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Detailed information: Vehicle
Design and Technology Factsheet
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75. World-wide the search is on for
vehicle technologies that meet modern expectations
for mobility, satisfy strict environmental
and safety requirements, and help sustain
the competitiveness of manufacturing industry.
The challenge to develop technology options
that can form the basis of a sustainable
transport policy is a formidable one. In
the UK, the Foresight Vehicle Initiative[33] aims to stimulate suppliers
to develop and implement market driven technologies
for future vehicles.
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Hypercars
76. Vehicle weight, material composition
and aerodynamic shape are important considerations
in vehicle design. Weight has a major effect
on vehicle fuel consumption. "Lightweighting"
can be achieved by using lighter materials
-metals such as aluminium and magnesium
or composite materials. The latest research
is on "Hypercars" with 3-5 times better
fuel efficiency, virtually no emissions
and technologies that are almost completely
recyclable or reusable[34].
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77. Other ideas include making vehicles
smaller (for example, man-wide car), more
versatile during their lifetimes (upgraded
to cope with disabled or older users), and
dual-mode, enabling them to alternate between
guided and unguided transport.
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Energy
