1985 Saab EV-1 - AllCarIndex

Saab EV-1, or Saab 900 Turbo EV-1, was developed by Saab in 1985 as a fully functional and roadworthy future design study (EV-1 stands for Experimental Vehicle One). It was a wedge-shaped 2 + 2 sports coupé body style based on the Saab 900 Turbo 16v. The body was steel and the roof all glass. The design was made by Björn Envall and the metal work was done by Leif Mellberg included such features as a solar powered interior cooling fan with 66 solar cells mounted in the glass roof. This device cooled the car when parked in sunlight. The front and rear bumpers (fenders) were designed to absorb impacts and revert to their original shape. They were made of Aramid fiber (Twaron or Kevlar) reinforced composites. The side doors featured carbon-fibre side impact protection. Most of the parts were from the Saab 900 Turbo 16 and modified, but the seats came from a Chevrolet Corvette. The engine was tuned to give 285 hp (213 kW). The top speed was 270 km/h (168 mph) and 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) acceleration took 5.9 seconds. An interesting feature is that the speedometer lights only illuminate the area around the current speed. A feature incorporated as standard, in modified form, on later production models.

The windshield is wrap-around and very deep and steeply inclined for the era, while the A-pillar has a much more vertical angle, providing excellent driver visibility.

An EV-1 can be seen in the background of Back to the Future Part II.
source: Wikipedia

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On the scene just one year after the launch of the Saab 9000, and another product of the small but perfectly formed design department at Trollhättan, the EV-1 was a sports coupé based on the 900 Turbo 16.

But the EV-1, or Experimental Vehicle Number One, was never destined for production; it was developed as a fully functional and roadworthy future design study.

Incorporated into Björn Envall's futuristic styling are solar cells. Mounted inside the glass roof, their purpose is to power an electric fan for ventilation to prevent the cabin from overheating.

The high-efficiency headlamps, despite their diminutive size, illuminate the road better than the (already excellent) standard units.

The front and rear sections of the EV-1 are constructed from Aramid reinforced glass fibre and have the ability to resume their original shape after impact.

The toughest safety standards are satisfied with the lightweight carbon-fibre side impact protection within the doors. Continuing the lightweight theme, the front seats are half the weight of conventional seats but retain fully electronic functionality including the ability to adjust the side supports.

Excepting the modified chassis, front suspension and rear axle, the components of the EV-1 come direct from the Saab 900 Turbo 16. With the 0-100kmh dash over in just 5.9 seconds, the performance of the EV-1 is comparable to some of the best sports cars.

source: www.saabmuseum.com

Engine & performance:

Type: Saab 900 16, 4-cylinder, DOHC, 16-valve

Capacity: 1985 cc

Power: 285 hp @ 6500 rpm

Torque: 335 Nm @ 3500 rpm

Top speed: 270 km/h

0-100 km/h: 5.7 s

Dimensions:

Length: 4300 mm

Width: 1690 mm

Height: 1235 mm