One of the more quirky cool concept cars at the Frankfurt Motor Show yesterday was the Peugeot BB1. The design brief for the BB1 was to provide maximum versatility, a compact size, manoeuvrability (3.5m turning circle) and good performance levels.
To achieve all this, the Peugeot teams faced a real challenge - accommodate four people in an overall length of just 2.5 metres. To meet this challenge, the design of the structure of the passenger compartment has drawn inspiration from two-wheeled vehicles in terms of the ergonomics and controls.
The driver controls the vehicle by adopting a novel driving position - more vertical than is usual. This is mainly made possible through the absence of foot pedals, as in a conventional car. Access to the vehicle is through the reverse opening doors, while the load area access is through an innovative tail board / tailgate design.
The interior can be transformed as required to offer a load volume of up to 160 litres (with four occupants), or 855 litres (with just one person in the car). The style of the vehicle includes a large glazed frontal surface area, low door waistline and extended wheel arches. It's fitted with two electric motors mounted in the rear wheels, designed in association with Michelin.
They produce a maximum power output of 20hp per motor, with a 0 to 19 mph time of 2.8 seconds. Two lithium-ion battery packs supplying energy to the respective electric motors located under the right and left-hand rear seats, with a comfortable range of 75 miles.