The Squad Solar City Car is not an ordinary vehicle; it is a unique blend of a motorcycle and a car. Notably, users of this vehicle do not need a car driver’s license to operate it easily.
After three years of testing and development, the Dutch company Squad Mobility has recently launched the world’s first solar-powered city car. This vehicle is called the Squad Solar City Car – a solar-powered transport designed for shared mobility and MaaS (mobility as a service) solutions.
The mini four-wheeled vehicle from Squad measures 2 meters (6.5 feet) in length, 1.2 meters (3.9 feet) in width, and 1.6 meters (5.2 feet) in height. It has a cargo capacity of 68 liters or 243 liters when the seats are folded down.
The Squad Solar City Car.
Squad’s solar vehicle is classified as a lightweight electric vehicle in the European Union, categorized as L6e, which means you only need a motorcycle license to drive it. While specific regulations may vary between countries, generally, drivers aged 14 and older can operate the Solar City Car.
Additionally, users can remove the doors if they wish to save energy while enhancing airflow. However, air conditioning is also available as an optional feature for the vehicle.
Cargo capacity of 68 liters or 243 liters when seats are folded.
Powering the Solar City Car are two 2 kW (2.7 horsepower) electric motors located in the rear wheels and four 1.6 kWh batteries, providing a range of up to 100 km on a single charge. This SEV can reach speeds of up to 45 km/h. It features solar panels on the roof that can add an additional 20 km of range per day during the summer. Moreover, the vehicle is equipped with regenerative braking and 220V charging capabilities. All batteries are easily replaceable and portable.
In terms of safety, the manufacturer has equipped the vehicle with a large rollover protection frame as well as front and rear collision structures.
The Solar City Car from Squad Mobility is currently available for pre-order as a personal vehicle in Europe and will also be offered as a shared mobility solution through an app. The starting price is set at €6,250 (approximately 150 million VND) and can go up to €9,300 (224 million VND) if buyers opt for full doors with windows, air conditioning, and other additional features. Thus, the cheapest version of this car is on par with the price of the Honda SH 150i 2021 scooter in the Vietnamese market.
