Rinspeed Offers a New Definition of Commuter Car

Rinspeed, the company that created the Squba, a car that works underwater, has unveiled its latest concept vehicle; the UC? Making its debut at Geneva, the UC? is all-electric, has two seats and a unique ‘train loading’ system that allows the car to easily fix into a train carriage for longer, inter-city journeys. It’s more than that, though – Rinspeed calls it a ‘new mobility concept’. The idea of the tiny car is to make emissions-free journeying as easy as possible, regardless of distance. The car itself only has a 65-mile range, which is enough for day-to-day commuting but not much else, so there’s an internet connection that allows drivers to book the car onto a train to cover city-to-city distances.

Rinspeed claims the UC? – which stands for ‘urban commuter’ (though the reason for the question mark is unclear) is production-ready. Its electric motor is powered by a lithium ion battery pack developed partly by Daimler.

At 2.6 metres long, it’s fractionally shorter than a Smart ForTwo and will be available in a number of distinct variants, including the ‘ultimate commuter’. Rinspeed says that version will be the ‘vehicle of choice for pizza deliveries, mail carriers and workmen in general,’ because of its cost effectiveness.

Plusher versions for trendy commuters will be made too – if it ever gets to the showroom, that is. The Swiss designer says that it is looking for a partner to help put the car into production as soon as possible.