2012 Valmet Dawn - AllCarIndex

Valmet Automotive’s Dawn a major attraction at the Geneva Motor Show

Valmet Automotive’s Dawn, the demonstration study of electric vehicle components and integration, has become one of the most intriguing visitor attractions at the Geneva Motor Show in 2012.

Valmet Automotive, a leading service provider for the automotive industry, gave the Dawn its world premiere at this year’s Geneva Motor Show. The futuristic, non-compromising and clean-lined styling, hovercraft-like appearance and the EV components exposed on the body have instantly elevated the Dawn to one of the great public and media attractions of this year’s event.

The positive and excited reception of the Dawn by the media and in particular by the public includes also comments that point out the seemingly impractical solutions, including the almost zero road clearance and the protruding drivetrain unit. Aimo Åhlman, Vice President of Product Development, Valmet Automotive, explains:

“From the beginning, we have consistently communicated that this is not a car. Nor is this a concept for a car that could or would be manufactured at some later stage. Therefore we have never released any numbers or figures about the Dawn – simply because there aren’t any. The Dawn is a demonstrator that illustrates the EV components Valmet Automotive’s Engineering services are focusing on, and how we can integrate the components together. The Dawn is a full scale expression of what could be achieved by combining the current EV technology and a visionary design. And yes, it appears to be the most popular non-production vehicle we have ever had on our stand.”

The Dawn displays the essential EV components in a completely unique, never before seen fashion. The inductive charging (the blue plate at the front end) and fast-charge plug at the rear as well as the purposefully designed battery pack at the car center form a part of the aerodynamically sleek and honed body.

On the other hand, the control and drivetrain units are exposed on the body for display purposes. Even the roughest concept car would never show these components in a clear, easily understandable way.

“An eye-catching EV still makes for a WOW effect. At Valmet Automotive, we wonder why. EVs have been around for over a century. The technology enables engineering any kind of EVs, sports cars, family cars, SUVs, busses - you name it. We hope that the success and popularity of the Dawn will lead to a fresh, modern and popular concept of EVs - cars that are as versatile as their traditional combustion engined counterparts, but with a greener energy source”, says Åhlman.

SOURCE: Valmet