Rinspeed Bamboo
Rinspeed Bamboo
Rinspeed Bamboo“BamBoo” - A Taste of this Summer!
Open Speedster for the Extroverted Communicator - Seamless High-Tech, Purism and Lifestyle.
This car irritates. Could be that it’s the ingenious crafted creations of world-renowned New York pop artist James Rizzi. In any case, Frank M. Rinderknecht‘s latest work “BamBoo” lets the sun rise over the over-engineered metal creatures at the Geneva Motor Show, whose single purpose is to never touch anything other than black asphalt. Yes, this is a taste of summer. A taste of beach and sand, of the lightness and lightheartedness of southern latitudes. It is a reminiscence of the Seventies, of the south of France, of St. Tropez. Its colors range from salmon to lobster and yellow, shimmering in the sunlight, staged perfectly by color- and adhesive-repair-specialist (“StickerFix”) AkzoNobel. And one would expect to find Brigitte Bardot behind the wheel with playboy Gunther Sachs at her side heading towards Tahiti beach. But at the same time this car points to the future with clever innovations such as a communication display in place of a radiator grille and an inflatable roof that also serves as a beach blanket. Yes, this sun & fun car will blow the roof off!
Anyone who might think that this is simple retro design underestimates the boss of the Swiss concept powerhouse. He reinterprets the automotive references of days gone by and evolves them into the future. He plays with man’s yearning to get back to the roots, often paired with the desire to be in harmony with creation. That makes electric drive, also for the onboard foldable two wheeler for the last “mile”, a must. More than just about anyone the Rinspeed boss knows how to play on strong emotions and dreams beyond the macho horsepower affectation. This is the fundamental reason why Rinderknecht is considered an automotive visionary by many.
The latest creation from Rinderknecht - jointly developed and built by Swiss engineering firms 4erC and Esoro – resembles a grown-up golf cart at first glance. But one that offers a firework of innovation and design. This successful combination is most evident in the canopy-like inflatable roof developed by Swiss company Tecnotex. It is covered with water-resistant „Skai Neptun Caleri“ with nano coating supplied by the Hornschuch Company. It protects the interior against possible morning dew. Nothing but air lends the two-piece waterproof design its rigidity. While the outside of the roof is decorated by a giant Rizzi beach scene, the inside is refined by visionary spinning mill Schoeller from Bregenz with thread made from genuine bamboo. No doubt, anyone going to the beach with this mattress will easily outshine any folding convertible roof, no matter how elegant and will instantly be in conversation with their beach chair neighbors.
In any case, “Bamboo” is the fitting sun & fun car for the extroverted communicator. Personal messages for the people in the vicinity of the car are displayed on the innovative “Identiface.” This screen-based section, developed by Daimler subsidiary MBtech in Stuttgart, replaces the radiator grille, which is mostly redundant on an electric vehicle anyways. Thanks to its Internet connectivity “Identiface” can display the occupants’ Facebook pages, news from around the world, the manufacturer’s logo or an offer for a ride from A to B. Engineering service provider Helveting with support from Zurich Versicherung custom-developed the “BamBoo-Community” platform. This platform also offers additional practical features centered on social networking, sustainability and optimal driving behavior. In combination with the famous color-changing “Rizzi bird“ on the rollover bar (green = I am single; blue = I am in party mood; orange = I need a break) it creates an entirely new automotive form of communication beyond deafening noise attacks. “Rizzi bird“ instead of flipping the bird.
Simple but highly refined is the interior of the “BamBoo.” It’s all in a name: The sides of the Bordeaux-red bench are decorated with the “BamBoo“ logo and the “Rizzi bird,” artfully woven with bamboo thread by Zurich weaver Weisbrod. The center seating surfaces are decorated with Rizzi drawings, and are made from breathable high performance synthetik „Laif“ material. And both rear seats are inflatable and stored in two aluminum cases on the open cargo bed. You guessed it – they too can be taken to the beach.
The puristic dashboard is in the shape of a giant breadbox - and the fine cover made from braided plastics supplied by polymer manufacturer Ticona - opens in breadbox fashion to reveal the control elements and the futuristic VDO display. The far right of the glove box houses a seven-inch HTC tablet PC “Flyer” with docking station. In keeping with the times the tablet PC and the occupants’ smartphones guarantee that the “BamBoo” and its passengers are always connected everywhere. The elongated "bread bin" is flanked by Harman JBL GreenEdge speakers in an avant-garde design. The world's leading provider of premium sound and infotainment systems is focusing on connectivity with its scalable entertainment system and the “Aha Radio” application. And in the center thrones the vent of the electric high-voltage heater from German supplier Eberspächer catem. By the way the “BamBoo” is started with an army knife. Typically Swiss.
