With production set to begin in 2023, the Squad Solar City Car is currently available for pre-order in and outside of Europe.
Thinking about the mobility of global consumers who live in increasingly crowded cities, with many cars and not enough space to fit all of them, Squad Mobility, a vehicle manufacturer from the Netherlands, has launched its new electric car powered by solar energy. Costing BRL 34, the Squad Solar City Car is the world's first affordable solar car, and it could arrive in Brazil!
The solar car was developed for use in crowded urban areas, where most people only drive a few miles a day. Squad Mobility focuses on practicality and sustainability rather than unnecessary performance.
According to the company, there is not much reason to produce a car that can reach 200 km/h if the speed limit cannot exceed 80 km/h. Not focusing on power and speed will allow the company to cut costs and make its car more accessible to the public.
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Watch the video below and get to know the Squad Solar City Car, the unprecedented and first affordable solar car on the planet!
Compact solar car is 2 meters long and holds 4 passengers!
The Squad Solar City Car is a compact vehicle that has removable doors and can carry two to four passengers, depending on the model. Its design is similar to the popular Smart Car, with a modern twist.
With a length of just two metres, the solar car can fit in tight parking spots. Where other cars have to park parallel to a curb, the solar car can park in the same spot perpendicularly without standing out on the road.
Squad Mobility designed everything inside the car for optimal storage capacity. Storage space behind the seats can be expanded by folding the passenger seat, and people can keep bags and other belongings on the low dash without blocking the view out the window.
In short, the solar city car is as spacious as a compact vehicle can be, and it could solve the problem of parking within urban areas if they become a popular option.
Energy Efficiency: the car consumes less energy than any public transport!
The company's number one priority is to offer one of the electric vehicles (EVs) more energy efficient with zero emissions. Four interchangeable batteries can fit inside the solar car, giving it a range of over 100 km. Batteries charge through the solar panel on top of the roof, and Squad Mobility claims the panel can give drivers 20km a day.
That might not seem like a long enough distance. However, it is important to remember that this car is for people in cities, who use their vehicle for short trips to the supermarket, appointments or to drop the kids off at school.
Many drivers couldn't rely on solar charging for their daily driving needs, but it's nice to know your vehicle is capable of being charged while parked.
For additional charging, drivers can plug the batteries into a regular wall socket. According to the company, the solar car uses less energy than any public transport in Europe.
The unprecedented Dutch compact is on sale for only R$ 34 thousand!
With production scheduled to begin in 2023, the Squad Solar City Car is currently available for pre-order inside and outside Europe. From now on, the vehicle will cost around €6.250 (US$6.056), R$34.394 at current prices. Prices are much more affordable than other electric cars and combustion-powered ones too, thanks to the company's focus on efficiency over performance.
The company's CEO, Robert Hoevers, wants to take the novelty to other markets, including Brazil. “Cities are looking for mobility solutions with zero emissions and a small space footprint. We achieved both: lower per capita energy consumption than public transport and a space footprint comparable to that of a bicycle”, declared the executive.
It is noteworthy that the compact electric car is not entirely unique in Europe. A Citroen has its new battery electric Ami, an urban compact vehicle that also costs €6000 and looks a bit like a golf cart but doesn't have a solar panel on its roof.
Sono Motors has a more solar-powered vehicle, but it's bigger than the Squad and starts at €16.000. You could buy almost three Squad vehicles for that amount!