From：Greg Kable 2019-02-26 17:03:08
The Volkswagen Group’s Spanish brand SEAT has unveiled a new electric-powered quadricycle concept called the Minimó at the 2019 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain.
Billed as a future of city mobility, the pint-sized two-seater has been developed to as an answer to increasing urban traffic congestion and ever stringent emission regulations, says SEAT, which also plans to display the Minimó at next week’s 2019 Geneva motor show.
SEAT’s focus on sub-compact urban personal transport follows the company’s earlier EXS KickScooter concept first revealed in November 2018. Developed in partnership with Segway, the eXS also sought solutions to urban mobility problems currently facing many European metropoles.
With a length of just 2500mm and width of 1240mm, the Minimó boasts similar dimensions to the similarly conceived Renault Twizzy, which has been on sale in Europe since 2012. This gives it a significantly smaller footprint than SEAT’s existing entry-level model, the 3557mm long and 1641mm wide Mii.
The narrow measurements have been achieved through the adoption of a motorcycle-like tandem seating arrangement, which places the passenger behind the driver. Further features include asymmetrical doors designed to open in tight parking spaces, a single triangular headlamp and exposed 17-inch alloy wheels.
Inside, the Minimó receives a flat bottom multi-function sports steering wheel, combined digital instrument and infotainment display, wireless smartphone charging, a keyless entry and starting function and Android Auto support for voice commands via Google Assistant.
In a showcase of technology being developed for other SEAT models, the new concept also features 5G connectivity, jointly-developed with Spanish telecommunications company, Telefonica. SEAT says the new system allows communication between the Minimó, the surrounding infrastructure and other vehicles as an initial step towards fully-autonomous collaborative driving.
SEAT confirmed at the Mobile World Congress that it is preparing the Minimó for Level 4 autonomous driving which, in addition to delivering occupants to their destinations, is also conceived to allow it to locate and collect users when requested as part of a car-sharing mobility scheme.
SEAT has not revealed details to the Minimó’s electric drive and battery systems, claiming only that it is capable of providing a range of up to 100km between recharging. To negate the need for lengthy charge times, the Spanish car maker has provided its latest concept with a replaceable battery, which can be removed from a frame under the passenger compartment and exchanged for a charged unit.
SEAT is yet to confirm whether the Minimó will see large scale production.