With all this nicely packaged lifestyle the underlying technical specifications of the “BamBoo” are easily overlooked: The four four-seater features an electric motor from the German Fräger Group (German e-Cars) with 54 kW of power. This high-torque motor “made in Germany” accelerates the 1,090-kilogram vehicle to a top speed of 120 km/h. Lightweight construction does its part: The steel chassis with horizontal shock absorbers carries a sturdy composite body combined with the use of polymer plastic materials. Henkel supplies the structural foams as well as sealants and adhesives. The entire thing sits on 17” AEZ three-spoke billet aluminum wheels with painted inserts and eco-friendly Goodyear “EfficientGrip” energy-saving tires in 17”. And the operating range? The battery’s capacity is enough for 105 kilometers – plenty for a fun car for short-distance traffic between hotel, beach and restaurant visits in the evenings. Speaking of range: Rinderknecht has also partnered with energy giant RWE, whose “intelligent” charging station demonstrates how an innovative infrastructure specialist tackles the issue of e-mobility. The advanced charger communicates with the car across all borders.
And what effect will “BamBoo” have in Geneva? “BamBoo” will push the reset button in the head of the observer, clearing the mind for a new way of automotive thinking. It exhibits simple, crisp lines; nothing is redundant – aesthetics in their purest form. Close your eyes and you’ll find yourself cruising through pine forests and lavender fields in your mind. The little car was made for the beautiful beaches and vacation spots of this planet, making the “BamBoo” sort of a world car. No wonder that bustling Frank M. Rinderknecht wants to seize this chance as figurehead of Swiss watch manufacturer C.F. Bucherer and thinks aloud about a series production. Rinderknecht will only say this: “Yes, there have been constructive talks for some time with a number of potential manufacturers.” To be on the safe side, the Düsseldorf consulting firm A.T. Kearney already has manufacturing and company concepts for a series production in the drawer.
At the Geneva Motor Show even visions have to be communicated visually in top quality with HD displays and Blu-ray players from Sharp and advertising support from “Die Agentur” based in Germany’s federal state of Saarland.
Creative - Clean - Car - Concepts with the main focus of: project management, conception, packaging, light-weight and fiber composites.
Light, young, playful and without the claim to be an everyday’s car, that is the way the “BamBoo” was conceived. Its appearance reflects the joy of life of St. Tropez, the South. Life is not only about power and luxury, but most important about enjoying life at it’s fullest. In his career of more than twenty years as the project manager and one of the executives at Esoro AG, Peter Kägi has developed also very expensive and exclusive automobiles with the “St. Tropez feeling”. But the BamBoo is different, more joyful and pure.
Since 1999 Peter Kägi is the technical head of the concept car projects of Rinspeed. He is linked to Frank M. Rinderknecht by many creative sessions, by many solutions to be found, but also by many positive experiences in that period. He is working with electric cars since 1986, the range varies from very few kilowatt to far beyond 500 kilowatt.
The consulting and engineering company 4erC stands for widely spread activities with an emphasis at this time for consulting work in cleantech projects for an OEM and the industry.
Frank M. Rinderknecht used highly advanced technology and a Swiss-based network of top automotive specialists for his project. So the Rinspeed “BamBoo” fits perfectly to ESORO’s motto: engineered by ESORO - what you dream is what you get.
For the twelfth subsequent time the Swiss cleantech engineering company ESORO was hired to serve as general contractor for the Rinspeed’s annual conceptcar project. ESORO was responsible for co-project management, implementation of new technologies, engineering, rendering, design and manufacturing of the Rinspeed “BamBoo”. Starting with the concept, it took the highly skilled development team just four months to realize the entire project.
ESORO has now 20 years experience as engineering partner for concept vehicles, components and products with main focus on lightweight construction, alternative drivetrains and mobility. During this time ESORO has gained a well-deserved reputation for excellent efficiency and innovative solutions, which is demonstrated by numerous prototypes and serial products.
Since 1990 ESORO has been working intensively in the field of conception, implementation and tests of clean car concepts and drive systems. ESORO is thus one of the few companies in the world with well-founded experience in development and operation of electric, plug-in-hybrid and fuel cell drives. These activities are our core competence. ESORO therefore realizes EV projects for OEM’s starting with the initial conception and the prototype up to the serial project phase.
