Amitron
Encyclopedia
The Amitron was an American
electric
concept car
built in 1967 by American Motors Corporation
(AMC) and Gulton Industries of Metuchen, New Jersey
.
vehicle or city car
with an overall length of only 85 inches (216 cm). "The modern looking Amitron was one of the most promising electrics developed in the Sixties."
During the December 1967 public introduction of the car, Roy D. Chapin, Jr., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of AMC, stated that the Amitron "could eliminate many problems that up to this point have made electric-type cars impractical". A piggyback system of two 24 lb (10.9 kg) nickel-cadmium
batteries and two 75 lb (34 kg) lithium batteries
(rated at 150 watt-hours per lb, or 331 watt-hours per kg) developed by Gulton were designed to power the car for 150 miles (241 km) when traveling at 50 mph (22.4 m/s). This was a big step beyond contemporary lead-acid
electric vehicles because of their limited range on each battery charge. Its total battery weight of only 200 lb (90.7 kg) was also light for electric vehicles.
The car's lithium batteries were designed for sustained speeds. During acceleration, the nickel-cadmium batteries would cut in briefly to boost the Amitron from a standstill to 50 mph (22.4 m/s) in 20 seconds. An Energy Regeneration Brake
system would automatically switch the drive motors
to generators
as the car slowed so that the batteries could recharge; thus increasing the range of the car. The first road tests of the power plant were in 1968 using a Rambler American
sedan. At the time, American Motors Vice President of Design, Richard A. Teague
, was working on a car called "the Voltswagon".
The Amitron did not go beyond the prototype
stage. Its development was significant for the emphasis on various methods to improve performance and range. It had a solid-state
electronic CPU
to efficiently use power and on-the-road regeneration. Among its unique automobile design
features were passenger seats that had air filled cushions, rather than conventional polyurethane
(foam rubber). The Amitron was designed to minimize power loss by keeping down rolling resistance
, wind drag
resistance, and vehicle weight.
American Motors original plans were to offer the Amitron for sale to commuters and urban shoppers in five years, and Chapin said AMC had discussed the venture with its bankers and creditors and "they are about as enthusiastic about it". The Amitron was also well-received by the public, but it did not reach the commercialization
stage. The expensive batteries forced AMC to halt further experiments with electric vehicles for a number of years.
In 1977, AMC developed a similar electric vehicle called the Electron
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
electric
Electric vehicle
An electric vehicle , also referred to as an electric drive vehicle, uses one or more electric motors or traction motors for propulsion...
concept car
Concept car
A concept vehicle or show vehicle is a car made to showcase new styling and or new technology. They are often shown at motor shows to gauge customer reaction to new and radical designs which may or may not have a chance of being produced....
built in 1967 by American Motors Corporation
American Motors
American Motors Corporation was an American automobile company formed by the 1954 merger of Nash-Kelvinator Corporation and Hudson Motor Car Company. At the time, it was the largest corporate merger in U.S. history.George W...
(AMC) and Gulton Industries of Metuchen, New Jersey
Metuchen, New Jersey
Metuchen is a Borough in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States, which is 8 miles northeast of New Brunswick, 18 miles southwest of Newark, 24 miles southwest of Jersey City, and 29 miles southwest of Manhattan, all part of the New York metropolitan area...
.
Design
The American Motors' prototype Amitron was a snub-snouted three-passenger urban areaUrban area
An urban area is characterized by higher population density and vast human features in comparison to areas surrounding it. Urban areas may be cities, towns or conurbations, but the term is not commonly extended to rural settlements such as villages and hamlets.Urban areas are created and further...
vehicle or city car
City car
A city car is a small car intended for use primarily in an urban area.City cars are sold worldwide and most automotive industry manufacturers have one or two in their line-up. In North-America city cars are often referred to simply as "subcompacts" alongside the superminis. These kind of cars...
with an overall length of only 85 inches (216 cm). "The modern looking Amitron was one of the most promising electrics developed in the Sixties."
During the December 1967 public introduction of the car, Roy D. Chapin, Jr., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of AMC, stated that the Amitron "could eliminate many problems that up to this point have made electric-type cars impractical". A piggyback system of two 24 lb (10.9 kg) nickel-cadmium
Nickel-cadmium battery
The nickel–cadmium battery ' is a type of rechargeable battery using nickel oxide hydroxide and metallic cadmium as electrodes....
batteries and two 75 lb (34 kg) lithium batteries
Lithium battery
Lithium batteries are disposable batteries that have lithium metal or lithium compounds as an anode. Depending on the design and chemical compounds used, lithium cells can produce voltages from 1.5 V to about 3.7 V, over twice the voltage of an ordinary zinc–carbon battery or alkaline battery...
