Icona Design to showcase driverless vehicle concept at Auto Expo 2020

Icona Design Group will make its India debut at the Auto Expo 2020 and will showcase the Icona Nucleus driverless concept vehicle. Teresio Gigi Gaudio, Icona chairman and CEO, said, "We want to be part of the growing EV market in India".

Gaudio further said, "India is a promising market with high potential for design. We expect India to become a major player in electric vehicles with the involvement of traditional and new manufacturers. In this context, the Nucleus represents the synthesis of futurism and a human-centred mindset."

The mono-volume exterior is unique in design and is aerodynamic. There is no side glass, rather semi-transparent body colour panels are present that allow the occupants to see out from the vehicle but still get privacy while travelling. The upper glass from windscreen to the complete roof is asymmetrical which is divided into fully transparent and semi-transparent glass, making it look distinct from other cars. The asymmetrical body is divided by two portions marked by a diagonal line which crosses the roof from front right to back left, dividing the transparent and partly semi-transparent glass. Just one large entry is granted to the right which includes the main sliding door and the oyster roof opening to accommodate the passengers in a walk-in access.

The length of the Nucleus is 5.25 meters and 2.12 meters in width, it stands at 1.75 meters high on 27-inch wheels. Its motor in wheel technology helps to optimize the space inside the car and its hydrogen range extender can bring the autonomy to 1200 kilometres.

The Nucleus can easily accommodate six people. Seats are flexible and can be adjusted to different use, rotating to face the desk or the rear passengers in the front, strongly reclining to the rear and even transforming into a couch on centre. A small table and connections for a laptop are available, it can be converted to a wet bar as well.

The battery consists of 6 Coils weighing 300 kg and is sourced by Bolloré Blue Solutions which churns out 600PS of power. There is a 110 kW motor in each wheel with a hydrogen range extender weighing 5.3 kg each. The company claims that the car can do 0 to 100 km/h in 3.5s.