ESORO is also developing fiber reinforced components from initial conception up to pre-production samples. In-house specialists optimize the component properties and characteristics throughout the entire development process. Important steps are non-linear, orthotropic Finite Element Analysis and crash simulation.
Another recent development from ESORO is the new E-LFT production technology developed for Weber Automotive. E-LFT makes large scale production of high-strength and lightweight composite parts affordable. E-LFT composite parts weigh more than 30 percent less than comparable steel parts. For the development of the smart fortwo tailgate, which now has been produced 500’000 times with the E-LFT process, ESORO received the highly recognized JEC Innovation Automotive Award 2008.
The wheel is regarded as the first "logical invention" of our civilization and is geometrically tightly defined in its circular shape. Its development has continued up to this day, and will keep on moving people in the future, because it is a central element of almost every mobility concept. With its environmentally friendly and lifestyle icon "BamBoo", the Swiss design and engineering company Rinspeed have drawn upon the inspirations and products of AEZ, the German wheels professionals, for the fifth time now. Both companies are driven by the same enthusiasm, combining proven technology with astute, sustainable and far-sighted innovations, and have been working perfectly together for many years.
AEZ specially created the unique rims for the buggy, which will be first presented at Geneva in March 2011. The attractive, 17-inch rims perfectly capture the optical design elements of the "BamBoo". With their two-tone paintwork, they reflect the theme of 'BamBoo' in an optical sense, featuring further retro elements such as the central section, which recalls a drum brake with cooling ribs. The puristic shape, limited to three spokes, serves as a futuristic antithesis. A successful balancing act, which also applies throughout the whole vehicle. The alloy wheels are more than just an eyecatcher however: They are a decisive factor in issue of lightweight functionality, because a minimal weight is vital for electric vehicles, if their road performance and operating range are to achieve practical results. In order to compensate for the negative dynamic influences of heavy batteries, it is also recommended that the unsprung masses are kept as low as possible. Meaning that the discovery of the wheel will be well prepared to keep humanity on the move in the future too. AEZ customers profit very tangibly from the developments for Rinspeed because these do not remain technical finger exercises for the engineers, but almost all of them have been adopted into series production. We are looking forward to ensuring that the alloy wheel's technology can grow in the future, together with Rinspeed's innovation and ideas.
For the second year in a row, AkzoNobel Automotive & Aerospace Coatings (A&AC) will be at the Geneva Motor Show exhibiting stickerfix™, the smart do-it-yourself solution for minor paint damage. And for the second year in a row, it will be teaming up with Rinspeed, the Swiss concept car creator, which celebrates its 33rd anniversary with the unveiling of a lifestyle concept car called the “BamBoo”.
stickerfix™ is an ultra-thin high-tech adhesive film coated with a perfect match of the original car color, using high-quality automotive paint just like the original. Not only is it the only DIY solution that uses the original paint for a perfect match, but it also offers unrivalled ease of use. All that is required to complete the repair is to clean the damaged area, apply the sticker, and smooth it down. The damage vanishes, with no need for brushes, spray cans, or hit-or-miss touch-up pens.
A&AC will be sharing a stand in Geneva with Rinspeed. As usual, Rinspeed founder Frank M. Rinderknecht has come up with something highly unusual: a tiny electric-powered car that is part dune buggy, part oversized golf cart, and part urban mini-car. The BamBoo is an open-topped four-seater that evokes memories of the seventies and images of a seaside resort. A&AC provided the innovative colors and integrated stickerfix™ into the design to offer protective properties to the vulnerable sections of the car such as door edges. “AkzoNobel and Rinspeed have an outstanding reputation for innovation – together we make a pretty formidable team”, says Phil Coady, A&AC Marketing Director for the EMEA region.
AkzoNobel Automotive & Aerospace Coatings is one of the world's leading suppliers of paints and services for car repair, commercial vehicles, automotive plastics and aerospace coatings markets. It sells coatings for original equipment and refinishing applications to bodyshops, aircraft manufacturers, fleet owners, automotive suppliers and major bus and truck producers. Brands include Sikkens®, Lesonal®, Dynacoat®, Wanda®, and Sikkens Autocoat® BT. Operating in more than 60 countries, Automotive & Aerospace Coatings has specialists around the world who understand local markets and can serve local needs. Its state-of-the-art customer services, color and technology solutions include offering technical and logistical support and the delivery of training programs.
