Impetus Development of the Amitron was prompted by three bills passed by the
89th United States Congress, described collectively as the "Electric Vehicle Development Act of 1966", as well as a fourth bill that amended the
Clean Air Act of 1963. The legislation provided funding for
electric car research in response to the rapidly decreasing air quality caused by automobile emissions. Development of electric vehicles was undertaken by the domestic
big three automobile manufacturers, as well as AMC. Electrically powered cars were also seen as a way for the U.S. to reduce its reliance on "expensive, undependable oil imports." (acquired by
Mark IV Industries in 1986) to develop the battery and power handling electronics for the car. Their entry into the electric car market was significantly more advanced than other developments, including two types of batteries for fast and slow power release and charging, as well as regenerative brakes to help extend range. The primary power source consisted of two lithium-nickel-fluoride batteries rated at 150
watt-hours per pound, or 331 watt-hours per kilogram, with a total capacity of 22.5 kWh. The designers selected
lithium for the Amitron because "it is both highly reactive (easy to oxidize) and has high electromotive potential." The downside to these batteries is that they have relatively low instantaneous
power, too little to provide reasonable acceleration, or be able to handle the rapid recharging during regenerative braking. A secondary power source consisting of two
nickel-cadmium (NiCd, often read ni-cad) batteries was used to handle higher power peaks. These batteries could accelerate the car to in 20 seconds. This was the first use of regenerative braking technology in the U.S. automobile industry. Altogether, the system provided the car with a range of when traveling at . Its total battery weight of only was also light for electric vehicles. The equivalent in
lead-acid cells would weigh nearly a ton (907 kg). At the time, AMC's vice president of design,
Dick Teague, was working on a car called "the Voltswagon".
Body The Amitron was designed to minimize power loss by keeping down
rolling resistance, wind
drag resistance, and vehicle weight. The prototype was a snub-snouted three-passenger urban area vehicle or
city car with an overall length of only . Among its unique design features were passenger seats that had air-filled cushions, rather than conventional
polyurethane (foam rubber). The car did not feature conventional bodyside doors, but the
canopy of the vehicle was hinged up and backward ("clamshell-type" on rear-mounted pivots) for entry and egress. American Motors put more effort into making its prototype electric car more attractive than its competitors. "The modern looking Amitron was one of the most promising electrics developed in the Sixties." During the December 1967 public introduction of the car,
Roy D. Chapin Jr., chairman and chief executive officer of AMC, stated that the Amitron "could eliminate many problems that up to this point have made electric-type cars impractical". The Amitron was also well received by the public. Competitors were also skeptical of AMC's rapid deployment, stating it would take ten years to have a practical battery. The abruptly terminating rear end of the concept car influenced the
AMC Gremlin. American Motors' battery-powered vehicle development continued under a partnership with Gould (
Gould Electronics after selling its battery operations) that led to the
mass production of the
Jeep DJ-5E starting in 1974. This rear-wheel-drive mini-delivery van was also known as the
Electruck. Regenerative braking was effective at speeds above and the system included current-limiting to prevent overcharging the lead-acid batteries. Along with this lineup, AMC renamed the Amitron to
Electron, added side-view mirrors to the windows, and gave it a fresh paint job. The show car was not driveable because it did not have a power train. The design has been characterized by some observers as "hot, sexy, cute and practical." The exterior's angular design was also ahead of its time because it was not until the 1970s that wedge-shaped bodies were finally adopted for production cars. The Amitron featured a polygonal exterior design that "looks like a miniature
Cybertruck" that was unveiled in late 2019 by
Tesla, Inc. The AMC car "laid down principles that looked to represent the future of urban travel, but it was just too advanced for its own good." "The AMC Amitron had almost 50 years ago all that is still considered indispensable for an electric car if it is supposed to succeed: a decent range, low weight, and a jaunty look." ==References==