my last post, I was doing small sideview thumbnail sketches of BRUTRUCK -- and made a breakthrough.

It was no more than an adjustment of fold lines and angles, but it transforms the look of the truck and heralds a refinement of almost every vehicle in the Tellurian Motors lineup. The truck has now outgrown its awkward stage...

I should be working on more digital images instead of trying to describe what I see in my head, as usual. Okay then; Expect at least one new image in the next post.


Phil Smith
November 26, 2007

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Truck U

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What the truck?

BRUTRUCK, the truck from Tellurian Motors.

This post will tell you why BRUTRUCK should become the template on which all other pickups are based. Ready?

ECONOMY

The most energy-efficient vehicles are electric -- so efficient that you can go 100 miles on a dollar's worth of energy. To put that in perspective, say your truck can go 20 miles on a gallon of gasoline (which isn't bad -- for a truck), and say you're lucky enough to find gasoline for $3/gallon. You just spent $15 to go 100 miles, and as fuel prices go up you'll spend more and more. Along the way you'll also need oil and filter changes. Now you're asking yourself why your truck isn't electric...

BRUTRUCK is built using simple materials and techniques. Although a few important components are quite expensive, the body and chassis require no tooling. A chassis jig will be the only unique piece of equipment necessary for BRUTRUCK production, meaning it could be assembled in any well-equipped shop anywhere in the world. This may be one of many models Tellurian Motors will offer, in various stages of completion, as 'component vehicles' -- or even as detailed plans. Build it yourself and save thousands.

RANGE

BRUTRUCK has a removable onboard generator, technically making it a series hybrid. The hybrid vehicles you can get from major manufacturers (including the Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid, scheduled to be ready for the 2009 model year) are parallel hybrids. The difference is that a series hybrid relies solely on its electric motor(s) for propulsion, and its motor (or fuel cell) is there only to generate electricity. Parallel hybrids are not designed for sustained operation on electric motors alone. While parallel hybrid vehicles are more fuel-efficient than conventional internal combustion vehicles, they do still consume fuel as a function of their operation, and do not perform well when converted to plug-in hybrids...

A plug-in hybrid is one that can operate as an electric vehicle. Some owners are converting their parallel hybrids into plug-ins -- but the weight of the extra batteries causes a decrease in performance as well as a decrease in efficiency. More powerful motors will solve one issue, but not the other. Since a series hybrid is essentially an electric vehicle already...

Short range and long charging times are what keep electric vehicles from being as useful as internal combustion (and hybrid) vehicles. Never mind that most drivers do not typically go beyond an electric's range on any given day -- they still want the ability to go farther with minimal fuss. A series hybrid would function much better as a plug-in than any converted parallel hybrid, and with 'normal' usage (plugging into a charging station every night) its driver would hardly ever fire up its generator.

VERSATILITY

What do you use your truck for? Do you ever haul or tow an electric generator? BRUTRUCK's battery packs are located under the bed, behind the cab and in front of the rear wheels. Under the hood is, you guessed it, a generator. If you really need to, you can remove it at a jobsite or camping area and leave it behind, running on battery power -- which is no big deal, because you're always running on battery power. You might normally leave it in place (so that you can recharge your battery pack while providing external power), but it's nice to have the option of removal -- especially if it needs servicing or replacement.

The generator could run on any number of fuels, but propane is recommended for its low emissions as well as its ready availability in small exchange tanks meant for outdoor grills and campers. Another 'clean' option is natural gas -- however NG isn't nearly as available, so unless you have a home fuelling station and don't plan to go too far, go with propane. Gasoline and diesel generators can be fuelled almost anywhere, but how truculent would you have to be to specify one for your BRUTRUCK?

Ideally, the generator fitted to your BRUTRUCK would use propane and external combustion to heat water into steam (in a 'lossless' system), which would propel a steam turbine. However these are not yet available, so the greater efficiency they will provide will have to wait. When the time comes, the most difficult part of your upgrade will be the expense. Once that's covered, simply slide the old one out and clamp the new one in.

The space normally occupied by a generator could also hold a fuel cell -- or another battery pack.

BRUTRUCK is capable of handling any of the tasks you'd throw at a conventional light-to-medium-duty pickup, and more. Powerful electric motors front and rear provide all-wheel-drive and instant torque. An adjustable airbag suspension keeps BRUTRUCK level under heavy loads, can help navigate over (and under) obstacles, and can be dropped down for easier cab access. Four-wheel steering allows extremely tight low-speed turns, and the rear wheels can be turned in the same direction as the fronts to 'crab' -- for parallel parking, as one example...

The BRUTRUCK's wheel wells are designed to easily accept the dimensions of Mattracks, bolt-on rubber tracks that take the place of wheels and tires. With these on, you can go almost anywhere...

RESCUE

Oh no! Your friends have forgotten to charge up before leaving the house, or have otherwise exceeded the range of their electric vehicle. Good thing they know someone with a BRUTRUCK, because otherwise they'd have to hire a tow. With your onboard generator, you can find your way to wherever they're stranded and give them a charge.

Or, you're out in the wilderness, four-wheeling with your buddies, and someone has gotten stuck. Of course they ask you to help -- your BRUTRUCK, with its batteries mounted low, provides a more stable winching platform than anything else out there. You did remember to order a winch, didn't you? Order two -- one on the front as usual, and one on the rear to help get your boat trailer in and out of the water...

STYLE

Ever see a truck, and have to take a second look before you know what it is? BRUTRUCK, like everything from Tellurian Motors, has that instantly-recognizable flat-panel style. It isn't easy manipulating angles, planes, and lines into visually pleasing forms -- without a single curve -- but we manage. One reason is to keep the manufacturing process simple, but it doesn't hurt to stand out from the crowd. Speaking of crowds, be prepared for them to gather everywhere you stop...