(rated at 150 watt-hours per lb, or 331 watt-hours per kg) developed by Gulton were designed to power the car for 150 miles (241 km) when traveling at 50 mph (22.4 m/s). This was a big step beyond contemporary lead-acid
Lead-acid battery
Lead–acid batteries, invented in 1859 by French physicist Gaston Planté, are the oldest type of rechargeable battery. Despite having a very low energy-to-weight ratio and a low energy-to-volume ratio, their ability to supply high surge currents means that the cells maintain a relatively large...
electric vehicles because of their limited range on each battery charge. Its total battery weight of only 200 lb (90.7 kg) was also light for electric vehicles.
- "... The established internal combustion engine vehicle manufacturers in the late 1960s did not produce much in the way of electric vehicles. Most could have been easily replicated by any individual, and resembled souped-up golf carts (although the Amitron was in a class by itself—it featured Gulton’s lithium batteries, a solid state controller, 50-mph speed, and a 150-mile range). ..."
The car's lithium batteries were designed for sustained speeds. During acceleration, the nickel-cadmium batteries would cut in briefly to boost the Amitron from a standstill to 50 mph (22.4 m/s) in 20 seconds. An Energy Regeneration Brake
Energy Regeneration Brake
The Energy Regeneration Brake was the name for a system designed to automatically switch an electric motor into a generator as the vehicle slowed...
system would automatically switch the drive motors
Electric motor
An electric motor converts electrical energy into mechanical energy.Most electric motors operate through the interaction of magnetic fields and current-carrying conductors to generate force...
to generators
Electrical generator
In electricity generation, an electric generator is a device that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy. A generator forces electric charge to flow through an external electrical circuit. It is analogous to a water pump, which causes water to flow...
as the car slowed so that the batteries could recharge; thus increasing the range of the car. The first road tests of the power plant were in 1968 using a Rambler American
Rambler American
The Rambler American is an automobile manufactured by the American Motors Corporation between 1958 and 1969. The American was the second incarnation of AMC's forerunner Nash Motors second-generation Rambler compact that was sold under the Nash and Hudson Motors marques from 1954 and 1955.The...
sedan. At the time, American Motors Vice President of Design, Richard A. Teague
Richard A. Teague
Richard A. Teague , born in Los Angeles, California, was an industrial designer in the North American automotive industry...
, was working on a car called "the Voltswagon".
The Amitron did not go beyond the prototype
Prototype
A prototype is an early sample or model built to test a concept or process or to act as a thing to be replicated or learned from.The word prototype derives from the Greek πρωτότυπον , "primitive form", neutral of πρωτότυπος , "original, primitive", from πρῶτος , "first" and τύπος ,...
stage. Its development was significant for the emphasis on various methods to improve performance and range. It had a solid-state
Solid state (electronics)
Solid-state electronics are those circuits or devices built entirely from solid materials and in which the electrons, or other charge carriers, are confined entirely within the solid material...
electronic CPU
Central processing unit
The central processing unit is the portion of a computer system that carries out the instructions of a computer program, to perform the basic arithmetical, logical, and input/output operations of the system. The CPU plays a role somewhat analogous to the brain in the computer. The term has been in...
to efficiently use power and on-the-road regeneration. Among its unique automobile design
Automotive design
Automotive design is the profession involved in the development of the appearance, and to some extent the ergonomics, of motor vehicles or more specifically road vehicles. This most commonly refers to automobiles but also refers to motorcycles, trucks, buses, coaches, and vans...
features were passenger seats that had air filled cushions, rather than conventional polyurethane
Polyurethane
A polyurethane is any polymer composed of a chain of organic units joined by carbamate links. Polyurethane polymers are formed through step-growth polymerization, by reacting a monomer with another monomer in the presence of a catalyst.Polyurethanes are...
(foam rubber). The Amitron was designed to minimize power loss by keeping down rolling resistance
Rolling resistance
Rolling resistance, sometimes called rolling friction or rolling drag, is the resistance that occurs when a round object such as a ball or tire rolls on a flat surface, in steady velocity straight line motion. It is caused mainly by the deformation of the object, the deformation of the surface, or...
, wind drag
Drag (physics)
In fluid dynamics, drag refers to forces which act on a solid object in the direction of the relative fluid flow velocity...
resistance, and vehicle weight.
American Motors original plans were to offer the Amitron for sale to commuters and urban shoppers in five years, and Chapin said AMC had discussed the venture with its bankers and creditors and "they are about as enthusiastic about it". The Amitron was also well-received by the public, but it did not reach the commercialization
Commercialization
Commercialization is the process or cycle of introducing a new product or production method into the market. The actual launch of a new product is the final stage of new product development, and the one where the most money will have to be spent for advertising, sales promotion, and other marketing...
stage. The expensive batteries forced AMC to halt further experiments with electric vehicles for a number of years.
In 1977, AMC developed a similar electric vehicle called the Electron
Electron (vehicle)
The Electron was an American concept automobile built in 1977 by American Motors Corporation .- Design :The experimental three-passenger commuter "city car" was designed for short-trip urban transportation. The clamshell-style roof swung back on rear-mounted pivots for entry and egress.The Electron...
.