http://www.bbc.com/autos/story/20150128-meet-the-tiny-colibri-germanys-one-seat-wonder Meet the tiny Colibri, Germany's one-seat wonder Ken Wysocky 28 January 2015
[images (drawings) http://ichef.bbci.co.[you kay]/wwfeatures/976_549/images/live/p0/2h/qp/p02hqpjq.jpg IMA Colibri (Innovative Mobility Automobile GmbH) http://ichef.bbci.co.[you kay]/wwfeatures/464_261/images/live/p0/2h/qp/p02hqpjm.jpg http://ichef.bbci.co.[you kay]/wwfeatures/464_261/images/live/p0/2h/qp/p02hqpjv.jpg video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaL7Dalcx-8 Colibri Teaser Innovative Mobility Nov 20, 2014 Der Colibri stellt sich kurz und knapp vor: Purer Fahrspaß und das Erlebnis einer neuen Fahrzeugdimension. ] The impossible dream of scoring the perfect city parking spot is about to get somewhat more possible – at least in Germany, where the tiny Colibri, a single-seat electric car from upstart Innovative Mobility Automobile (IMA), is headed for production. Set to become available for test-drives and pre-orders this year, and scheduled to enter series production during 2016, the Colibri is aimed squarely at businesses that operate fleets of service vehicles in densely populated urban areas, where parking is at a premium. But that doesn’t mean IMA isn’t also trying to woo everyday drivers, says Thomas delos Santos, IMA’s founder and chief executive officer. In fact, the company has already received more than 1,200 orders from private customers. Another indication of the car’s early popularity: More than 150 dealers from around the world (mostly in Europe, but also including Israel, Brazil, the United States and Australia) have applied for licenses to sell the Colibri. And collectively, those dealers estimate there’s enough consumer interest to sell another 5,000 cars, says delos Santos. IMA officials decided to name the Colibri after a genus of hummingbird because it reflects the car’s chief qualities: small, quick and speedy. “We also wanted to create a cost-saving solution that’s safe, comfortable and nice to look at, too,” he explains. The Colibri appears to fit the bill on all counts. It weighs a mere 970lbs and measures about 9ft long, 4ft wide and 4½ft tall. And at a starting price of €10,990 (about $12,500) plus a monthly battery-rental fee of about $45, it’s roughly comparable to its most obvious rival in Europe, Renault’s Twizy electric microcar. Why just one seat? IMA officials felt that to be successful, the car had to be priced significantly less than traditional urban runabouts. “It’s priced at least 30 percent lower than a combustion-driven microcar,” delos Santos says. “We had to decide if we wanted a second or third seat or to achieve our cost goals. People think they need more seats, even though they really don’t. Most people drive alone.” The car features plastic body panels – including a very exotic gull-wing driver’s side door – over a stiff steel frame. Unlike the Twizy, the Colibri’s cockpit is completely enclosed, and its rear cargo area is spacious enough to accommodate a week’s worth of groceries. Motivation comes from a 50kw electric motor (about 67hp) matched to a single-speed transmission. The rear-wheel-drive Colibri will zip from zero to 62mph in a respectable 9.9sec and press on to a top speed of 75mph. A lithium iron phosphate battery pack fully charges in about 2½hrs from a household outlet. IMA estimates the car will cruise for about 68 miles on full charge. Initially, consumers will be able to test-drive a Colibri only in Germany. But IMA officials hope to expand availability into other countries later in the year. Can the Colibri and cars of its ilk change the face of urban mobility in Europe? It won’t be easy. After selling some 9,000 Twizys in 2012, Renault saw sales of its petite plug-in slide rather dramatically in 2013 and 2014. Toyota is approaching the niche with caution. The company’s acclaimed i-Road, which recently completed a series of consumer trials in Japan, has arrived in Europe to commence a small-scale, three-year car-sharing program in Grenoble, France. But despite some memorable failures (the US-built Corbin Motors Sparrow comes to mind, as does the UK’s oft-derided Sinclair C5), the market for single-seat urban microcars is showing signs of life. The self-balancing Lit Motors C1 is approaching production, and the svelte Zagato Volpe is gaining momentum in Italy. Ultimately, though, such cars’ greatest rival is the humble scooter. In Germany, a 50cc Vespa Primavera starts at €3,250 (about $3,700). Raincoat and backpack not included. [© bbc.com] ... http://innovative-mobility.com/ Innovative Mobility Automobile GmbH http://www.autoevolution.com/news/colibri-german-ev-seems-successful-even-before-production-video-91754.html Colibri German EV Seems Successful Even Before Production - Video by Gabriel Brindusescu 30th January 2015 The problem with tiny electric city cars is that people don’t like the way they look or feel. I mean, come on, that plasticky Renault Twizy looks like an egg on wheels, which is not the same you could say about the German IMA Colibri here. Innovative Mobility Automobile (IMA) recently came up with the Colibri concept, a single-seater electric car which is actually going to enter production soon. The vehicle is aimed at businesses that operate fleets of service vehicles in agglomerated cities and, as a matter of fact, the company already received around 1,200 orders for the tiny model and more than 150 dealers from around the world have applied to sell it. The name comes from the tiny Colibri bird because the automaker says the car is small, quick and speedy. It is only 9 ft (2,743 mm) long, 4 ft (1,219 mm) wide and 4,5 ft (1,371 mm) tall and weighs about 970 lbs (440 kg). Power comes from a 50 kW (67 hp) motor turning the rear wheels. Zero to 62 mph (100 km/h) comes in 9.9 seconds and the top speed is reached at 75 mph (121 km/h). Not an egg on wheels The best part is that it actually looks better than any other machine in its class, despite having plastic body panels. And unlike the Twizy, the Colibri features a fully enclosed cockpit and has a gullwing door. You also get enough space at the back for a full shopping cart of groceries and you can access it via a normal hatch. Why only one seat? IMA officials explained BBC news “We had to decide if we wanted a second or third seat or to achieve our cost goals. People think they need more seats, even though they really don’t. Most people drive alone.” Which makes a lot of sense. How many company fleet cars have you seen with two persons inside. In most cases, the designated person has to go meet other officials and talk about business which is usually a one-man-job. Price is basically just a bit over an entry-level motorcycle, wearing a €10,990 ($12,500) tag plus a battery-rental fee of around €40 ($45) you’ll have to pay monthly. About the same as a Twizy but with more cool stuff. The Colibri is expected to offer a range of about 68 miles (109 km) and the battery pack should get recharged in two and a half hours on a normal outlet. We're glad more and more companies are starting to offer such cars and hope to see more of them around the streets. The age of micro-cars should come back. At least until we'll find another incredibly cheap fuel end bring them land-yachts on the roads again. This could be a cyclical thing... 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