Clemson Students Show Deep Orange 5 Concept at GM Headquarters

8 years, 11 months ago - 26 April 2015, Autoblog
Clemson Students Show Deep Orange 5 Concept at GM Headquarters
It's getting increasingly hard to drive in many cities around the world as populations rise and governments crack down on emissions. Graduate students from the International Center for Automotive Research at Clemson University have an idea how to help, though.

Each year, they work with an automaker to create a concept car from the ground up, and 2015's Deep Orange 5 in partnership with General Motors is a solution for the future.

With a debut at the GM Renaissance Center, Deep Orange 5 is meant for young drivers who are strapped with student loans in the cities of 2020. With little room to maneuver and not much money to spend on a vehicle, this pod is supposed to maximize utility and connectivity at a low price. Its egg shape uses little space, and the double-hinged sliding doors make getting in easy. Inside, there's a fully digital cockpit for the driver and front passenger and four reconfigurable seats that swivel around. It also has the ability to display messages outside through a color display in the doors.

Each year the ICAR students research a vehicle segment and tackle it with a concept. Deep Orange 4 was a BMW X4 with a pickup bed, and number three was a hybrid, five-door hatchback with help from Mazda. Deep Orange 6 and 7 have already started development with sponsorship from Toyota and BMW, respectively.