- Rinspeed is touting its "backpack on wheels" concept as a detachable range-extender for electric cars.
- The Dock+Go concept adds a third axle with an extra set of wheels.
- Rinspeed describes the concept as a "modular mobility system."
GENEVA — Swiss tuner/tinkerer Frank Rinderknecht will bring another slightly wacky yet innovative concept — a "modular mobility system" — to the 2012 Geneva Auto Show. The Rinspeed Dock+Go, which the company describes as a "backpack on wheels," adds a mini-trailer on a single axle that can serve as a range-extender for electric cars — and much more.
For the Geneva show, Rinspeed is pairing its module to a Smart Fortwo Electric Drive. The company describes this particular configuration as an "energy pack," which it says can be equipped with a gasoline engine or fuel cell and can be recharged at home from a rooftop solar panel.
Rinspeed also envisions a wide range of detachable modules, including just-for-fun units for camping, golf, skiing, beach or partying, as well as commercial units for everyone from carpenters and construction workers (tool pack) to pizza-delivery drivers (heated pack).
Inside Line says: Rinderknecht pulls another mechanical rabbit out of his seemingly bottomless hat.
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zeniff says:
04:33 PM, 03/07/2012
"Inside Line says: Rinderknecht pulls another mechanical rabbit out of his seemingly bottomless hat."
I'll agree that they pulled this out of somewhere. But not their hat.
poorjoe says:
03:21 AM, 12/08/2011
Would this be charged the higher tolls of a three-axle vehicle, like a large commercial truck?
ed124c says:
09:48 AM, 12/07/2011
Totally impractical. Who is going to drive around in a Smart that has six wheels? And where did that roof on the "backpack" come form? It isn't in the left photo.
If you really MUST do something like this, just add about four clamps to the rear and fit an actual backpack onto the hatch door. The backpack would not obscure rear vision. The current idea really compromises rear vision by adding probably two extra windows to look through. Silly.
k55 says:
09:47 AM, 12/07/2011
The ForTwo needs to be updated with a more powerful FWD chassis.........The market for a tiny RWD 70hp semi auto transmission car cant compare with say ....a Scion IQ ( FWD, CVT trans--which really isnt better but at least it seats more than two).
aston_dbs says:
08:23 AM, 12/07/2011
Kudos for Rinspeed for their effort, however:
1st - the Dumass fortwo is getting more AND more ridiculous...
2nd - with the availability of Leaf (and the similar Volt), why bother???