Electric sedan that runs on Saltwater is Approved for European Road Use

image_quant_01Have “Range Anxiety” no more — forward-thinking company nanoFLOWCELL AG has developed an electric super-sedan with electric motors that are powered with the help of saltwater. Unbelievably, the company has just announced that the “Quant” has been approved for use on European public roads, making it more possible for the car to reach production in the next few years.

Using redox reaction-based flow batteries that simply need the presence of saltwater to generate current, the Quant sports one 227 horsepower electric motor per wheel, developing a staggering grand total of 908 horsepower. Unfortunately, only 644 of these ponies will be available to drivers thanks to an electronic power limiter. The “one motor per wheel” design allows for the Quant to use a sophisticated AWD system that includes torque vectoring, something that, along with the car’s 8,552 lb-ft. of torque, should make it absolutely astonishing to drive.

image_quant_03Using two separated electrolyte tanks, filled with saltwater in the Quant’s case, the nanoFLOWCELL technology brings the two solutions to either side of a membrane that is impermeable to liquid but permeable to charge. As electrons pass from the solutions and through the barrier, power is generated–this power is then stored in two electrical capacitors that are responsible for driving the motors. Using this system, nanoFLOWCELL AG predicts that the Quant will have a range of around 200-300 miles, which can be extended simply by adding salt water to the two holding tanks.

The company says that the Quant is capable of 0-100 km/hr sprints in 2.8 seconds.

The striking, futuristic design of the Quant, with its flowing grille and gullwing doors, certainly fits with the progressive technology underneath. However, sporting lines reminiscent of the Aston Martin Rapide and the BMW i8, the Quant never forgets to remind onlookers that its eco-friendliness doesn’t compromise performance.

image_quant_05Few details have surfaced concerning the practicality of using flow cell battery power in vehicles. However, this technology is certainly very expensive and very complex, meaning that the car’s initial purchase price and subsequent maintenance costs could be astronomical. Stay tuned to TFLcar.com for more developments with the Quant’s production.

Please enjoy this TFLcar.com video preview of another sustainable supercar, the 2015 BMW i8.

frank kosarekFrank caught automotive fever early in life. Hailing from a long line of car fanatics, he was able to recite the year and model of every car that passed him by age five. His passion and love for the automobile have only grown since then. When not thinking about cars, he is reading, writing, learning, or dreaming about them. His area of expertise is in the realm of German and Italian cars, of which Porsche is a favorite. Frank currently resides in the heart of NASCAR country in Charlotte, North Carolina, with his family. He enjoys driving exotic cars in the beautiful Carolina weather.

Previous articleA quick misadventure in the 2015 Ford Mustang [Video]
Next article2015 BMW i8 smashes Track Record time [Video]
Frank Kosarek
Frank caught automotive fever early in life. Hailing from a long line of car fanatics, Frank was able to recite the year and model of every car that passed him by age five. His passion and love for the automobile have only grown since then. When not thinking about cars, he is reading, writing, learning, or dreaming about them. His area of expertise comes in the realm of German and Italian cars, of which Porsche is a favorite. Frank currently resides in the heart of NASCAR country in Charlotte, North Carolina, with his family. He thoroughly enjoys driving exotic cars in the beautiful Carolina weather.