Senda Is a Compact, Jeep-Inspired Cargo EV Built To Reach Remote, Roadless Communities
As electric motors and battery packs become more accessible, an increasing number of experimental vehicle concepts are appearing—each promising to solve a specific problem. Among them is one of the most compact, fun-sized designs to channel the spirit of a two-door Rubicon.
This little EV, called Senda, comes from industrial designer Nasly Valeria Correa Gonzalez of Bogotá, Colombia, with contributions from designers Laura Silvera and Julián Valbuena.
Despite its Jeep-like silhouette, Senda has no connection to the brand. Its form is instead a response to the landscapes and transport challenges found throughout Colombia.
Conceived as a vehicle capable of navigating both cities and rural paths, it targets a gap in the transportation and product-distribution network, particularly in regions where paved infrastructure is limited.
In hilly farming areas—where coffee growers, for example, rely on uneven dirt tracks rather than tarmac—many conventional vehicles simply can’t reach the fields. Senda is envisioned as the one that can.
Its narrow wheelbase, a hallmark of agile off-roaders, is a key part of that mission. The compact footprint allows it to thread through rough terrain where larger vehicles struggle. The drawback, of course, is reduced interior and cargo space.
To counter that, Senda uses a clever modular loading system designed to adapt to various goods, from fruit and vegetables to sacks of coffee or cocoa.
At the rear, a roll-cage-like tower contains powered rails that lift and move stackable cargo bins. When empty, the bins sit low. Once the vehicle reaches a pickup point, the top tray is filled and then automatically raised over the cab, freeing the next bin. The process repeats until four tiers are loaded. The bins themselves have adjustable walls that expand or contract depending on the size of the cargo.
This ingenuity, however, introduces a challenge: the short wheelbase means that adding significant weight to the rear risks shifting the center of gravity backward. On an uphill path, that could make the vehicle prone to tipping.
The solution depends entirely on how the drivetrain, motors, and battery placement are configured. If weight is carefully balanced—especially with sufficient mass toward the front—this issue can be mitigated. But with rear-wheel drive electronics located at the back and batteries likely mounted low in the floor, achieving that balance becomes a delicate task.
Beyond its loading system, Senda incorporates regenerative braking via induction motors and coil-spring suspension for navigating uneven terrain.
For now, Senda remains a concept, and it may never progress beyond the design stage. Yet past work from Nasly Valeria Correa Gonzalez, such as the Sharky project, shows that some of her ideas do materialize. If the engineering challenges can be resolved—and the little EV manages to stay upright under a full load of oranges—Senda could one day move from sketch to reality.