With its "BamBoo", Frank Rinspeed is presenting a further innovative and trendsetting automotive concept at this year's Geneva International Motor Show. Frank M. Rinderknecht, founder and CEO of the Swiss-based company, has collaborated closely with management consultancy A.T. Kearney on the development of guidelines for a modular business model for the market launch of the BamBoo – the "Automotive Lifestyle Company".
St. Tropez, Miami, Sao Paulo: the business model and the marketing concept must be flexible enough to match the individual lifestyles of customer groups in these sun-drenched locations with their hugely diverse citizens and surroundings. Accordingly, the Automotive Lifestyle Company Rinspeed has opted for a modular business model for the production of attractive vehicles with affordable prices, high functional value and appealing feature packages for each region – coupled with marketing concepts tailored to the needs of specific customer groups.
The business concept complements the BamBoo's product concept, which unites light construction methods with compact, fuel-efficient drive systems. The key to market success in the different international markets is the development of flexible packages of features and functions. The BamBoo will therefore be marketed initially as a leisure vehicle only. In the course of its lifecycle the range of models will be expanded with the addition of the "BamBoo Buggy" and the "BamBoo Pickup".
The Operations Division of the Automotive Lifestyle Company, which is responsible for the development, production and marketing of the modular lifestyle vehicle and is interested in recruiting licensing partners, is likewise based on the principle of modularity. Individual value creation stages can be licensed and taken over by other partners in the network – not only for the development of vehicle versions for specific regional and customer groups but also for actual production. This results in a unique network which is open for different cooperation and licensing models:
• Option: Development and production partnership
• Option: Development and branding partnership
• Option: Sales and marketing partnership
With the Automotive Lifestyle Company, A.T. Kearney and Frank Rinderknecht are demonstrating how modular corporate concepts will be gaining an ever stronger foothold in the automotive industry in the future and how they have already become well established in other lifestyle industries, such as entertainment electronics and the world of fashion. The BamBoo is a pacesetting product concept and thanks to the modular business model it has the necessary flexibility to ensure the market success of tailormade product variants in the different target regions.
After equipping the “UC?” electric car with the company’s own Manufacture movement M1000, Carl F. Bucherer is also supporting Rinspeed’s latest project. The “BamBoo” electric car represents unusual character and innovative design.
Over thirty years ago, Frank M. Rinderknecht set himself the objective of letting boyhood dreams come true and to provide the answer to the vision of the ultimate motorcar with his own cult cars. Meanwhile, Rinspeed distinguishes itself with the production of Concept Cars and small series. Also with its newest creation, it has succeeded in capturing and realizing an individual life experience: The “BamBoo” Concept Car presents itself as a technical, modern, fresh interpretation of cult retro design.
Common Philosophy: Concept Cars, which Frank M. Rinderknecht is developing at Rinspeed, give a new interpretation to mobility. They are the work of a man, who is unhurriedly and constantly going his own way. Just as Carl F. Bucherer, founder of the Lucerne watch brand, used to. Moreover, the “BamBoo” stands for joie de vivre, unusual character and passion – as do the watches from Carl F. Bucherer. However, even more conclusive is the shared philosophy of compressing demanding technology, top-class materials and surprising forms into an innovative, progressive and conceptually convincing composition.
Innovative Holiday Companion: The “BamBoo”, resembling a beach buggy, will be presented for the first time at the Geneva Motor Show from 3 to 13 March. With its pure electric drive and homage to the seventies, it expresses not only a longing for the natural, but also arouses a cool joie de vivre. The various materials inside the four-seater are made from BamBoo fibers and the powerful, orange, sparkling, futuristic, striking upholstery contrasts refreshingly with the inflatable soft top. This, in turn, is adorned with a hand-painted beach scene, designed by New York pop artist James Rizzi. Like the Carl F. Bucherer timekeepers, the “BamBoo” embodies a harmonious interplay between clear and pure shapes, gratifying one’s gaze with the essentials.
Aesthetics in their purest form: The “BamBoo” Concept Car is to be produced in electric or conventional driven versions of serial production, and will come into operation for car rental and in holiday venues, for example such as the Near East, Thailand, Caribbean or Florida. In any case, wherever the sun shines.
