Urban Transport

Single-seater electric micro-car takes aim at big city congestion

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The Zigy electric quadricycle for one is a concept study at the moment, but its designers are seeking industry partners to move to prototyping
Andrea Mocellin
The Zigy electric quadricycle for one is a concept study at the moment, but its designers are seeking industry partners to move to prototyping
Andrea Mocellin
The Zigy has been designed to "challenge existing assumptions about the aerodynamics, design, and efficiency of compact electric vehicles"
Andrea Mocellin
The Zigy design has undergone digital aero simulations, which is reported to have resulted in a drag coefficient of 0.35
Andrea Mocellin
The Zigy electric quadricycle has been designed by Andrea Mocellin and Dexet Technologies
Andrea Mocellin
Though specs are likely to change during development, the driver is reported to control the vehicle's direction using a steering wheel - though renders suggest a moto-style handlebar might also be on the cards
Andrea Mocellin
The Zigy micro-EV features a 12-kW motor and 160-km battery
Andrea Mocellin
The single occupant enters the Zigy via a single door to the left
Andrea Mocellin
Parking the Zigy electric quadricycle in a crowded city shouldn't pose too much of a problem
Andrea Mocellin
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The design collaboration that brought us the Revolve wheelchair in 2021 has now turned its attention to the problem of inner-city mobility. Noting that many SUV-sized vehicles around town only have a single occupant, the team has designed a compact EV for one.

The collaboration in question is between Italian mobility designer Andrea Mocellin and engineering consultancy Dexet Technologies. The Zigy concept was inspired by the narrow and congested roads of London, with the thinking seeming to be that big and burly SUVs often have only one occupant so why not just develop a "small, zero-emission vehicle tailor-made for city commuting"?

Electric micro "cars" are nothing new of course, we've seen a number from automakers big and small, but we've not come across too many single-occupancy urban vehicles outside of velomobiles. The project is still at the feasibility stage of development, with Mocellin and team now on the lookout for industry partners to take the concept into prototyping and beyond. The Zigy is being developed for private use, lease models and fleet operation – though there's also the suggestion of future cargo versions for commercial use.

Parking the Zigy electric quadricycle in a crowded city shouldn't pose too much of a problem
Andrea Mocellin

Specs at this point are very much subject to change, but the single-seater electric quadricycle is currently expected to be 1.95 m (6.4 ft) in length with a wheelbase of 1.59 m, and stand 1.1 m (3.6 ft) wide and 1.6 m (5.3 ft) high. We do know that the designers have undertaken digital aerodynamics simulations, and are claiming a drag coefficient of about 0.35 – which "contributes to a 25% improved range compared to competitors."

It's designed to be built around a modular thermoplastic composite frame engineered by Dexet, with recycled carbon fiber and unspecified natural fibers used inside and out. It will have a curb weight of 353 kg (778 lb). The turning circle is relatively tight at 7 m (23 ft) for good maneuverability in the city, and its compact dimensions should make for easy parking, plus there's 30 liters of trunk space for hauling the shopping home.

The single occupant enters the Zigy via a single door to the left
Andrea Mocellin

The compact vehicle's 12-kW motor peaks at 21 kilowatts and produces a maximum torque of 135 Nm (99.5 lb.ft). The top speed is reported to be 77 km/h (48 mph), which will likely keep it within its urban/city home turf, while battery range is around 160 km (100 miles) per charge.

As mentioned earlier, the vehicle is designed to seat one person only, who will access via a single door. The renders show what looks like moto-style handlebar control, though the given specs list a steering wheel – no doubt such things will resolve themselves at the prototype stage.

We've no word on production plans at this early stage, but the product of the pair's first collaboration has since seen release, so there is a chance that Zigy will hit the streets of Europe as a L7e vehicle (or LSV in the US) at some point in the future.

Source: Andrea Mocellin

View gallery - 8 images
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12 comments
paul314
What's the cost? If this is going to be a weather-resistant step up from an e-trike it shouldn't cost horrifically more.
fen
They should cap it at 25kph, they should put pedals in it, so it only moves when pedalling, and then it can use cycle paths, then I would be interested in buying it it was cheap. If they tell me its like 8,000 then I will just buy a normal car
vince
Naw it wont work. Its so small that owners of big SUVs will just mount a strong class 4 or 5 hitch and use the little car as a spare tire hauling it behind their big SUVs like handicapped haul around their electrified wheelchairs.
geofff
If tipped over on left, hope that's an escape hatch in the roof?
michael_dowling
This would be a good neighborhood car for grabbing groceries,but then,why not just buy a sidewalk mobility scooter? Some of them come with a/c,heat,and are fully enclosed,although top speed is about 15 mph. Sidewalks in many cities are vastly underused.
Dre
It looks like the car from the movie Brazil.
Bob809
Until a government, local or national, authorises the use of vehicles like this to travel side by side in one lane, they will be as much of a rolling road block as any larger vehicle. What is needed is a little different thinking to the problem. Large car parks outside cities for those travelling into one. There would be a parking space for a regular traveller into the city, and that user would have a numbered parking slot. At the end of that slot would be one of these Zigy's sat waiting, fully charged up and ready to go. At the end of the working day the user parks up and connects the Ziggy to a charger so it's ready for the next day. Work the rest out yourselves, it's simple really.
Adrian Akau
Might be useful as a rental unit like bicycles for areas with tourists.
Jinpa
The OEM might not want it designated as a Low Speed Vehicle, because it is capable of doing over 45mph, so should be able to run on streets with speed limits over 35mph.
Would I buy or drive one? Not if it can't prove to the IIHS that it can protect the occupant in case of a crash.
Gregg Eshelman
It'll fail, like so many other single seat vehicles have failed before. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSQNVKhQqOw