SEAT Minimo

26.02.2019 admin 0 SEAT,

The new electric citycar Seat Minimo will be presented at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show. The company has an aim to check the potential of urban micro-mobility and creating a microcar which can travel over short distances (up to 10 km). The Minimo concept combines the best of a motorcycle (compactness, maneuverability) and a car (comfort, safety). It has a range of 62 miles (100 km), but you don’t need to charge the battery – it can be replaced “in a matter of seconds.” The developers say such a solution can reduce operating costs by 50%.

The authors wanted to make the interior as spacious and bright as possible. They say that the distance between the driver and the passenger sitting behind him is almost the same as in Seat Mii hatchback.

Measuring just 2.5 meters and with a width of 1.24 meters, the new Seat Minimo can transport two people while taking just 3.1 square meters of space on the road, which is over 50 percent smaller than the footprint of a regular city car.

There is no exact information about engine, transmission and speed. But a lot has been said about the connecting Seat Minimo to the 5G networks, working with Google to create a “wireless Android Auto” and integrating voice-activated smartphones. For example, the electric car recognizes the driver’s age, and if he is 16 or 18 years old, he sets a limiter at around 27 or 55 mph (45 or 90 km/h).

Seat Minimo was developed to work in green and historical zones, where the limited entrance to regular cars. Trips less than ten kilometers are about 60% of the total rides. SEAT works with municipalities and rental operators to understand their specific needs. The presentation in Geneva should give a very useful feedback.

“This is the solution that carsharing companies have been waiting for. Our model can be the key to increasing the profitability of companies of this type, – said President Seat Luca de Meo. “Our mission is to generate ideas and create products for traveling on short distances. Volkswagen Group and its brands will use our solutions worldwide. Now SEAT is in a better position to lead this strategy. First, thanks to the conditions in our cities, such as Barcelona. Secondly, because we are able to develop and produce two-wheeled vehicles.” (This refers to the scooter eXS KickScooter powered by Segway)