About Carl F. Bucherer: Carl F. Bucherer, registered as Bucherer Montres S.A., is an independent company with over 90 years competency in the production of luxury watches. The Manufacture brand stands for uncompromising quality and aesthetical products with stylish design. It combines the finest watchmaking craftsmanship with the highest jewelry competency. The name recognizes the pioneering achievements of the company’s founder of the same name, Carl Friedrich Bucherer. The Carl F. Bucherer brand was launched with the objective of giving more strategic weight to its manufacturing competence, which had been successfully demonstrated since 1919. As the only watch brand located in Central Switzerland, Carl F. Bucherer manufactures and markets exclusive ladies and gents watches, thereby building the second arm of the Bucherer Group. The Bucherer Group is managed by the third generation of its founding family and is today presided over by Jörg G. Bucherer. The Carl F. Bucherer team under the management of CEO Sascha Moeri is reinforcing its market position as a progressive watch Manufacture in the premium segment, with its own workshop for the research, development and production of manufacture movements in Ste-Croix, as well as the presentation of the CFB A1000 Manufacture movement.
At the Geneva Motor Show, the Rinspeed BamBoo concept car with its combination of retro looks and innovative technology set new standards in vehicle design studies, as did its heating system. For the electrical concept, Eberspächer catem developed a prototype PTC heater including air vent which compensates for the heat that would have been produced by a combustion engine. At a power rating of 5.2 kW it can heat the interior of the vehicle to a comfortable level within just a few seconds. A major plus point – apart from the extremely compact design – is its great installation flexibility: the design of the heater enables different installation positions, while the control device can be positioned practically anywhere in the vehicle, independently of the heater. The heating performance can be regulated infinitely using the electronic controller – either via PWM (pulse width modulation), LIN or CAN busses. The PTC heater can easily withstand high voltages of up to 500 V and meets the highest safety standards thanks to its completely isolated construction. All these properties, along with a degree of efficacy of 99 percent, make the PTC air and water heater from Eberspächer catem impressive not just for electrical concepts like the BamBoo but also for hybrid and fuel cell vehicles.
The aluminium central air vent was designed specifically for the BamBoo and enables the warm air flow to be regulated very effectively. The flexible plastic vanes allow the user to choose either to heat the windscreen to ensure a clear view or the passenger compartment for enhanced comfort.
For more complex electrical vehicles with hybrid drive, Eberspächer catem offers high-volt PTC water heaters, which are integrated in the cooling water circuit. Depending on the weather conditions, these can be used to pre-heat the drive battery (key word: battery conditioning). However, the waste heat from the power electronics, the engine or the fuel cell can also be used for heating – providing comprehensive thermal management.
The electric drive unit developed in-house by the FRÄGER Group provides the BamBoo lifestyle concept car presented by the Swiss firm Rinspeed with its sustainable propulsion system.
In developing the unit, the research and development team at the German automobile supplier, led by Martin Fräger, is pursuing a similar philosophy to Rinspeed founder Frank M. Rinderknecht, which is to identify and analyse automotive industry changes and associated social trends, come up with visionary ideas to implement them and demonstrate their own capabilities through the rapid provision of production-ready standard products.
The electric drive unit supplied by FRÄGER is an essential component of the BamBoo lifestyle vehicle, making a key contribution to realising the concept car’s goal, which is to provide pure driving pleasure but with a clear conscience. To that end, the tried-and-tested mass-produced electric drive unit from FRÄGER was a natural first choice. It has already been used successfully in the compact car STROMOS manufactured by FRÄGER’s sister company German E-Cars, and was designed right from the start as the central drive unit for third-party cars and motorcycles as well as other road transportation applications.
The drive unit, which was developed at breakneck speed, comprises the engine, an adapted transmission unit and the drive inverter. The chief advantages of this compact unit are its ease of integration thanks to the reduced interfaces, plus the ideal tuning which ensures that optimum power is extracted from the electric drive unit.
The drive to innovate has been a key component of the Goodyear philosophy right from the start. As far back as the mid-19th century, when Charles Goodyear discovered vulcanization as a crucial technical process in the production of rubber, he was setting a milestone that would be followed by many more. One of the latest developments: tires with optimized rolling resistance that help boost a vehicle’s fuel economy by a measurable degree. A host of different technologies and the full expertise of the international research team at Goodyear went into creating the tire that now graces the Rinspeed BamBoo in a special edition made in Goodyear’s signature shade of blue: the Goodyear EfficientGrip. The many innovative details that help the tire enhance fuel economy and cut CO2 emissions are all part of Goodyear’s FuelSaving Technology. The new tire is truly feature-packed, from its optimized tire tread and the lower weight made possible by today’s high-tech materials to the optimized rubber compounds used for the tread surface and tire interior. All of these factors help ensure that the EfficientGrip saves energy while still offering top-notch safety and driving enjoyment.
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