INVESTMENT

Electric vehicles are inherently more reliable than internal combustion vehicles, due to fewer moving parts. We at Tellurian Motors do not expect you to keep coming back to trade your vehicles in for newer ones. We'd much rather you drive them indefinitely, upgrading various components wherever necessary and/or desirable. Keep on truckin'.



Phil Smith
November 19, 2007

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Pinto II

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There was a time in my life when I drove a green car. It ran on regular gasoline (with lead substitute, where I could get it) and leaked (and burned) oil, so it wasn't 'green' in the eco-friendly sense, but it was green all right, inside and out.



I loved that Pinto. Some of you will never understand, but for me it was the perfect car. I was single, and in my twenties, and didn't have a lot of money to spend. I didn't mind having to replace the spark plugs every so often, because they were easy to get to. I didn't mind buying Castrol by the case, because it had a nice smell as my German-built 2.0-liter overhead cam 4 burned it.

The seats were comfortable, it was fun to drive, and believe it or not, the main reason I bought this '72 -- and the '73 I had before it -- was the styling.

During the 1973 model year, Ford and other American manufacturers started putting big ugly bumpers on their cars, due to legislation that would take effect in 1974. Even imports got them. Nowhere else in the world was there a requirement that vehicles be able to withstand a 5mph front or rear impact with no damage, but we were stuck with it. These bumpers ruined the looks of many cars, and since the majority of Pintos were fitted with them I can forgive those who remember the Pinto as being decidedly unpretty...


Enter the Pinto II. As described in an earlier post, it is a completely new car inspired by the original, done in the Tellurian Motors flat-panel style. It's also electric, so it will be 'green' even if you order yours in bare aluminum.

No images to share yet, unless you count the finger painting at the top of this post...



Phil Smith
November 7, 2007

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The Estate

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It's frustrating.

These images in my head -- I know I can never get them on paper or on a monitor screen the way I see them in my imagination...

And so, here I go again, describing a vehicle concept instead of offering images:

The Tellurian Estate

Mid-sized by 1970s standards, the Tellurian Estate would be considered a full-size "station wagon" today. Based largely on the Time Further Out, its seating capacity ranges from 5 to 8, the maximum being achieved with a front bench and a rear-facing third row for 2, both optional.

I'll stress again how much sense I think it makes to use a motor for each axle in electric passenger cars. With appropriate hardware and software, this gives you on-demand all-wheel-drive. Use a light foot, and you're cruising around in 'economy mode'. Punch it, and the other motor kicks in -- which also happens when the traction control system detects wheelspin. Both motors would always be employed for regenerative braking. Lockout switch disables the second motor ('valet mode')...

Should there be a problem with one motor, you'll be glad to have the second one to keep you moving.

The Tellurian Estate has a long nose, housing the battery packs up there to open up the rear for more passenger/cargo volume and provide a forward weight bias to offset passenger/cargo load. Handling will be at its best when you need it most, carrying many passengers or other precious cargo, weight balance then being closer to 50/50.

As the name implies, yes you can use this car on your country estate. On-demand all-wheel-drive and electropneumatic suspension give the Estate much more capability than a typical passenger car, allowing limited off-road use.

If you want to ride up high and tackle more challenging terrain, we offer the BRUTRUCK and EXOVAN.



Phil Smith
November 1, 2007

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hot rods & customs

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In my first post here, I mentioned some ideas for rods & customs that have been rattling around in my head...

The Deuce 2.5

Have you ever seen an original 1932 Ford pickup?

I have.

Have you ever driven a US Army 2 1/2 ton 6X6?

I have.

The '32 Ford has long been known as the 'Deuce', and that Army workhorse has long been known as the 'Deuce-and-a-Half'. At some point I began to imagine what a '32 Ford would look like if it were modified to 50% 'more'...

Here's my take on it: You know right away, this is going to be a wild custom rod. Instead of two axles at the rear, this beast has two at the front -- and yes, all four front wheels steer. A custom frame is needed for this, but there are a few highly qualified frame builders out there who can handle the task. The sweeping front fenders ('wings') of the original are scrapped in favour of a quartet of angular cycle fenders, reminiscent of the Army truck. Rear fenders are similar.

1932 saw the debut of Ford's flathead V8 engine. Only extreme car geeks like me know that Ford's Lincoln division had a flathead V12 based on the V8. This 'Deuce-and-a-Half' should ultimately have one of those Lincoln V12s, but sourcing it and then having it rebuilt with custom components for greater performance and reliability could prove extremely problematic. A vintage Jaguar V12 will do, even if parts and maintenance are as much or more of an issue. Perhaps a Lamborghini 7.5L V12 under that stretched hood...

Many pickups back then were roadster pickups, with removable folding tops. Army 2 1/2 tons also featured removable tops, either of steel or canvas, to meet a minimum break-down height requirement for aircraft transport. Thus the Deuce 2.5 is not a 'hardcab', but a roadster pickup -- also featuring wooden bows supporting a canvas canopy over the bed, which has fold-down center-facing wooden benches on the sides, just like the Army truck (finished not in green paint, but high-gloss polyurethane).

Paint is olive -- but candy, not drab. Chrome? Yes, please. Even the blackout lights (a full set) will be chromed, or powder-coated to resemble chrome. Reproduction headlights should be fitted with steel covers with slits, just like those used during WWII (except, chromed). Wheels should be painted steelies with Baby Moon hubcaps...

I've pictured this thing cruising without the cab roof, and without the front and rear canopy flaps, but WITH the canopy. Also missing are hood sides, the better to show off the 6-pipe headers on each side. Internal combustion is okay if fuelled by Joe Cell technology...

