Tokyo Motor Show: The Extremely Short-Range Suzuki Q-Concept

November 10th, 2011 by Charis Michelsen

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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Tags: Electricity, Energy, Japan, Q concept, suzuki, Suzuki Q, Suzuki Q Concept, Tokyo Motor Show, Tokyo Motor Show 2011

About the Author

Charis Michelsen spent 7 years living in Germany and Japan, studying both languages extensively, doing translation and education with companies like Bosch, Nissan, Fuji Heavy, and others. Charis has a Bachelor of Science degree in biology and currently lives in Chicago, Illinois. She also believes that Janeway was the best Star Trek Captain.

anderlan

This looks like a more awkwardly-designed version of the Renault Twizy ZE. I don’t nearly need the Twizy’s 60 mile range for commuting and errands. If Renault were to cut it down to 35 in order to make it cheaper, I’d love that. But this Q thing with 6 miles?! Wow. Suzuki is free to see if it sells, but I think they blew right past the range/price sweet spot.