One could feel guilty and ashamed of wasting so much fuel and space each time they climb aboard a five-seater car and head off for a drive on their own. Basically, you’re hauling four unused seats and an empty boot, uselessly burning far too much fuel in doing so.
However, there are few really viable alternatives for going very small, without severe compromises that make the ownership and operation much more of a chore than it has to be, so not switching to one is somewhat understandable…
That’s why we optimistically look to the year 2016, when Gordon Murray’s T.25 and (all-electric) T.27 micro cars will hit the market in a commercially-viable form. According to the official site of Gordon Murray Design, “the T.25 and T.27 concept has now been sold to a customer and with a following wind a lot more drivers should be able to enjoy the center drive experience in 2016!”
This means that, three years from now, we’ll be able to buy either the 660cc T.25, or the battery-powered T.27 which has a one-charge autonomy of between 80 and 100 miles (~130 – 160 km). Why is this good news? Well, they are lightweight vehicles, with seating for three, a central driving position, fun handling and a patented manufacturing process called iStream, which cuts costs significantly. In an interview given to Fifth Gear a while back, Murray said the T.25’s expected sales price hovers around the $10,000 / €7,600 mark, and at this price, whoever sells it will still make a good profit out of the whole deal.
We’re curious about the company that bought the rights to make these two vehicles, and whether they are an automotive business that wants to expand in a new (cheaper, greener) direction, or a venture from another filed of activity, looking to tap into the automotive sector for the very first time.
By Andrei Nedelea
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