Tokyo Motor Show: The Extremely Short-Range Suzuki Q-Concept
It’s not a car, it’s not a motorcycle – it’s Suzuki’s mini-electric vehicle, the Suzuki Q-Concept. It’s just 98.5” long and intended for use on trips less than 6 miles long.
The tiny little EV is supposed to close the gap between (electric) car and motorcycle (where have we heard that before?); it takes up less parking space than a passenger car and is more comfortable than a bike. The Q-concept is designed as a tandem two-seater, but the rear seat is removable just in case extra storage space is needed (no, a passenger cannot perch on top of the luggage).
Orange, Round, and Unusual
The only door swings forward and up – even better for parking in narrow spaces – and the driver’s seat can rotate up to 90 degrees for easier access. The door is also a nifty little half-circular shape, which addresses no issues of practicality but has a rather unique aesthetic.
Since the top half of the EV is composed almost entirely of windows, the interior is brighter than its small size might suggest. With the mostly-white-with-bright-accents color scheme, the car looks almost as if Apple had a hand in its design (a MacBook or an iPod on wheels, perhaps?).
The roundness of the body is reflected in the dashboard (it’s a sphere with the steering wheel sticking out, seriously). It includes a transparent display module along with two rear-facing camera screens. Did I say it had a steering wheel? It’s not really a wheel – it’s a couple of curved rods around a circular steering wheel hub, which also accommodates a smart phone.
Perhaps Apple had something to do with the design after all. Ludicrous or adorable? Let us know what you think in the comments, below.
Source: Auto Motor und Sport | Image: Suzuki.co.jp
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