BREAKING BOUNDARIES: Lotus Ice Vehicle

by **J The Kidd** Mon Aug 18, 2008 1:08 am

BREAKING BOUNDARIES: Lotus Ice Vehicle L_570108d8123b3c539311ccb13e0f9582

BREAKING BOUNDARIES: Lotus Ice Vehicle L_2b170813915d831c5ca89c54f5cf103f

BREAKING BOUNDARIES: Lotus Ice Vehicle L_e2c2d9a3f173be054ae6f2fcacc2b964

We can forget all about the price of gas when we get news like this.
Sure, we'll probably never afford the Concept Ice Vehicle (CIV), but
just knowing that folks at Lotus are working on things like this while
we sleep... well, it's like finding out that there is a Santa Claus.

The CIV was developed to aid research for the Moon Regan TransAntarctic
Expedition. The biofuel powered, propeller-driven trike on skids is 4.5
meters long and 4.5 meters wide with an independent suspension all
around. It also has an ice penetrating radar to detect crevasses and is
light enough for a man to pull it across difficult terrain, which
basically makes it an Elise for explorers. It also appears to have a
spiked "foot" under the cockpit, perhaps for stopping on icy terrain.

The CIV will lead the way for two other, heavier support vehicles as
the explorers make their way from one Antarctic coast to the other. If
you think the CIV is cool, have a look at the Econoline van, each with
six independently-driven 44" tires. These monster vehicles were
engineered by those kooky folks in, where else, Iceland. Check out the
gallery of CIV photos below, and follow the jump for two videos of the
slickest sled on snow.