Arbel (automobile)
| Industry | Automotive |
|---|---|
| Founder | Casimir (Casi) André Loubière, Maurice Loubière |
Area served | France |
| Products | Hybrid petrol-electric automobiles (Arbel, Loubières, Symétric) |
The Arbel—also referred to as Loubières, Loubière, Symétric, Symétric-Paris, or Arbel-Symétric—was a hybrid petrol-electric automobile featuring a fiberglass body, developed by Compagnie Normande d'Etudes pour l'Application de Procédés Mécaniques. Produced in limited quantities primarily for testing and prototype purposes, these vehicles were built individually during two separate periods: from 1951 to 1953 and later from 1957 to 1959.
First iteration - 1951 to 1953
The initial Arbel model was conceived by Casimir (Casi) André Loubière, a car dealer, with financial backing from his brother Maurice, who owned the air transport firm COSARA in Indo-China. Together, they operated under the name Les Freres Loubière.
This eight-passenger automobile was powered by a Simca four-cylinder 1100cc petrol engine that drove four electric motors housed within the wheel hubs. Built using glass and lightweight alloys, the vehicle weighed approximately 1,870 pounds and was equipped with curved windows that retracted into the roof. The brothers intended to mass-produce the car at an anticipated cost of £295. It made its debut as the Symétrie at the 1951 Geneva Motor Show, although it failed to generate significant attention.
A redesign transformed it into a roadster with a plastic body, which was unveiled at the Paris Grand Palais during the 40th Salon d'Automobile and Cycle Show in October 1953. At that event, it attracted interest from the French War Department. The car featured a single pedal for operation, an emergency handbrake, lacked traditional gears, and incorporated automatic braking upon releasing the accelerator. It could reach speeds of up to 60 mph in urban conditions and claimed a maximum velocity of 95 mph with fuel efficiency rated at 32 miles per gallon. Its braking distance from 60 mph was under 40 yards, surpassing that of comparable vehicles at the time. The proposed annual output was set at 1,000 units with a projected price of £435.
Second iteration - 1957 to 1958
Between 1957 and 1958, the second generation named the Arbel-Symétric was developed and presented at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1958.
This version experimented with alternative propulsion systems: initially employing a stationary gas generator powered by diesel fuel, followed later in 1958 by an innovative "genestatom"—a 40-kilowatt nuclear thermal generator utilizing radioactive cartridges derived from nuclear waste, potentially influenced by the Ford Nucleon. Nonetheless, development ceased after French authorities declined approval for nuclear fuel usage.
At the same Geneva exhibition in 1958, another nuclear-powered concept vehicle—the Studebaker-Packard Astral—was also displayed.
The company subsequently encountered financial troubles leading to insurmountable debt. In 1963, the Loubière brothers secured a patent for a rotary engine, which likely related to their earlier engine patent filed in 1950.
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References
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