The Rumbler

Ford changed their styling for 1933, but the only major change for 1934 was the grille. I like the '34 better, so I'll use that as the basis for the Rumbler. What is the Rumbler, you ask? This is something I've been thinking of since junior high. Imagine a '34 roadster with so much space dedicated to its transplanted engine -- an Allison aircraft V12 -- that the body has been cut back so much that there is nowhere for the driver to sit but in the rumble seat...

A rumble seat, in case you are unfamiliar, is a seat set into what would otherwise be the trunk space. Once upon a time, some buyers would opt for this extra seating in the expense of cargo capacity. The seatback folds backward with the lid, where the lid would ordinarily open forward...

For the Rumbler, this is the only seating -- and the windshield disappears into the cowling when the rumble seat is closed, so that the car appears to have no driver compartment at all. Modifications are made so that occupants are not sitting bolt upright, but nestled in with plenty of legroom...

This is a custom rod inspired by drag racers of yesteryear. What would be ironic would be if I executed the concept with a massive electric motor and a ton of lithium-ion batteries instead of an enormous V12 from a WWII fighter plane (with a full hood and sides to conceal those components, instead of no hood at all). Then, it wouldn't rumble...


Customs (as opposed to hot rods)? Let's just say I like doorhandles, and that I've seen too many customs (and rods, for that matter) get way too smooth. I like what was done in the '50s and early '60s, and despise the smooth trend that began in the '80s. I'd like to do a '49-'51 Mercury to show everyone how I think it should be done, but what I really want to customize are those forward-control vans and pickups of the 1960s...

ChevyVan, its GMC equivalent, first-generation Ford Econoline, and Dodge A100. Just let me loose...



Phil Smith
October 9th, 2007


Just when you thought I'd gone on long enough, here's more:


Yes, I said I like doorhandles, yet they are conspicuously absent from my concepts. For me, it's a matter of preserving a certain amount of the flavour of yesteryear. If I ever do get the chance to build a few hot rods and customs, it will be my intent to present them as if they were modified long ago, during a 'simpler' time. They'll be low-tech, and the lowest-tech way to open a door is with a handle.

My original concepts are for the future, in which I am allowed to use technology with abandon.

About forward control: Volkswagen pioneered it with their Type 2 (Transporter, Kombi, Samba Van, Microbus). There was COE (cab over engine) before that, but VW put the engine in the back... A forward-control vehicle is basically anything with the front seats over the front wheels. Within that genre are quite a few vehicles I admire and would like to own. Plus I happen to think that the FC driving position inspires people to drive more carefully, as it puts you right up there where the impact would happen...

Just imagine, if everyone had to pilot their vehicles from such a position. Wouldn't they be more careful? Wouldn't there be fewer accidents?

Let's just say the modifications I would make on the vehicles I mentioned above (plus a Jeep FC150, and a Haflinger and a Pinzgauer from Steyr-Daimler-Puch) would be mild -- yet each example would be right in my eyes...


I'd rather build an EXOVAN, after all. Seriously, with the effort and money people put into restorations and modifications of old stock, it would be easier to create something new. The difference with me is, I have new things to create -- not just old things to breathe on and/or covet.


When it comes down to it, I'd much rather perform and be recognized for original designs, over well-executed customs and hot rods. This is not to say that I wouldn't, if I had my druthers, proudly display those steel dreams in my garage and out in the world. It's just that my creativity goes beyond that, and nothing would bring more satisfaction than driving something (completely) of my own design.

I hope you understand.


Phil Smith
October 13, 2007

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DARK STAR (introduction)

*****

DARK STAR

My five-seat, five-door concept had no name. These days, among my flat-panel designs, that's unusual -- but sometimes the naming of a vehicle is more difficult than preliminary conceptualization. The other night, while watching THE ELECTRIC UNIVERSE, very near the end as the film was winding down it became obvious that this car should be called Dark Star...

[THE ELECTRIC UNIVERSE in a larger format here: http://video.stumbleupon.com/#p=7y7x85v6og]

I'd considered the using the name for this car before but had dismissed it, partially because I'd used it for a sports car drawn only a few times, years and years ago. Being that I used to call my larger fantasy the 'Eclipse Motor Foundation', it was a perfectly natural model designation (I think I may have considered 'Dark Star Motors' at one time, as well)...

Back to the movie (spoiler alert -- switching to a less visible text colour to make this part easier to ignore): It reveals that celestial bodies and phenomena are electric in nature -- that our Sun, for example, is not (as is widely believed) a nuclear fusion furnace, but rather an electric plasma 'event'.

Needless to say, I was inspired. There are countless references to a 'dark star' in our culture, including one song by the Grateful Dead and another by Crosby, Stills, & Nash. There is the theory of a 'brown dwarf' star lurking about in an extreme, off-plane orbit within our solar system...

Plus, Tesla Motors has codenamed its upcoming five-passenger sedan 'WhiteStar', so what better name?

Dark Star will be different from WhiteStar in many ways, their main similarities being seating capacity and electric power. WhiteStar may or may not have all-wheel-drive, and if it does, it may very well be a conventional system running off a single motor; Dark Star will employ two motors, one at each end. The 'extra' motor and transmission, in my estimation, will not weigh more than the extra componentry needed for conventional all-wheel-drive.

WhiteStar is a four-door sedan. Dark Star is a five-door 'hatchback', and will be shorter in length. Whereas the Tesla sedan will seem to have larger cargo capacity in its trunk, folding down the rear seatbacks of Tellurian five-door will provide ample room. The tradeoff is decreased passenger capacity in that configuration, but remember, the Dark Star can fit in a smaller parking space.

Why is Dark Star not a sedan? There is already a five-passenger sedan in the Tellurian Motors lineup. The Time Further Out is more upscale and fits in a different segment. Dark Star, instead of being sort of like a TFO with the trunk and part of the nose chopped off, has its own unique architecture.

