Remember when Mercedes launched their Smart car and everyone was amazed that you could park them nose forward? And lots and lots of city dwellers bought one. Well, here's the latest iteration of the micro-mobility urban runaround.
While solar-powered cars might have promise, solar panel technology isn't at the stage where it can power the average vehicle without needing excessive charging times. However, the Squad Solar City Car isn't quite your average vehicle. The incredibly compact two-seater was built to make the most of solar's limitations by powering urban mobility and tackling the first and last-mile emissions problem while it's at it.
"Urban mobility should be safe, accessible, and hassle-free. It should contribute to a liveable, free and open city life," Squad Mobility writes in a press release.
The company says its smart vehicle, which will be available in 2022, makes "life simple for everyone." Founded in 2019, Squad Mobility set out to create a zero-emission solution that can be easily integrated into city spaces. The two-seater vehicle charges automatically in sunlight and has the option of swappable batteries if its charge is low.
A small, but robust, design makes it easy to navigate cities and park the car conveniently - three of these micro-beauties fit comfortably into one parking space. Their aluminum tubular frame and roll cages should help ensure a safe trip.
"Cities are looking for zero-emission mobility solutions with a small space footprint. We have achieved both," said Robert Hoevers, Squad Mobility CEO.
"A per capita energy consumption lower than public transport and a space footprint comparable to a bicycle. And all this, while offering the flexibility of personal transport and the comfort of a car."
This little solar powered car looks set to capture the zeitgeist! Particulary as the Amsterdam based company intends to price its car at €5,750 (about $6,800 USD)