SEAT Urban Mobility: innovative solutions for moving around the city
In a fast-changing scenario, SEAT becomes the leading brand within the Volkswagen Group for urban mobility and micromobility offering tailor-made products to meet the needs of all users.
Urban mobility is evolving faster and faster, with new forms of transport and services capable to meet the different needs of citizens. Within this framework, SEAT is widening its product range with purpose designed solutions for today’s cities, which typically feature flows of people constantly on the move - citizens that want to get around simply and efficiently with electric means of transport that are connected and easy to use on the short distances, like the eXS KickScooter and the e-Scooter.
SEAT is also the leading brand for micromobility within the Volkswagen Group, a role which, as SEAT President Luca de Meo underlines, comprises “developing purpose designed products for all the Group’s brands, not only for SEAT. In addition, we will also deliver services and solutions for private customers and for fleets.”
A strategic unit
In order to take on this challenge with the proper resources, the Spanish brand has created a new strategic business unit called SEAT Urban Mobility. The unit will integrate all the product, service and platform-based mobility solutions and is set to launch the e-Scooter onto the market in 2020.
“We aim to become an ally for cities and this concept is the answer to public demand for a more agile mobility. Our collaboration with Silence is an example of how cooperation between partners enables us to be more efficient,” said Lucas Casasnovas, the new Head of Urban Mobility at SEAT.
e-Scooter and Mii electric
The e-Scooter is an efficient and sustainable two-wheeled form of transport and will be part of a range designed for various applications, from the private customers to fleets and sharing services.
SEAT Urban Mobility will also integrate Respiro, the carsharing platform currently operating in Madrid and the city of L’Hospitalet de Llobregat with a fleet of sustainable vehicles that run on natural gas. These will soon be joined by the new Mii electric.
The SEAT city car is an ideal solution for urban mobility. Thanks to its 32.3 kWh lithium-ion battery, it provides up to 260 kilometres of range based on the combined cycle and up to 358 kilometres with 100% city use. “Electrification is expanding at a very fast pace; worldwide the electric vehicle market grew by 75% in the first eight months of the year, and SEAT is ready to meet this growing demand - the Mii electric is the start of that journey,” added de Meo.
Minimó and kicksharing
The new business unit will also be in charge of the kicksharing service which SEAT is running in partnership with the start-up UFO – the latter will be supported by SEAT: CODE, the company’s new software development centre and will continue to collaborate with XMOBA. SEAT recently presented its new e-Kickscooter concept, a later generation of the previous SEAT EXS model. This new version features a range of up to 65 kilometres, two independent brake systems and a battery that reaches 551 Wh.
The future of the Minimó electric quadricycle will also be entrusted to SEAT Urban Mobility.The vehicle’s compact size (2.5 m long, 1.24 m, wide), space for two people, a range of 100 kilometres and a battery swap system make it is a good solution for the city use. “This strategic business unit will enable us to focus our efforts on the user’s new mobility needs, without neglecting anything,” concluded de Meo.
SEAT Urban Mobility will also be responsible for maintaining the company's commitment to the DGT 3.0 initiative: a pilot project in collaboration with the Spanish Traffic Authority that enables cars to communicate with traffic lights and motorway message panels in real time, with the goal of improving traffic flows and road safety, as well as the user experience while driving.
Source: SEAT S.A.