Yes, it's reminiscent of many hatchbacks of the past, which I personally think is part of its appeal. I'm sure that many share my fondness for the folded-paper designs of the late 70s and early 80s, and will enjoy my 21st-century take on the style.


Okay, I'm about to rant yet again about the current state of automotive 'style'...

On second thought, never mind.


You'll have to see it -- and on that note, I have to apologize once again for the dearth of images in this space. I could try to tell you that I want to keep my cards close to my chest, but that would be bullshit. I just don't have enough images as yet, outside of those in my mind, to share.

Suffice to say, at this point, that my main inspiration was the Lancia Delta -- which if you've never heard of, I'll understand. Giorgio Guigaro was responsible for that, as well as the original VW Golf (Rabbit) and Scirocco and (among many, many others) the Isuzu Piazza (Ace of Clubs). Picture a trapezoid atop a rectangle, off to one side, for the sideview, and you're partway there.


Once again, the construction technique involved is the major theme behind the designs. You can refer to earlier posts for details...


Phil Smith
September 30, 2007


November 18 update: I discovered a while ago that the code name for the Tesla Roadster was Dark Star (followed by White Star and Blue Star for subsequent models) so this Tellurian model will again go unnamed, perhaps until one is built...

*****

folded paper

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I recently stumbled across a name for the angular style that began in the late 1960s and became popular in the '70s: "Folded Paper".

That is certainly descriptive, yet it only barely describes my own recent style of design. Paper, after all, can be folded gently, and for that matter it can be curved. What I'm after is an almost unrelenting angularity -- corners as sharp as it is safe to make them, dividing planes as perfectly flat as the materials will allow.

Ironically, folding paper is a method I've considered for constructing models of my concepts. I could even work up image files of various models as cutouts, to be printed out -- and to be shared in this space for anyone to print out, cut out, fold and tape. Presto! You could have a collection of paper Tellurian Motors models littering/decorating your computer desk...

They'd all be to scale, of course.

Just don't count on me to actually do this. My plan for models is to begin with folded paper, then apply the template to some Lexan sheets I happen to have lying around. It would be nice to place each of those bodies on a remote-control chassis, but it would be much less expensive to build each chassis out of LEGO...

Can hardly wait to be cutting and welding square steel tubes, bending aluminum or (gasp) stainless steel, having glass cut to fit, ordering components, and putting everything together. To bridge the gap between amateur automotive designer and car builder, quite a bit of time, money, and effort will have to be spent.

Will it be worth it?

I personally think it would be helpful if there were electric cars out there that looked very DIFFERENT from other vehicles. My designs are unique, perhaps futuristic. It's all well and good to convert existing vehicles to electric power, and my hat is off to anyone out there producing entirely new electric vehicles -- but any of these could easily be mistaken for an internal combustion vehicle, if seen sitting still.

Do I expect to be copied? Absolutely. After all, the simplicity of my proposed manufacturing technique makes it that much easier for dedicated hobbyists (let alone budding manufacturers) to build their own...

Should I freely publish all specifications, making my designs 'open-source'? Hang on a bit there. That could result in who-knows-how-many crappy and potentially unsafe homebuilts with me as a named progenitor. Tellurian Motors would have to employ extreme caution in any such endeavour.

Instead, Tellurian Motors could perhaps become a 'component manufacturer', offering 'kits' in various stages of completion to home builders...

Problem is, I'm not comfortable. If I have to build 'kits' and then have them assembled by Harmonic Conversions (an entity as currently fictional as Tellurian Motors) before sale, in order to sidestep regulations and keep homebuilders from botching it, that's what I'll do.

But listen: If I only get to build ONE vehicle of my own design, it will be a major accomplishment. If I am then able to build but a single example of ONE other concept, I'll be happy as a clam. If I end up with a stable of one-offs, I'll be in Bliss.

If people want to pony up for their very own Tellurians...

Wow.



Phil Smith (fil)
September 20th, 2007

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Electrum Update #1

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Of all the ways I could spend my time, as you can see I've been working on my electric supercar concept, the Electrum. The images above were done mostly in MS Paint, a program that is partly responsible for my flat-panel design style. It's becoming very useful for plan views of my recent concepts...

I probably spoke too soon, saying the Electrum would be only about 40 inches tall. If it were 48 inches tall (4 feet), then the 'Tenfold' rims you see in the top image would be 24s -- and someone like me (at 73 inches) will actually be able to fit inside. We don't want the car to be too difficult to get in and out of...

To that end, the doors open scissor-style, pivoting from the rear. Duck in and place one foot on the floor as you grab the steering wheel (or grab handle, on the passenger side), and rotate into the seat...

Yes, the frameless windows do retract fully into the doors. No, the omission of mirrors in the Paint sketches aren't an oversight -- cameras and in-dash monitors are used instead, as with all Tellurian Motors vehicles (though some will feature a conventional rear-view mirror).

The Electrum follows my basic formula of a spaceframe made of square steel tubing covered in flat panels, but especially with this model, there is a question of what body material to use. Aluminum is perhaps easiest, but stainless steel is certainly possible, as is carbon fiber. We'll leave that up to the individual customer...



Phil Smith
September 3, 2007

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Supercar

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Friday, August 24, 2007


I recently watched the movie Fracture, in which Sir Anthony Hopkin's character drives a Porsche Carrera GT. The Carrera GT is one of those hideously expensive automobiles built for ultimate performance, known as supercars.

As I saw it being driven and heard the shriek of its V-10, suddenly I had another concept to add to the Tellurian Motors lineup. You have to know I was comparing the GT to the Tesla roadster, and you also have to know that the (still conceptual) Tellurian Brubeck is no match for that ultimate (now discontinued) Porsche and will likely fall short of the Roadster's performance.

