Rahul Somvanshi
Small and ambitious, electric microcars aim to conquer the roads worldwide. Especially considering that – according to some – about 68% of the world’s population will live in cities by 2050: finding parking space will become increasingly important. But what if your little car was not only small and emission-free but also detachable? This is the project being worked on by the Swedish company Luvly, a startup founded in 2015 that seems to be inspired by its compatriot Ikea, but specializing in furnishings. It’s no coincidence that the Scandinavian creature is called Luvly O.
The future of urban mobility will not only rely on flying cars, which are increasingly close to becoming a reality, but also on small and affordable models that can offer an alternative to traffic restrictions in city centers. The Swedish Luvly O, a mini electric car delivered in flat packs, much like Ikea furniture.
Its main goal is cost reduction throughout the process, from manufacturing to distribution, and for this, they have looked at the strategies of their compatriots. Thus, the car parts fit into flat boxes of very tight dimensions, allowing them to ship 20 vehicles in containers that normally only fit 4.
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Designed by Joachim Nordwall, a former employee of the Swedish hypercar brand Koenigsegg, the vehicle is currently in the final stages of development, and its launch is expected in 2024. For now, it can be reserved from its website for an initial price of 10,000 euros. One of its most outstanding features of this two-seater model is its small size: 2.7 meters long, 1.53 meters wide, and 1.44 meters high, corresponding to a weight of less than 400 kilograms, a quarter of a typical electric vehicle.
The touted detachable and ultra-light structure makes this microcar rather vulnerable, like all its counterparts. The company has partially addressed this with the “sandwich structure” chassis, with a layer of aluminum padded on both sides by lightweight plastic foam. This way, the impact force from an accident is absorbed by the padding, which provides better protection for the people on board. Luvly also states that they conduct crash tests through computer simulations, which “are not cheap but are less costly than real accidents.”
Regarding its technical specifications, the Swedish company has confirmed that its 6.4 kWh battery provides a range of about 100 km. Additionally, it is modular, and its two removable parts can be charged at home if no specific charger is available on the street or in the parking lot. As for speed, it does not exceed 90 km/h, confirming that it is designed almost exclusively for moving within cities. The vehicle is accompanied by an app to control its functions and remote configuration at all times. For example, it will be possible to locate the car via GPS, check the battery status, or lock the doors.
