Automotive

Rinspeed snaps its all-electric mobility pod into CES-ready form

Rinspeed snaps its all-electric mobility pod into CES-ready form
Inside Rinspeed's Snap pod is soft leather seating, storage space, wireless charging systems and a host of screens
Inside Rinspeed's Snap pod is soft leather seating, storage space, wireless charging systems and a host of screens 
View 17 Images
Few vehicle concepts get the juices flowing like those from the thinkers and tinkerers at Rinspeed
1/17
Few vehicle concepts get the juices flowing like those from the thinkers and tinkerers at Rinspeed
Inside Rinspeed's Snap pod are soft leather seating, storage space, wireless charging systems and a host of screens
2/17
Inside Rinspeed's Snap pod are soft leather seating, storage space, wireless charging systems and a host of screens 
Rinspeed's Snap is a two-part electric vehicle designed to be recycled and upgraded to keep pace with fast-moving automotive technologies
3/17
Rinspeed's Snap is a two-part electric vehicle designed to be recycled and upgraded to keep pace with fast-moving automotive technologies
Onboard Rinspeed's snap is an intelligent assistant that learns the habits of passengers and can even recommend user-specific restaurants
4/17
Onboard Rinspeed's snap is an intelligent assistant that learns the habits of passengers and can even recommend user-specific restaurants
Rinspeed's Snap concept will be on show at CES 2018 in Las Vegas
5/17
Rinspeed's Snap concept will be on show at CES 2018 in Las Vegas
Few vehicle concepts get the juices flowing like those from the thinkers and tinkerers at Rinspeed
6/17
Few vehicle concepts get the juices flowing like those from the thinkers and tinkerers at Rinspeed
Inside Rinspeed's Snap pod are soft leather seating, storage space, wireless charging systems and a host of screens
7/17
Inside Rinspeed's Snap pod are soft leather seating, storage space, wireless charging systems and a host of screens 
A look inside Rinspeed's Snap concept
8/17
A look inside Rinspeed's Snap concept
Rinspeed's Snap is a two-part electric vehicle designed to be recycled and upgraded to keep pace with fast-moving automotive technologies
9/17
Rinspeed's Snap is a two-part electric vehicle designed to be recycled and upgraded to keep pace with fast-moving automotive technologies
Rinspeed's Snap concept will be on show at CES 2018 in Las Vegas
10/17
Rinspeed's Snap concept will be on show at CES 2018 in Las Vegas
Few vehicle concepts get the juices flowing like those from the thinkers and tinkerers at Rinspeed
11/17
Few vehicle concepts get the juices flowing like those from the thinkers and tinkerers at Rinspeed
Onboard Rinspeed's snap is an intelligent assistant that learns the habits of passengers and can even recommend user-specific restaurants
12/17
Onboard Rinspeed's snap is an intelligent assistant that learns the habits of passengers and can even recommend user-specific restaurants
A look at Rinspeed's Snap concept
13/17
A look at Rinspeed's Snap concept
Inside Rinspeed's Snap pod is soft leather seating, storage space, wireless charging systems and a host of screens
14/17
Inside Rinspeed's Snap pod is soft leather seating, storage space, wireless charging systems and a host of screens 
Onboard Rinspeed's snap is an intelligent assistant that learns the habits of passengers and can even recommend user-specific restaurants
15/17
Onboard Rinspeed's snap is an intelligent assistant that learns the habits of passengers and can even recommend user-specific restaurants
Rinspeed's Snap is a two-part electric vehicle designed to be recycled and upgraded to keep pace with fast-moving automotive technologies
16/17
Rinspeed's Snap is a two-part electric vehicle designed to be recycled and upgraded to keep pace with fast-moving automotive technologies
Rinspeed's Snap concept will be on show at CES 2018 in Las Vegas
17/17
Rinspeed's Snap concept will be on show at CES 2018 in Las Vegas
View gallery - 17 images

Few vehicle concepts get the juices flowing like those from the tinkerers at Rinspeed, who like to tug at the strings of future mobility with crazy amphibious street machines and transparent, hard-topped sports cars. The Swiss automaker has now shared a new details about its latest concept ahead of a full reveal at CES next month, describing a two-part electric vehicle designed to be recycled and upgraded to keep pace with fast-moving automotive technologies.

We first learnt of Rinspeed's Snap back in October, and the basic concept isn't really that novel. Its name is taken from the various components of the vehicle to "snap" into place, primarily the pod built to carry passengers and the skateboard equipped with the mechanics to carry that pod.

This is the kind of combo we've seen makeup a long line of concept vehicles, including a handful from General Motors, most recently its Silent Utility Rover Universal Superstructure, which uses replaceable bodies on a fuel cell skateboard. Rinspeed's thinking is that Snap's detachable pod can be replaced when need be, but when not carrying passengers it can be put to use as a camping pod, shopping space, "cozy cuddling pod" or perhaps other less romantic types of micro-dwellings.

Rinspeed's Snap is a two-part electric vehicle designed to be recycled and upgraded to keep pace with fast-moving automotive technologies
Rinspeed's Snap is a two-part electric vehicle designed to be recycled and upgraded to keep pace with fast-moving automotive technologies

Inside those pods is soft leather seating, storage space, wireless charging systems and a host of screens for displaying movies, along with messages and route information. Onboard is an intelligent assistant that learns the habits of passengers and can even recommend user-specific restaurants. On the outside, six projectors light up the windows with messages for other road users, such as "Right of way granted" and "Caution, Children."

The skateboard, meanwhile, is fitted with an electric powertrain and two steering axels that Rinspeed says allow Snap to turn practically on a dime. It also hosts the hardware and software needed to make the vehicle autonomous, along with other fast-aging mechanical and IT bits and pieces. Rinspeed's thinking is that these will wear out or become outdated much quicker than the pod, and can be recycled after a few years.

Snap will be on show at CES 2018 in Las Vegas, which runs from January 8 to 12.

Source: Rinspeed

View gallery - 17 images
5 comments
5 comments
Mik-Fielding
All very good, but do these designers not have any clue regarding wind resistance? I know these are not intended to be high speed vehicles but even at 20 mph that front end will cause a lot of wind resistance, it looks like it is designed to catch as much as possible, worse then the proverbial brick!
ErstO
who needs aerodynamics when we have this huge cool flat space in front to put our logo.
Bushpossum
But how do wheelchair users and people with prams get in/fit? Oh that's right, they're supposed to stay at home or use "special" transport with their own kind.
ljaques
I like the fact that they're a foot and a half shorter inside than the people in it. Think of the logo size if they'd made them taller?
YouAre
I'm not sure if Williams Advanced Engineering first suggest a modular design, but it might hold a bright future if the industry manages to agree on standards. What about a top from bmw and guts from subaru?