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Squad Solar Car Is a Tiny but Solid Urban Mobility Solution

What’s tiny, cute and powered by the Sun, but can do as good a job as your gasoline car in terms of getting you around in the busy city? It’s Squad, from Squad Mobility, a solar-powered vehicle that’s halfway between a scooter and a small car.
Squad is designed to be as accessible and efficient as a scooter, with the stability of a tiny car 7 photos
Photo: squadmobility.com
Squad is an affordable, solar-powered NEV halfway between a scooter and a tiny carSquad is an affordable, solar-powered NEV halfway between a scooter and a tiny carSquad is an affordable, solar-powered NEV halfway between a scooter and a tiny carSquad is an affordable, solar-powered NEV halfway between a scooter and a tiny carSquad is an affordable, solar-powered NEV halfway between a scooter and a tiny carSquad is an affordable, solar-powered NEV halfway between a scooter and a tiny car
Squad stands for Solar quadricycle, a neighborhood electric vehicle (NEV) that is fitted with solar panels on the roof and 2 small, portable, chargeable batteries for backup and extended range. It’s not exactly a car, but it’s not a scooter either, in that it can carry 2 people in the front and 2 children / elderly / disabled in the back, where legislation permits.

Sure, it looks like a golf cart and it’s probably almost as comfortable as one. Make no mistake, this is a very tiny vehicle, your eyes are not deceiving you. At the same time, though, it’s faster and more versatile than a golf cart, coming with a modular design and accessories that can make it ideal for daily commutes on all kinds of weather. At least, that’s what Squad Mobility boasts.

The idea behind Squad is that most European cities were not made for the kind of vehicular traffic they’re getting. Faced with long commutes, men and women are often discouraged from buying a scooter or any other urban mobility solution of the many available because they don’t offer protection from the elements. Squad aims to tackle this issue, while keeping production costs at a minimum.

“The Squad is conceived as an essential mobility solution, with state-of-the-art technology such as in-wheel motors and a solar panel. This combination will make the Squad accessible for a much larger group of users, without the hassle of maintenance,” Chris Klok, Chief of Design, says. “The strength of the concept is that we keep both efficiency and costs low, by focusing on bare essentials.”

Squad is an affordable, solar\-powered NEV halfway between a scooter and a tiny car
Photo: squadmobility.com
Actual doors and side panels are not considered bare essentials, so they’re missing on the Squad. The roof is enough to protect the riders from the rain, but side covers will be offered as an accessory. For extra safety, the makers have included a roll cage and seatbelts, which render the use of helmets unnecessary.

Squad is a scooter for 2 that poses as a tiny car. As such, you don’t need a driver’s license to operate it, you can drive it on bicycle paths and never have to worry about parking tax, insurance fees and other costs associated with car maintenance. Being solar powered, you won’t have to worry about plugging it in, either: the makers guarantee it will charge both in the shade or on overcast days.

Solar power and battery combined offer a range of 120-130 km (74.5-80.1 miles). Speed for the model currently in production (expected to be delivered in 2021) is of 45 km/h (30 mph) tops, but an 80 km/h (50 mph) is considered, if interest in it warrants it. Add to this the fact that it doesn’t require a driving license and doesn’t come with city costs (parking fees, congestion tax, road tax), and you can see its potential appeal as both a viable personal mobility solution and a vehicle for sharing platforms.

“Squad is specifically designed for sharing and MaaS (Mobility as a Service) platforms for (sub)urban mobility,” the makers say. “Engineering of the Squad is focused on ruggedness, low maintenance and durability in urban use.”

Squad represents a 500% improvement on used space compared to an actual car. With a width of 1 meter, you can park 4 of them in the space you’d otherwise park 1 SUV, so it’s ideal for the crowded city environment. It’s tiny and light, but stable and sustainable, using recycled materials put together with great consideration to its carbon footprint.

Squad is an affordable, solar\-powered NEV halfway between a scooter and a tiny car
Photo: squadmobility.com
It comes with smartphone integration for navigation and communication.

On November 25, Squad Mobility started taking pre-orders for this solar-powered NEV. It retails for €5,750 (ex. VAT), with a fully refundable reserve of €500. The chargeable battery pack is an extra €1,450 – just in case you were thinking this offer sounded too good to be true.
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About the author: Elena Gorgan
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Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends.
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