GMC has make out up with a solvent to the rising costs ofgasand rent – the GMC PAD . create for the California Design Challenge , the PAD is a mobile urban garret mean to ease the difficulty of living in Southern California . This six - wheeled giant is basically a futuristic motor rest home – part apartment , part vehicle and parttelecommunicationscenter
The Future of Motor Homes . See morepictures of concept railcar .
The GMC PAD is based on the estimation of a nomadic urban loft – a one - room flat meant for one person , or two if they do n’t bear in mind being extremely airless to each other . Instead of rent from a landlord and paying the often sky - high SoCal rip rates , the owner of a PAD just lives in it , and makes his home wherever he happens to be park . To get to study , the PAD owner just park his " mobile urban loft " near the federal agency and walks , deflect the necessity of commuting on cloggedhighways . comfortably still , he can utilize the PAD ’s on - board engineering to work direct from within the PAD itself . The PAD is a eminent - tech motor dwelling made for living in full - time , not just for weekend trips . It ’s packed with the latest communication theory equipment and agreeableness , which is why GMC calls it a Living Activity Vehicle , or LAV .
The GMC PAD does n’t in reality exist , however . General Motors ' Advanced Design Team create it for the California Design Challenge , a contest held at the 2006 Los Angeles Auto Show . The theme for the challenge was " An L.A. Adventure . " Ten unlike company , including Hyundai , Scion , Maybach , Mercedes - Benz and Audi , issue forth up with concept to reflect the wide variety of activities usable in Southern California .
A panel of blueprint experts pass first place to the GMC PAD . Tom Matano , a venire judge and theatre director of Industrial Design for the Academy of Art University , call the PAD " the lawful all - around fomite . This creates a Modern segment between the RV and the SUV . The time to come of this Living Activity Vehicle would appeal to many purchaser including corporations , next homeowners , traveling business people and incessant traveler looking to go beyond the stereotypical R.V. " [ ref ] .
Visiting the PAD
statistic about the PAD are backbreaking to come by , since it only exists as a computing machine design . It is comparable in size of it to a modern motor home – in fact , it ’s probably shorter than some of the huge motor habitation on the food market . It looks very broad , but for virtual purpose , it ca n’t be any all-embracing than a standard traffic lane . Specific system of weights numbers are not available , though it would probably be comparable to a received motor home . A 25 - foot motor home count about 10,000 pound . and employ a 300 - horsepowerengine . Space - age materials such as composite plant could reduce the weightiness , but the weighting of the communication equipment could compensate for that savings .
The PAD includesDirecTV , OnStarand XM Satellite WiFi . That means users would have unvarying access to more than a hundredTVchannels , in high spirits - speed wireless cyberspace , and a variety of OnStar services , let in fomite nosology , emergency help , and dealings , travel and atmospheric condition data .
You would n’t have to work very hard to find that information , either . The internal wall of the PAD are overlay with giantLCDscreens . To keep everything running smoothly , GMC says that the PAD has " a teraflop of on - board memory . " This does n’t make much sensation , since a trillion floating point operations per second is a measure of computational speed rather than memory capacity . Perhaps the PAD has on - display board computer arrangement that can run at one teraflop . Or they may have meant " terabyte . " On the other handwriting , maybe the PAD can make the Kessel Run in under 12 parsecs , too .
If kvetch back and watching aDVDon a gargantuan LCD screen is n’t relax enough , the aft part of the PAD is a " personal spa . " This includes a kitchen area with a " full entourage of PAD - specific widget create by Thermador , " and other lineament make by Kohler . Whether this includes a working shower and bathroom is n’t indicated , but we can bear they ’re there . The integrated skydeck leave the owner to " relish the sights and sounds of LA culture . "
Sustainability
Saving on a monthly rip payment is no great help if you ’re stuck pay hundreds of dollars for gas every week . For that reason , PAD was designed to operate expeditiously with the latest free energy applied science . A Diesel - Electrichybridenginepowers the PAD in both LiveMode and DriveMode . A fully computerized resource management system allow the PAD to wring every last drop out of fuel and potable water supplies , with the visualize meter between refills last week or months . To supplement energy demands , six square meters ofphotovoltaic cellscover the top of the PAD , charging on - boardbatterieswith energy hoard from the sunlight . The computing equipment also see to it thesuspension , sacrifice the PAD a bland , wanton ride and leveling it out automatically in LiveMode .
A Realistic PAD?
Because the PAD was create purely as a design project , it is n’t needs meant to be a realistic fomite . GMC has absolutely no plans to produce a prototype PAD , much less a production version for sales event to the general public . But what would the GMC PAD be like if it did exist ?
It would probably be a packet , for one thing . newfangled gamey - end motor homes can cost in the range of $ 800,000 to $ 1 million , and models that are more modest can still reach $ 250,000 . The PAD is surely a high-pitched - remnant machine , with its " infotainment " gadgets , LCD screens , solar cadre and hybrid engine . At minimum , its toll would have to be a few hundred thousand dollars . You ’d have to live in it for many age to make up that dispute in rent savings , and that does n’t take into news report fuel costs or considerations about where you ’d park your PAD . Motor family are n’t generally allow to stay long - term in parking lot or parked on the street , and connection to fill up the water tanks are n’t free , either . None of these concerns are addressed in the PAD design papers .
The general idea of endure in a motor home alternatively of a menage is not a fresh one , but if prices in some real demesne food market continue to rise , that might be the only choice left for some people . However , inhabit in a motor dwelling is not well-to-do . It postulate some power to repair the mechanic and system of the fomite . It also requires adherence to a nonindulgent budget for nutrient , fuel and other expenses . The hold up space in the PAD as shown would be very cramp . It look more like a fancy lounge than somewhere you ’d actually need to populate . So the PAD would n’t be for everybody , but for those who desire a new lifestyle and care to live on the cutting edge , the PAD might be a glimpse into the future .
There are other alternative for the PAD , however . GMC view its adaptability and modular conception a plus that could allow it to be used as the on - the - spot headquarters for adisaster responseteam , an on - situation office for managing events or construction sites , or as emergency caparison .
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