We've seen more than a few car manufacturers stepping into the electric two-wheeler market; now it's time for an electric scooter company to tackle the four-wheeled EV sector. We're talking about Barcelona-based Silence, which has started production of its first electric microcar dubbed Silence S04.
For some time, the e-scooter manufacturer has been a leader in the electric vehicle sector in Spain, where it tops the charts in terms of sales. With its popularity steadily increasing, the company gradually expanded to Europe, aiming to contribute to a superior quality of life, greater commuting convenience, and noise and pollution-free cities.
The unique selling point of all of the products manufactured by Silence, including its scooters, is the use of revolutionary new swappable batteries that have built-in trolley wheels and can easily be carried inside for charging.
The company is now bringing the same technology to four-wheelers. Its first Silence S04 vehicles, which the company calls "nanocars" and are classified as L7e quadricycles in Europe, are already rolling off the production line.
Granted, there are plenty of other electric microcars on the market, but what makes Silence's S04 stand out is the use of these groundbreaking batteries that are large enough to offer long-range driving yet small enough to be removable and allow easy at-home charging. The S04 comes equipped with two such batteries for a total of 11.2 kWh. Each of them will take about six hours to fully recharge.
According to the Spanish manufacturer, the microcar's single electric motor is able to deliver a constant 14 kilowatts and a peak of 22 kW, enabling it to reach a top speed of 53 miles per hour (85 kph) in the top-spec L7e version. It offers 92 miles (149 km) of range, with the Eco mode providing a slightly lower 77-mile (125 km) range.
The pint-size EV is a two-seater designed to provide "the safety and comfort of a car with the agility of a motorcycle." It measures just 89.7 inches (2.28 meters) in length, 50.7 inches (1.29 meters) in width, and 62.6 inches (1.59 meters) in height. Due to its compact size, it is more suitable for urban commuting, but it can obviously be used on any road in the world, even those narrow Italian streets. As for weight, it tips the scales at 992 pounds (450 kg), with the battery pack accounting for 180 pounds (82 kg).
Photo: Silence
Silence used the same battery design as in their scooters, fitting them with drop-down wheels that pop out when the battery is removed and turn the battery into a trolley-like package, complete with a collapsible handle.
Following the S04 L7e version, the company plans on releasing a lower-performance L6e version, which will have a 6 kW motor and a more modest top speed of 28 mph (45 kph). This means it will be accessible to a wider category of people, including younger drivers and people who don't have a driver's license.
Other standard features offered on the L7e model include a 7-inch central screen, electric handbrake, disc brakes all around, and electric windows and mirrors. ABS and air-conditioning are available as extra options. The 247-liter trunk offers enough storage space for small luggage and regular shopping bags.
The Silence S04 microcar will retail for a starting price of $7,050 (6.580€) without batteries (in this case, a monthly subscription is required to use the swap stations). If you want to purchase the EV outright and be its rightful owner, you will have to shell out $10,900 (10,180€).
After spending a few years as a copy editor, Ancuta decided to put down the eraser and pick up the writer's pencil. Her favorites subjects are unusual car designs, travel trailers and everything related to the great outdoors. Full profile
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