Minimó, urban micromobility according to SEAT
One hundred percent electric, super-compact and with 5G connectivity: the ideal solution for moving around the city, which opens up new possibilities in terms of car sharing.
SEAT brought its vision of the city of the future to this year’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona: a 100% electric concept car developed to meet the challenges of driving in cities, from restricted traffic areas and traffic jams to limited parking. Minimó combines the best of two worlds: the agility and easy parking of a motorcycle with the safety and comfort of a car. “It is the vision of our first product designed for a specific goal. It combines autonomous driving technology with electric drive systems, and is the future of urban mobility,” explained Luca de Meo, President of SEAT.
Urban micromobility
The Spanish brand is the benchmark within the Volkswagen Group for the development of urban mobility strategies and products. In this case the focus is on micromobility, in other words covering distances below 10 km, which “currently represent around 60% of the total” according to de Meo.
Short journeys, therefore, which require intelligent and easy-to-use solutions that meet the new concept of mobility that is springing up, above all in big cities. Minimó has everything needed in this regard: compact size, zero emissions, a range of over 100 km, the safety and comfort of a car, and battery swap technology, which allows charging times to be reduced – very desirable for car sharing businesses in particular.
Compact and fun
Just 2.5 metres long and 1.24 metres wide, Minimó is sufficiently compact to make its way through the heaviest traffic and park in the tightest spots. Despite its size, it is extremely comfortable, not to mention fun to drive, thanks to its large 17” open wheels, raised seating position like in an SUV, and the impressive space available to the passenger. The enclosed passenger compartment allows users to take on the urban jungle in any weather.
5G and a 360-degree digital experience
Minimó features 5G technology and connectivity which offers a complete digital experience, based on the digital access key and Android Auto wireless interface. This includes, but is not limited to, entertainment: for instance, the functions include age recognition, as some European countries allow teenagers to drive small vehicles like this, but the speed must be limited to 45 km/h for a 16-year-old, for example. A display behind the steering wheel brings together the instrumentation functions and content from the user’s smartphone, in compliance with all road safety requirements, thanks to the use of steering wheel controls and Google’s voice assistant.
The platform is also ready to incorporate future developments: Minimó will pave the way, in particular, for upcoming technologies for the higher levels of autonomous driving, which will allow the vehicle to go and pick passengers up on request, solving one of the main problems for users of car-sharing services.
Source: SEAT S.A.