A small and eco-friendly mini car is an ever-growing market in our day and age. More and more people who live in big cities are finding that they don't need Range Rovers or BMWs anymore, instead, the smarter move is to go with an all-electric, easy-to-park yet practical solution.
Since the inception of the first Morris Mini Minor, the tiny car has been the ideal candidate for transport around a tight city with the added benefit of being dry in the rain as opposed to the more obvious two-wheeled option.
Opel has just unveiled a new electric car which is absolutely minuscule and therefore perfect to carry out daily inner-city commuting. It's called the Rocks-e, we're not sure we quite like the name, but the concept and technology of this little thing are magnificent.
Less Car, Less Problems
If you live in a large metropolitan city it's likely that you've felt the effects of the changing government attitude towards air pollution. Stricter measurements about what kind of cars can drive in the very center are ever more commonplace, and systems like Londons contention charging and Ultra Low Emissions zone are no new thing.
The push to prevent exhaust fumes from entering the city is the main goal. Cars are deemed suitable or not by what's coming out of their tailpipes. Dirty diesel motors are ordered to pay more to drive through the center or sometimes excluded altogether whilst hybrids and EV's get a free pass.
The end of the internal combustion engine is nigh, and with seemingly everyone pushing for a greener more electrified future, the big cities must lead the way. Manufacturers have noticed that this is the case and have begun projects to suit this new way of city life for the future.
Super small cars for a big city are a perfect mix. You can park where a regular hatchback couldn't, often have great turning circles and super nimble in busy traffic, and most of all cheap to buy and cheap to run, especially if equipped with an electric powertrain. The original Mini started a trend and the smart car showed what a tiny car could do in modern times. Now with the extra push for cleaner living, Opel amongst others has had a go at creating a green travel solution for inner-city life.
The Opel Rocks-e
The Opel Rocks-E is a fascinating little thing. Based entirely on the Citroën Ami, it's a minuscule two-seater with just enough range and power for short bursts around a city. By the end of this year, it's due to go on sale in Germany, where 15-year olds with a light motor vehicle license can legally drive it, due to its vehicle classification.
There are small city cars, and then there is the Opel Rocks-e. It's just 1.39 meters wide and 2.41 meters long making this nippy little car 0.3 meters shorter than a Smart ForTwo and more than a meter shorter than your standard city car like a Kia Picanto. This thing is TINY.
Inside the cabin, all you'll have are two seats, a steering wheel, and a dash that offers the bare minimum of features. Just a small digital driver display and a place on the dashboard to mount your phone, which is quite clever really as it means the infotainment will only ever be as dated as your mobile phone. There is a surprising amount of storage, one running across the dashboard and an extra deep passenger footwell for your groceries.
The Opel Rocks-e shares all of its mechanical and electrical parts with the Citroen Ami. It comes with an electric motor producing 8HP paired with a 5.5kWh battery pack, totaling up to give around 48 miles of range, a little gain on the Citröen’s 44-mile range, probably due to the Rocks-e weighing a few kilos less.
The beauty of such a small battery pack is that unlike most EV's, it can be fully recharged from your house in just 3 and a half hours. And, you'll be able to reach a top speed of 28mph, which for a traffic-ridden city or a short errand run should be more than enough.
The Opel Rocks-e will be hitting the German streets by the end of October, with potential sales to other markets starting next year. Costing the equivalent of around $7,500, this little go-getter is an ideal solution for someone looking for an efficient and ecological mode of transport in a big city.
In Germany, the leasing costs are said to be less than a monthly train ticket, making it a game-changer for most. Although it is built with more compact European cities in mind, the Ami already has a role to play in North America. Nonetheless, it's a great step in the right direction for the future of the city commute.