Urban mobility is meant to be safe, accessible, and hassle-free — contributing to a liveable and open city life. Aside from good public transportation, it also calls for a smart vehicle that makes life simple for everyone.
With that in mind, the Dutch startup Squad Mobility created the SQUAD Solar City Car – a two-seater that charges automatically in sunlight and has the option of swappable batteries if its charge is low.
SQUAD is, obviously, small and that helps the drivers more easily navigate the city and park anywhere. In fact, three of these vehicles fit comfortably into a single parking space. Still, SQUAD’s aluminum tubular frame and roll cage guarantee safe rides, while real-time vehicle data allows fleet operators to keep an eye on their vehicles from afar.
Moreover, there are sensors inside the vehicle that enable remote diagnosis, such as reports on the operating condition, charge levels, tire pressure, location, cleanliness, damage, and so on. SQUAD will also be equipped with cameras to check the state of the vehicles and their position in the public space, the usage by the customer, and the cause of accidents. For instance, the built-in cameras will offer the possibility for remote control of the vehicle by the operator when the SQUAD is improperly parked or blocking an exit.
Both interior and exterior are easy to clean, and broken parts are easy to replace. Recycled materials are used wherever possible. Components and construction have been optimized, making the SQUAD affordable, while guaranteeing low CAPEX and OPEX for sharing operators.
The included battery has a 100 km (62 miles) range with the mentioned automatic solar charging providing for up to an extra 20 km (12 miles) per day. Squad Mobility points out that, as the average person in Europe drives 12 km per day, this is enough on most days. The top speed is set at 45 km/h (28 mph).
“Cities are looking for zero-emission mobility solutions with a small space footprint,” said Robert Hoevers, CEO of Squad Mobility. “We have achieved both. A per capita energy consumption lower than public transport and a space footprint comparable to a bicycle. And all this, while offering the flexibility of personal transport and the comfort of a car.”
Looking down the road, Squad Mobility would like to use autonomous technology in fleet management in the city. For example, to move vehicles to places with high demand or more intense sunlight for more efficient use of the integrated solar system.
Takeaway
Called SQUAD, the two-seater vehicle was created for the average person in Europe who drives 12 km per day. It has a range of 100 km (62 miles) with the automatic solar charging providing for up to an extra 20 km (12 miles) per day.
This mini-car is easy to maintain both from the inside and the outside. Recycled materials are used wherever possible, while components and construction have been optimized — making the SQUAD affordable and guaranteeing low CAPEX and OPEX for sharing operators.
Action point
There is either the option to let the private sector procure vehicles like SQUAD or take the upper hand, and make the municipality the owner or manager of the SQUAD vehicle fleet. Perhaps this could be a private-public partnership or perhaps your municipality could orchestrate the procurement and implementation of a plan that would see the city getting many SQUAD vehicles — which in turn would make your city/town that much more accessible. And easier to get around. As a leader of such an endeavor, you get to benefit down the road.
If the municipalities your business serves could benefit from a fleet of SQUADs, you could contact Squad Mobility and explore the option of bringing their products to the areas you "cover." There is gotta be a way for your company to benefit in the process, serving as a middleman between the city and the Dutch company. You also get to do something useful for the "affected" communities, offering them a new kind of transportation option that is clean and more efficient. And that shouldn't be a hard sell.