This week City-Transformer unveiled the latest incarnation of their smart car.
This is a fairly small vehicle, designed to transport two adult passengers and powered by electricity.
The main interest is attracted by a group of patents that allows the car to change the wheel spacers (while driving).
The goal is clear, to offer a city car, cheap and simple.
One that does not pollute, is easy to park and suitable for heavy traffic.
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The latest prototype was assembled in Germany by the Rudnik company, which also specializes in such projects.
The City-Transformer program includes meeting a European standard and starting test rides later this year.
Production forecasts speak of 2024 as a target year and the company marks Europe as a major target market.
There is even a local base price (about NIS 45,000 before taxes and fees).
The company also talks about 2,000 vehicles saved for the Israeli market and offers them to the local audience at an early sale.
Especially in the city
As mentioned, the City-Transformer can change the wheelbase, in order to adapt itself to particularly narrow places.
The wheels find their place inside the car body and the total width in this position stands at a single meter.
With its wheels collected, the vehicle can move at a speed of about 45 km / h according to the company.
In more open places, the wheels are spread out to the sides, the overall width increases to 140 cm and the possible speed is about 90 km / h according to the company.
This vehicle is supposed to fill the space between a motorcycle and a standard car.
As such, he is supposed to enjoy all the worlds.
On the one hand, improved ability to penetrate and parking, and on the other hand, protection from natural hazards, air conditioning, music and safety.
The details of the paddle unit are not expanded in the company.
Electric motor, 16 kWh battery, fast charging option and driving range ranging from 120 to 180 km (depending on the degree of use of the air conditioner).
The seating arrangement in the City-Transformer seats the passenger behind the driver.
According to the company, the structure also allows for transporting two small children in the back, or giving up the back seat in favor of 1,000 liters.
The same area can be very useful for messengers, different rescue vehicles and more.
there is a place?
Over the years, quite a few such solutions have been presented (and have not been successful).
Ideas that purport to offer small dimensions of 'Doog failure' and the comfort and safety of the car.
From the middle of the last century to more recent attempts, by small companies and leading manufacturers.
The immediate example that comes to mind is the Renault Zoe which was not a huge success.
It's hard not to expect a future similar to this smart car. The reasons are quite clear. Its creators hope it will ease traffic and change the face of transportation but it is difficult to find a basis for this hope. Let's go for a virtual ride in a car the size of a City Transformer. If we stand in a traffic jam, its width (and the law) will not allow us to move between lanes like a scooter. And if we look for parking we will find that even a small car still needs a rare opening between the parked vehicles. And if we take the highway, we will be left with a relatively slow vehicle, without the capability and safety offered by a used supermini at a similar price.
Even before all this, the company has to go through many obstacles. The prototypes that will start moving on the road are just one step away. The real obstacle will be finding the way to produce this car. Whether in partnership with an existing manufacturer or independently, this is not a trivial matter. Production lines, supply chains, compliance with standards - there is still a long way to go. It can be assumed that the company is building on raising significant capital in order to address some of these challenges. Either way, it seems that this idea, will not constitute a real solution, certainly not immediately, to the known transportation problems.
