Swincar’s All-Terrain Spider Electric Car
A tilting four-wheel, maximizing complete independent suspension
Sometimes a working concept vehicle really advances the way we perceive automotive capabilities. This much—and more—can be said about the newly announced Swincar, a four-wheel ATV (expected to hit the market in October 2015) that can tackle just about everything. This is due to each wheel being connected to its own electric hub motor, further attached to independently suspended spider-like legs. In essence, Swincar delivers complete hydraulically-actuated four-wheel steering. Meanwhile, the driver’s seat is suspended much like a hammock, centered on what the company refers to as a “technologie pendulaire.” Such a set-up allows the driver to shift to the inside when cornering, much like when riding a motorcycle, only the driver is always kept horizontal. This means tackling as much as a 70% gradient up or down, or smaller gradients that splay the limbs to a vast degree.
Pascal Rambaud, Jerome Arsac and Thierry James of the French company Mecanroc (located near Montelimar) have been working on the vehicle for around eight years and now it’s more than ready for the outside world—it’s ready to be sold. The quiet, emission-free machine currently sports either one or 1.5 kW power, though up to two, four or six kW depending on specifications. This isn’t as powerful as a lot of ATVs out there, but offers enough power and drive time for a debut model. This machined aluminum beast truly isn’t like anything else and from what we’ve seen so far—and it looks like a lot of fun.
Mecanroc plans to deliver Swincar to market this October, with a base price of approximately €10,000.
Found via Challenges.fr, images courtesy of Swincar
