Th!nk's financial saga has seen it bounce from owner to owner, into bankruptcy and back out, and now it's looking for government aid, but still its vehicles and ideas are inspiring people. The FROST design study, for instance, was penned by a Norwegian design student as a Th!nk concept, intended to serve as an AWD electric car suited to the artic climes of Norway.

And it's a mean looker too. The triangular tracked wheels provide traction in all conditions, but they also provide drive and steering functions at all four corners. The suspension is also capable of hydraulically extending outwards to increase the vehicle's track if necessary. The mechanics of the car are accordingly fairly complex, with all the linkages necessary to enable driving and steering on a fully independent suspension at each corner.

Anders Gloslie, the student that designed the car, chose the tracks primarily for their snow, ice and slush capabilities. The car's outside, dramatic as it may be, is also built for function. This is, after all, an arctic adventure vehicle.

The bizarre handle-like tube sticking out of the rear is what Gloslie calls an 'information tube' that measures atmospheric conditions and relays them to the cockpit. The large fans at the rear serve to regulate the temperature of the cabin and cool the battery packs.

While it's ultimately just a glimmer in a design student's eye, the FROST is a different sort of concept that shows EVs need not always be about cute and cuddly.
Via: Diseno-Art