Why not an electric supercar? Yes, I know it's an exclusive market, but there are enough enthusiasts out there with obscene amounts of money to throw around to ensure demand for supercars. Heck, the Tesla Roadster goes for around $100K and isn't technically a 'supercar'. My electric supercar would go for around the same price as a Corvette ZR-1...

Oh, but I wasn't even thinking about that. I was just excited to have another flat-panel design concept taking shape within my brainpan. Full lineup? Sure, I had a full lineup before this, but which model was the flagship? It's a feather in any manufacturer's cap to have one car that can approach or exceed 200 MPH, with acceleration and handling to match.

If you're wondering how any flat-panel vehicle can be aerodynamic enough to achieve such speeds, maybe you're not familiar with the F-111 stealth fighter -- not that my supercar will resemble it in any way (except for the flatness of its panels), but you get the point. By the way there have been many angular sports cars and supercars in the past -- maybe half of them 'mere' concept vehicles -- that I'm sure I've been influenced by...

...and if you want to talk about influence, I'd say most of mine has come from Italian design houses -- Bertone, Italdesign, Zagato, Pininfarina, even Ghia. The Italians know design. Throw in Frank Costin, William Towns, Syd Mead, and countless others including architects and furniture designers, and you get the picture. As I said in the first post in this blog, I pay attention...

Right now I want to give 'props' to all those who have come before me, striving to bring form to functional objects. "A thing of beauty is a joy forever."



So, back to the car, the supercar: Imagine if you will, an elongated hexagon. That's the main feature of its 'face', and the upper half of it is windshield. There is a smaller version of the Brubeck's box bumper and grille, with round driving lights, at the leading edge. The car is extremely low, on par with the original Ford GT40 (which was 40 inches tall). This is, as yet, the most visually stunning of my designs. The pure geometry of it will astound -- and that's not bragadoccio. I am astounded myself, just imagining it.

It will be hard to look at. As you circle it, its panels and angles will line up visually to give the sense of optical illusion -- and while that may be true of other Tellurian Motors offerings, in this case, more so.

It will be all-wheel-drive, with electric motors front and rear and (of course) sophisticated software that tells the front motors when to kick in and keeps both transmissions in sync, among countless other tasks. The Tesla Roadster manages over 140 MPH with a 2-speed transmission and a 250 horsepower motor. The Tellurian Electrum will have 4 speeds and a pair of the most powerful motors that will fit -- or even a motor for each wheel.

Electrum? Electrum is an alloy of silver and gold which occurs in nature, the use of which dates back to the beginning of civilization. As much of a tongue-twister as 'Tellurian Electrum' is (say it five times fast), I can't think of a better name for an electric supercar. It rolls off the tongue in a delicious manner.

Remember the car in the movie Tron? That was a Lamborghini Countach, designed by Marcello Gandini while he was with Bertone. I'm not saying the Electrum will be able to execute perfect 90-degree turns at breakneck speed like Tron's car, but I would expect journalists to make the connection.

This is an extremely sophisticated vehicle, and certainly not for everyone. It is something for Tellurian Motors to aspire to, and to work toward. We'll begin with the Runabout, and work our way upward...

September 1, 2007

Only minor editing of the above (composed offline) was done today.

It's almost funny, that the metal I've chosen to name this car after is, or was, 'unrefined'. Besides silver and gold, naturally-occurring electrum would often include copper and other elements. The composition would vary from location to location. Similarly, we expect no two Tellurian Electrums to be alike. Customers can choose from a variety of body materials and specify whatever upholstery and carpet they like. These are handbuilt specials...


...as are, to some degree, all Tellurian Motors offerings. It would take quite a bit of demand for us to invest in robot welders and assembly lines as opposed to assembly areas. Stranger things have happened, and for all we know the Electrum could be the first to become that popular.


To quote John Lennon (yet again), "You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one." I intend to produce a pencil drawing of the entire Tellurian Motors lineup, parked together, to scan and include in a future post. Along the way I'll be sketching each individual model, over and over again, until they're 'right'. The best of those will show up here as well.


Wish me luck.



Phil Smith
Late Summer 2007


PS (after 3 AM)

I managed to reinstall MSPaint... Here is a crude line drawing of the Electrum that I'm only about 50% happy with:







PPS Here's a frontal view:...and a rear (as with the side view, these are preliminary images):

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A Full Line?

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What are your automotive needs?

I keep coming up with new designs. Now (in my head) there's a full line of Tellurian Motors offerings, all electric, and all done in the same style.

I suppose I should work up something like a brochure, if for illustration purposes only... In the past, it never mattered. I could just do a rough sketch, or even keep a mental image of my concepts. I used to be very private with my sketches, showing them to very few close friends, if to anyone at all. If it existed in my mind, that was enough -- since I never expected any of them to be built.

Things have changed. Recent developments have not only inspired me to get 'back to the drawing board', but have given me resolve. Don't ask me how I'm gonna do it, but I fully intend to make Tellurian Motors more than a fantasy. So, yeah -- remind me to produce more images to share in this space.

A full line? Just about. There may be a few segments not covered, so far. Here are the models, in order of conceptualization:

• Sports car (Brubeck)
• Pickup (BRUTRUCK)
• Touring sedan (Time Further Out)
• Versatile off-road vehicle (EXOVAN)
• 2-passenger runabout
• 2+2 sporty coupe (Pinto II)
• Small 4-passenger 4X4
• 5-passenger 5-door hatchback

The last two are very much still in my head, under development, but I've sketched many a Jeep alternative in the past, and the 5-door will resemble the original Lancia Delta in overall form. For that matter it will resemble the Pinto II, which is itself a flat-panel interpretation of the hugely underrated Ford Pinto...

If you want to really get down to it, only the Brubeck is anywhere near a final form, with EXOVAN a close second and the runabout third (though that one's so simple, it almost designs itself). I've actually got quite a bit of work to do...


