The Squad is a new solar-powered electric car designed for city driving — and it will only set you back $6,250. That's not a typo. This car costs less than it does to rent a two-bedroom apartment in most big cities — and it'll make city living a lot easier and more affordable.
The electric car comes via Dutch startup Squad Mobility, founded by two electric vehicle experts, Robert Hoevers and Chris Klok (both formerly of Lightyear). They created the small EV to be lightweight and efficient for city driving to help reduce transportation emissions.
This is important because transportation is a leading cause of the planet's rising temperatures. Emissions from passenger vehicles account for almost 60% of all transportation emissions, which produce about 20% of total global greenhouse gas emissions.
Squad Mobility says the cars work for personal use or as shared vehicles like city bikes and scooters.
Squad debuted the car in Europe in May 2022, where it's legal to drive the cars in several countries without a license. That's because it's classified as a light electric vehicle (LEV), which may only require a moped license and not a full driver's license.
Now, it's bringing the car to the U.S., and has opened up preorders for countries outside the EU.
"We are seeing a tremendous interest from the USA, specifically for markets such as sharing platforms, gated communities, campuses, (seaside) resorts, tourism, company terrains, hotels & resorts, amusement parks, and inner-city services," Hoevers said in a statement.
The 2kW rear in-wheel motors power up four 1.6 kWh battery packs. The car is powered by a solar panel on the roof that will produce about 19 miles of range on a sunny day, making it ideal for navigating through city traffic.
On a full charge, it'll get you about 62 miles of range with its four battery packs. But don't expect a speedy ride; the Squad only goes about 28 mph at top speed, so it's not ideal for highways.
Prefer a bigger car? Squad Mobility says a four-passenger version is in the works.
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