The Swiss company Rinspeed is bringing an electric car to the Geneva Auto Show this year. Usually they put together something way too exotic (like a car that’s also a submarine,) but this time they are really looking to produce it.
It’s called the “UC?”, and the company wants to adapt trains in Europe so it can carry/recharge the car on long trips.
“UC” stands for “Urban Commuter” (we have no idea why Rinspeed includes the question mark.) As far as practicality goes, this one may be a winner. It’s an all-electric two-seater that can go 65 miles between two-hour charges with a top speed of 75 mph. Unlike its outlandish concepts in the past, Rinspeed says the UC? “was designed to be ready for future series production.”
The UC? measures about 8.5 feet in length. Its small size was specific to not only to fit perpendicularly in parallel parking spaces, but Rinspeed also wants the UC? to easily be parked and recharged on trains for longer journeys. The company’s founder and the UC?’s designer Frank M. Rinderknecht did not necessarily have road trips in mind for the UC?. “I can make more efficient use of my time than spending it driving on a boring highway,” he said. “I’d rather visit the train restaurant or retreat to work in my car.”