Model by model:


The Brubeck, though conceived with twin bike engines, translates very well to electric power. One electric motor between the rear wheels, seating two in what looks like a bench until you settle into it, whereupon you discover that the upholstery stretches, and the foam underneath gives in, in just the right ways to provide proper support. One might compare it with the Tesla Roadster, but the Brubeck is more about style than performance. Of course it must have a killer sound system, which in the original would be eclipsed by the symphony of a pair of Kawasaki ZX14 engines...


BRUTRUCK is being redone. Silly me, the original version was steam-powered, with natural gas heating the boiler. One benefit of steam (external combustion) is torque, something every truck needs -- but electric motors are even better at delivering torque. BRUTRUCK is all-wheel drive, and the new electric iteration (with motors fore and aft) is very much like a rebodied EXOVAN, designed to accept Mattracks. It will be available in single-cab and crewcab versions, but no 'extended' cab.


Time Further Out, the touring sedan, will be as much for driving as arriving. You WILL be noticed in this car -- not that you wouldn't be in any other Tellurian vehicle, but this one exudes elegance. It seats five, so it could be your family car, but it could also be something for which you hire a chauffeur. Red carpet? Sure. Just don't forget to drive it yourself...


EXOVAN has been covered better than any other Tellurian Motors model, in this space. It remains 'our' most versatile offering.


The runabout, introduced as the Salt Flats Runabout, is quite versatile as well. It could serve as a city car, a street-legal golf cart, or even an ATV (fitted with the Litefoot variant of Mattracks). Simple enough to leave most glass panels off for open-air motoring. Select rear-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive, choose open or closed, with any level of tint... This will be the easiest one to construct, so may represent the first Tellurian Motors vehicle ever built. I can see people enjoying them on sand dunes...


My first and second cars were early Ford Pintos. In my 20's, I admired their design and didn't need more than a 2+2. Plus, believe it or not, they were fun to drive. Conveniently, the form of a Pinto can be easily approximated in flat-panel design. The Tellurian Pinto II will be a great first car for twentysomethings, or indeed for any single person, or empty-nesters who fondly remember the fun of the original. Both hatchback ('glass-ass') and coupe versions will be offered.


Want a Jeep, but dismayed by how large the Wrangler has gotten? Behold the electric Tellurian 4X4, yet to be named. Its proportions mimic the venerated CJ3B, and yes it is a very basic off-roader. Removable hardtop is an option, but removable doors are standard and attach to a door bar, just a bit of safety-related bullshit for the insurance adjusters... The fold-down windshield is a given, but it will be frameless. Full rollcage, yes, and in square steel tubing, of course...


Last is the 5-door. At this point I have to give props to Giorgio Guigaro, who penned the original Volkswagen Golf/Rabbit and Scirocco, along with the Lancia Delta and countless others (including, while he was with Bertone, the Lamborghini Miura). For that matter I have to recognize Marcello Gandini, who did the Lamborghini Countach, Corvette Ramarro, and many other Bertone creations -- and William Towns of Aston Martin Lagonda and Aston Martin Bulldog fame.

I am, it must be said, influenced by my predecessors. No one can escape that. Yet, here I am, adapting the angularity that was in vogue in the 1970s to a simplistic construction technique...

The 5-door is a family car, or something for a single person who is considerate of passengers, perhaps a carpooler. It has a hatch and fold-down rear seats, for cargo capability. It is all-wheel-drive, with the front motor only being called upon when more power and/or traction is needed. It is relatively boring to look at, within the Tellurian Motors stable, but may outsell all others due to its practicality.

It may be called Omicron (a Greek letter somewhere in the middle of the alphabet, and a nod to the Dodge Omni and Plymouth Horizon or 'Omnirizon', the nearly identical Chrysler responses to the Rabbit -- be assured that it will be more attractive).


All of these vehicles will be (relatively) easy to prototype...

Now you're wondering what HAL 9000 is doing here. He/it is the inspiration for exterior lighting. Taillights, turn signals, headlights and driving lights. When you see it, you'll get it. Circles will offset the angles, in beautiful juxtaposition...



Phil Smith
August 18, 2007

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Schmo Better Blues

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[This blog post has been, for some reason, difficult for me to finish. I suppose I feel the topic is one that should be covered responsibly, so that readers will be informed and inspired, rather than the opposite... As Dad once said to me about a circuit model he had built and was attempting to explain, "This is important..."]

After seeing the video, I wondered if I should attempt to perform a much more defiant conversion on my 1981 Cressida...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2czE_HNWl3Q

Never mind the first ~39 seconds. [I don't want to get into the politics of global warming in this space, but considering the subject matter, I can't help it.] There is much geographical evidence to show that warming is a periodic thing. This is supported by recent astronomical observations of increased solar activity and a warming of Mars similar to what we are experiencing on Earth. We certainly aren't helping matters with all our pollution, but there probably isn't anything we can do to slow down or stop global warming.

We just have to ride it out.

Global warming is indeed an inconvenient truth -- I haven't seen the film yet (partly because I suspect it will make me angry, and I don't like to be angry), but it seems to me that global warming is a convenient starting point for an awful lot of misdirection.

"Money makes the world go 'round." Don't doubt it. Money brings power. People with power want to keep it. Fuel prices keep going up and up, then down again until we think we're getting a bargain. Oh yeah -- then they go up again, and on and on, ad infinitum.

It's nice that Elon Musk, a man with quite a bit of money and therefore a certain amount of power, has decided to found and fund Tesla Motors and slowly bring awesome electric cars into the marketplace. It's great that battery technology keeps advancing, making electric vehicles more and more practical and desirable and inspiring me to start designing again.

