Swiss automaker Rinspeed has, in the past, offered some concept cars that could only be described as “interesting.”
Last year the company offered an electric cruiser constructed out of bamboo. In 2008 the company debuted the sQuba, an electric submersible car/sub hybrid.
At this year’s Geneva auto show, the company will continue its out-of-the-box tradition when it debuts a brand new concept known as the Dock + Go.
Rinspeed describes its new concept as a modular mobility system designed for an “electric city car.”
According to a statement released by the company, the single-axle unit connects to the back of any urban electric car – for their demo model Rinspeed chose a smart ForTwo – and allows owners to customize their car based on how it’s used.
Rinspeed sees the “backpacks” as turning an electric car into “the dream car of any pizza delivery driver – complete with an integrated heated box. For craftsmen there is a toolbox pack with well-organized spaces for every tool.”
Rinspeed also envisions an “energy pack” with a combustion engine or range extender, packed with batteries or powered by a fuel cell. The energy pack provides added range for reaching more distant destinations.
The company explains that the the docked third axle drives the rotating second axle and thus recharges the on-board battery of the city car.
Rinspeed has not announced if or when the Dock+Go will go into production. We envision that if did, however, perhaps one could design a pack attachment that mimics a pop up trailer so the family can head out for the weekend on a little outdoor excursion.
