Automotive supplier Magna has unveiled a new concept car that will debut at the Geneva Motor Show. The Magna MILA Plus is part of the company’s MILA innovation and technology brand. It’s a plug-in hybrid two-seater sports car with an all-electric range of 75 km (47 miles).
The MILA (or Magna Innovation Lightweight Auto) range allows Magna to show off its technology solutions and research. It has featured a number of vehicle concepts over the years, including the first under the MILA banner, the MILA Concept and, more recently, the MILA Coupic three-in-one pickup truck, convertible and SUV.
Magna says the MILA Plus features advanced technologies and flexible manufacturing processes, as well as having a focus on eco-friendliness. The vehicle uses renewable materials in the interior, such as bioplastics and natural fibers for paneling components, and a recyclable aluminum space-frame helps to ensure the car is lightweight. The frame has a high-voltage battery integrated into it that helps to increase structural rigidity.
Plastic body panels also help to keep weight to a minimum, while being resistant to corrosion and allowing for flexibility in the car’s styling.
Among the other design features of the MILA Plus are two cameras in place of the exterior mirrors. Magna says these help to improve the car’s aerodynamics and also minimize blind spots to the sides of the vehicle by streaming wide-angle, high-resolution video to two screens inside the vehicle.
The MILA Plus is powered by a three-cylinder gasoline engine along with two electric motors, one for driving the front axle and one for the rear. In addition to providing an all-wheel-drive system that delivers a peak torque of 580 Nm (428 lb.ft), Magna says the setup achieves a low CO2 output of 32 g / km (1.82 oz / mi). Despite this, the MILA Plus is reported capable of accelerating from 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) in 4.9 seconds.