What's not so nice is that any invention that potentially threatens to upset the apple cart gets suppressed -- often with 'extreme prejudice'. This is not 'conspiracy theory', but an observable conspiracy in action.

http://www.thejoecell.com/

If you visit the history page at the link above, you will only get a hint as to how long the device has been around. It is said that devices similar to the Joe Cell were fitted to tanks in WWII, to increase their range. Tanks from which country, no mention... The origins of this technology appear to date back to a full century before I was born.


So anyway, back to the video. Until I saw it, I'll admit, I knew almost nothing about the Joe Cell, and certainly had no clue as to how it works. I'm still a bit confused, but the video opened my eyes. It shows, once and for all, that we need no longer rely on petroleum for fuel.

JUST ADD WATER, MAKES ITS OWN SAUCE

[Okay, that's inaccurate...] It would take only a few months of development by a qualified team for the Joe Cell to be commercially available in kit form (detailed instructions included), for any Joe Schmo with a certain amount of mechanical ability to fit to a gasoline-burning vehicle, which would never consume ordinary fuel again...

...That is, until the fuel generated by Joe Cells is considered 'ordinary'.

And, it WILL be. Automotive enthusiasts, fear not. With a simple conversion, you will be able to run your internal combustion engines in perpetuity, as long as you are able to maintain them, for close to nothing. You have a diesel? No worries, that will be worked out as well.

All we have to do is get past the power elite, who depend upon us paying through the nose for fuel. This becomes a much smaller hurdle day by day, as the power of our connectivity increases. Elsewhere I've predicted that YouTube will help the revolution more than anything else. Well, the internet in general is fueling the revolution...

...and other formerly suppressed technology is certain to be revealed. Joe Schmo will one day have no energy bills at all. Power lines will be taken down and recycled. Batteries? Only for smaller devices -- but then eventually, none at all.

Proliferation of Joe Cell technology will be a very good thing, but we must remember that electric vehicles are still more reliable and require much less maintenance. Perhaps the best application will be in something resembling a fuel cell, if that is even possible. Its greatest potential may instead be as a fuel source for "bladeless" turbine generators...

THE ICEMAN GOETH

In any case I see Joe Cell conversions for existing ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicles as a stopgap measure. ICE may never die, and as a lifelong automotive enthusiast I'd hate to see every single vehicle converted to full electric. However I can see a day when only the most hard-core, purist enthusiasts insist on using gasoline, decades (even centuries) after manufacturers have stopped producing piston engines.

We do have a rich automotive culture on this planet, which should be preserved. I don't want to live in a universe where the 1971 Plymouth Satellite Sebring, as one example, is nothing but a distant memory...

Automotive designers are almost required to be futurists, and some of us might take it a bit too far at times -- but it's become very critical for our species to consider the future. No planet can sustain the kind of population growth we're perpetrating. We need for our technological progress to continue unfettered, meaning we need to get out from under the massive thumb of Big Oil. Only then will we be able to develop the transportation required for off-planet emigration...




Phil Smith
August 2-13, 2007

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Flat-Panel Design

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There have been quite a few vehicles, over the decades, with very straight lines and panels that were nearly flat. One in particular comes to mind (this is the later, smoothed-down version):

1989 Aston Martin Lagonda

The house of Bertone did a lot of wedgy things in the Seventies and into the Eighties, as did former Bertone employee Giorgio Guigaro (original Golf/Rabbit, Scirocco etc), but these designs are by William Towns.

1976 Microdot concept

Behind the Microdot is the Hustler, the only vehicle I know of with purely rectangular wheel openings, and one I wasn't aware of, years ago, when I was messing around in MS Paint and accidentally came up with something that would forever change my design ethos...



The three-diamond wheels you see above? At the time I was hoping to come up with a presentation for a Mitsubishi design contest, so I incorporated their logo. After the deadline whooshed by, I continued to develop the Brubeck...





...and eventually came up with the "Tenfold" wheels shown here, in this crude representation. Each spoke and slot occupies the exact same amount of space. It's a simple yet carefully considered wheel design, entirely appropriate for mounting on a simple yet carefully considered flat-panel vehicle.

WHY FLAT PANELS?

The straight lines on the first Brubeck MS Paint sketch weren't meant to last. I was merely trying to overcome the blank page syndrome (akin to writer's block) by creating a simple image. It was to be something to work from -- or perhaps it was merely an exercise. That contest was over five years ago, so I can't quite recall... Anyway, I was so quickly overcome by the potential of the design that it immediately became my main focus. I was listening to some vintage Dave Brubeck vinyl at the time...

Before long I realized that, beyond being different, flat-panel bodies would be very easy to construct in comparison with what we're used to seeing. Back in the day, curved metal panels were pounded out over a wooden buck. Mass production brought enormous dies that stamp sheets of metal into shape. Fiberglass, carbon fiber, and other composite body panels require a mold. However for flat panels all you need is a pressbrake -- and a welder, if you have more complex shapes such as the Brubeck's endcaps (bumpers).

Then for the windows, readily-available flat glass can be cut to shape -- no need to find existing windshields and backlights to modify, or to have custom pieces made.

There you have it. To build flat-panel bodies, you need fewer tools and no tooling. Add a welded square-tube steel spaceframe for a chassis, and the biggest piece of model-specific equipment you'll have lying around will be your frame jig.

Suddenly, the dream of building a car of my own design was in exponentially closer reach. Still very much a dream, mind you, but one much easier to attain.




Here is an early version of BRUTRUCK, a concept I've recently revisited and refined. The new version, which is based on the EXOVAN platform, might be called BRUTRUCK Model G... Not ready to show sketches yet.

