BARCELONA – Seat says its Minimo two-seat quadricycle concept combines the advantages of cars and motorcycles to create a nimble electric city vehicle.
The Minimo could be used as part of short-term rental fleets or bought for individual use, Seat said.
The Minimo was unveiled on Monday at the Mobile World Congress here.
The vehicle is 2500mm (8.2 feet) long, the same length as the first-generation Smart ForTwo. It’s much narrower at 1420mm compared with the ForTwo’s 1510mm width.
The Minimo’s narrow profile means it could be parked perpendicular in cities that allow or tolerate such parking.
The Minimo’s design is like the Renault Twizy's, where the passenger sits behind the driver in a similar way to riding a motorcycle.
Unlike the electric Twizy, the Minimo does not just rely on fixed charging points to recharge the battery. The battery can be pulled out and swapped for one with a full charge. The Minimo has a range of over 100 km (62 miles) on single charge, Seat said.
The Minimo is longer and wider that the Twizy, which is 2337mm long and 1191mm wide. The extra dimensions, along with full doors that offer protection from the cold, rain and traffic noise, mean that the Minimo is more comfortable than the Twizy for the driver and passenger.
Vertical doors
The doors are asymmetrical and hinged to open vertically even in the tightest of spaces.
The smaller driver’s door on the left side means more space can be given to the vehicle’s glasshouse increasing visibility for passengers, while the larger right passenger door makes entering and exiting the vehicle effortless, Seat said.
