Meet The Squad, A Pint-Sized Urban EV With A Solar Roof

Electric city cars are popular in Europe and Squad Mobility is throwing their hat into the ring with a new solar-powered model.

Named the Squad (Solar Quad), the vehicle is the brainchild of former Lightyear employees Robert Hoevers and Chris Klok, who envisioned an affordable solar-powered vehicle for everyone.

The resulting model is a two-seater EV that “bridges the gap between cars and two-wheelers” such as scooters and mopeds. It features a relatively basic design, which incorporates large windows, an exposed roll cage, and stylish wheels. They’re joined by removable doors and a roof-mounted solar panel.

Also Read: Mercedes To Start Offering Solar Roofs For Its EVs In 2024

The latter is the star of the show and Squad Mobility says the panel can provide up to 12.4 miles (20 km) of range per day. That’s notable as the company says the average city car user in the European Union only travels around 7.5 miles (12 km) per day.

Since you can’t count on sunny weather, the Squad features swappable battery packs that enable owners to exchange a low battery for one that is fully charged. The battery pack can be removed for charging at regular household outlets and they’re slated to give the Squad a range of up to 62 miles (100 km).

Given that the city car was designed to be affordable, it’s not surprising to learn the interior is relatively austere. However, the Squad has a digital instrument cluster and an available climate control system. The model also has a phone holder, so owners can use their smartphone for navigation and infotainment.

On the performance front, there isn’t much to report as the model is slated to have two rear-mounted electric motors that produce a combined output of 5 hp (4 kW / 5 PS). That isn’t much, but it should give the vehicle a top speed of 28 mph (45 km/h).

The Squad is slated to be launched next year with a base price of €6,250 ($6,570) before VAT. The company is currently accepting pre-orders and they also have plans to offer a more powerful, four-seat variant that can hit speeds of 43 mph (70 km/h).