The Brubeck sports car is conceived as a farewell to internal combustion, with its pair of propane-burning Kawasaki Ninja ZX14 engines and rear-wheel-drive -- however an electric version is inevitable. An electric Brubeck will obviously lack one significant feature -- the in-your-face quad exhaust, to be replaced with round taillights -- but there is no reason for body modifications, other than a slight adjustment to the rear cap, closing the vertical gap (instead of a wrapover rear light cluster, there will be a simple horizontal bar for the third brake light).


There is another flat-panel concept I've been toying with over the past few years, that only recently has begun to look right in my mind's eye. Sure to be compared to the Aston Martin Lagonda, the Time Further Out -- yes, named after a Dave Brubeck album -- is an electric luxury touring sedan suitable for chauffeured red-carpet arrivals, something that valets will choose to park out front...


A very recent addition to the conceptual Tellurian Motors stable is the Salt Flats Runabout, which happens to be very similar to William Towns' Microdot, shown at the top of this page -- but then again, it is very different. For one, of course it will use no molded panels. Two, it will not have anything people would normally call a 'body'. Suspended within an exposed metal frame will be sheets of mirrored glass, and battery boxes will hang below the beltlines on the sides. The glass doors, very much like those on the Microdot, will swing up gullwing-style but will have a full trapezoidal profile and small round access ports.

These ports will be very useful. The benefits of the powerful air conditioning unit (running off its own motor) would quickly go to waste each time one of those doors is opened. If you want to talk to someone, or hand off or receive a small item, open a port. A removable, flip-up panel -- call it a moonroof if you like -- in combination with these ports will provide some ventilation at lower temperatures...

/ |_\

--o-o

The one-off Salt Flats Runabout is intended purely for one location, the Bonneville Salt Flats, and various events held there every year. While it has dimensions similar to those of the Microdot, its roof will be a few inches lower, and its sloping sides will allow for only 2 occupants, not 3. Those 2 occupants will be able to navigate around pit areas in cool comfort, shielded from the sun (and prying eyes) while still being able to enjoy the surrounding vista. Battery life will be measured in hours, not miles...

Yes, it could be made available for futuristic music videos and movies, should such a demand arise...


Any questions?


Phil Smith
July 31, 2007

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Electric Dreams

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A short article in Autoweek, mentioning Volkswagen's plans to sell Chinese-built cars in North America, includes this photo of Santanas on the assembly line:

The Santana is a continuation of the second-generation Passat. It is the seventh generation that VW wants to build in China and sell here. Still, seeing brand-new Santanas got my wheels turning.

BOXY, BUT GOOD

One of the reasons I'm so fond of my 1981 Toyota Cressida is its crisp styling. In the Eighties, cars gradually began to turn into jelly beans. They're becoming more distinctive, but the days of simple, clean, functional lines seem to be long gone.

What a pleasant surprise, to find that Shanghai Volkswagen is currently producing this nice boxy 'throwback'...

The business opportunity here is obvious. In car-hungry China, the tooling for older models is put to good use, producing lower-cost alternatives. Just imagine -- a deal could be struck to import these freshly-manufactured 'old' cars (minus their engines, fuel tanks etc) to an assembly facility, where they could be completed as electric vehicles.

Would you pay $25,000? Sure, an electric Santana might not do great in crash testing, but you'd never have to purchase fuel for it, and it would be a lot simpler and less expensive to maintain than any internal combustion vehicle.

Santana: I'm Winning

There are rumours of older Subarus (yes, the boxy ones) being produced in China as well, and that's something I'll have to look into.

By the way? The second-generation Passat, in three-door hatch form, was sold here as the Quantum. Ring any bells?

For whatever reason, the Santana didn't sell all that well here in the United States. Chances are that many new-car buyers wouldn't recognize it, especially without VW badging and those huge US-market bumpers. It would be new, and different.

Could this be the production version of the Tellurian Motors Defiant? Would Volkswagen be interested in selling electric cars in China -- and elsewhere?



Phil Smith
July 24, 2007

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Highway Voltage

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Was doing a little online research this evening and eventually found a surprising number of photos and specifications of electric vehicles, the majority of which are conversions: EV PHOTO ALBUM

Some of these owners have the right idea -- converting interesting older cars into full-electric vehicles. Of course, any electric conversion is interesting, and arguably the right idea. Questions: Would you rather be driving an old Geo Metro, or a well-restored Volkswagen Karmann-Ghia? What kind of impact will your conversion make with the public? If the only thing 'cool' about your electric vehicle is that it's electric, is that cool enough?

While some of these conversions cost surprisingly little, those are the ones with a low-tech approach. They have short ranges and mediocre performance. Still, they are a viable alternative for trips around town -- exactly the kind of driving that most motorists do most frequently. I know I rarely get our family car above 45 MPH, and rarely drive more than 30 miles a day...

I also know that my driving habits would change drastically if I had an electric vehicle. I'd be cruising around for the fun of it, like I used to do in my Pinto when gasoline cost around a dollar a gallon. Guess what that means? I'll want as long a range as I can get, and I'll want better performance than my Cressida gave before its conversion.

The good news, I found, is that my Defiant conversion is possible without having to pry the components away from Tesla Motors -- and it won't cost as much as I thought. It still won't be cheap, but it beats paying for refurbishments and performance upgrades on its original-equipment gasoline engine.



Okay, now let's imagine a Tellurian Motors dealership, with the Harmonic Conversions shop in back. Out on the lot are former project vehicles, ones that their owners gave up on after being faced with the difficulties of restoring or replacing their original gasoline engines. Others are well-kept examples whose engines weren't doing so well. Each will have been chosen carefully. Not just any car, truck, van, or whatever will qualify. My 'quantum' mechanics will be kept busy enough with customer conversions, after all...

What's that you say? The lot is empty? You're probably right. If it's full, maybe there's a gathering of the local electric car club, all converging around the latest offering in the showroom.

That latest offering may be a Tellurian Motors original, not a conversion...



Phil Smith
July 19, 2007

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