- Dutch startup Squad Mobility unveiled its first car, the all-electric Squad.
- The tiny city car charges through a built-in solar panel and has 62 miles of driving range.
- Squad Mobility is taking preorders now and says the Squad will be available in 2023.
Preorders opened on Monday for a tiny new electric car that aims to combine the convenience of a moped with the practicality of a regular four-wheeled vehicle.
The little city car is called the Squad, and it’s the first model out of a Dutch electric-vehicle startup called Squad Mobility.
The two-seat EV looks a lot like a golf cart. But Squad Mobility envisions it as a convenient way to scoot around dense urban environments, rather than around the country club.
Squad Mobility says the vehicle will go on sale in Europe in 2023 with a starting price of 6,250 euros, or around $6,500. The company aims for lease deals to start at 100 euros per month, or roughly $104.
Squad Mobility says it hopes to introduce the Squad to the US market next.
Unsurprisingly, that low price point doesn’t buy you all the capabilities of a real car.
The Squad is classified in Europe as an L6e vehicle, so its top speed is limited to 28 mph.
That means that in Europe, drivers 16 or older can zip around in a Squad without a driver’s license.
The Squad can also be parked perpendicular to the street, like a motorcycle.
Ideal for running quick errands around town, the new model could be a more economical and eco-friendly alternative to a second car for lots of folks. Plus, it could replace a bike for longer trips or rainy days.
But you can’t travel too far. The Squad has a range of 100 kilometers (62 miles), Squad Mobility says.
Inside, the Squad has space for cargo, cup holders, a USB port, and a phone holder.
Charging can happen in a few different ways. The Squad comes equipped with a solar panel integrated into its roof, which Squad mobility says can add 20 kilometers (about 12 miles) of driving range daily.
Clearly, this varies based on the weather. But the ability to add mileage while parked on the street is a neat idea.
Or, the Squad can be plugged into a wall socket like other electric cars. It also has removable batteries, so owners can remove them and plug them in inside their homes.
Squad Mobility says its vehicle is designed for vehicle-sharing platforms and envisions a future where people can locate Squad via a smartphone app and hop in.
It promises to sell a battery-charging product to make swapping batteries easier for fleet companies.
This kind of pint-sized electric car isn’t a totally new phenomenon in Europe. Citroen recently launched a (much cuter) model with similar capabilities called the Ami.
In the US, too, startups are developing or selling smaller, low-range electric models aimed at cruising around cities or neighborhoods.
Arcimoto charges $17,900 for its Fun Utility Vehicle (FUV), a three-wheeler with a 75-mph top speed and around 100 miles of city range.
The Squad is certainly an interesting vehicle that could work for a lot of people. But, as the trials of well-funded companies like Rivian and Lucid Motors have shown, getting an EV startup off the ground is extremely challenging.
Now let’s see if Squad Mobility has what it takes to get units into customers’ hands.
