Rinspeed UC Concept : Mobility redefined
Rinspeed, the brilliant performance tuner, a regular if not to say a unavoidable presence at the Geneva International Motor Show, announces the unveiling in March of a small city vehicle, by the name of UC Concept, graced with innovative mobility. On this occasion, the tuner set up an association with the Esoro engineering firm, also from Switzerland.
With it’s overall length of 2 500 mm, a few millimeters less than the small Smart, it is truly a city vehicle, from bumper to bumper.
A new living style
This all electric pocket sized car presented can carry only two passengers and their small suitcases, or their shopping bags. Steering is effected solely through the use of a “joystick” type control. It thus operates without pedals: it will require some adaptation time to tame this new technology. It’s navigation system is comprised of an option called “Traffic Jam”, which can identify traffic snags and allow the driver to choose less congested alternate routes, to maximize autonomy, now stated to be 105 km.
The European approach
The main innovation brought in with this vehicle is that it can be loaded onto a train, of course in compartments reserved for this use.
More so, these spaces are equipped with electric outlets to allow recharging of it’s lithium-ion batteries, while the vehicle is transported.
We know that the European rail system is extremely well developed and that this approach proposed by Rinspeed could become reality on the old continent. But, here in North America, do not even consider it!
It goes without saying that such use of our vehicles, which is most rational, would consequently reduce CO2 emissions into the atmosphere. However, this would also imply serious constraints that could influence drivers to continue using existing roads to get from point A to point B...
A few interesting figures
The Rinspeed UC Concept delivers 96 ft-lb of torque which allows a maximum speed of 120 km/h. Acceleration time from 0-50 km/h is only 4.1 seconds.