The IKEA car: Britons could be among the first in the world to drive a new Swedish flat-pack e-vehicle costing £8,700
- It weighs a fifth of most electric cars and has a removable portable battery
The UK could be one of the first countries in the world to receive a newly designed electric car that comes in flat pack form.
Swedish technology company Luvly designed the Luvly O as a city car that could be spotted on British roads by the end of the year.
Luvly O weighs a fifth of most electric vehicles and has a portable battery that can be charged from your desk at work, said De Telegraaf.
It will be the first of its kind, but unlike Ikea, the flat-packed design will be shipped to factories around the world rather than your front door.
Håkan Lutz, CEO and founder of Luvly, told The Telegraph: ‘If it were legally and technologically possible to mount in your home we would think that would be a good thing, but unfortunately that is not the case on either count . ‘
Swedish technology company Luvly designed the Luvly O as an urban vehicle that could be spotted on UK roads by the end of the year
Approximate dimensions are 270cm x 153cm x 144cm and it will run approximately 6 miles before needing to be charged and can reach 55 mph
The LUVs are shipped flat pack for assembly in micro-factories close to end users
The handy car has a range of 100 kilometers at a top speed of 55 mph.
The car does not require a gas station or electric hub – you can remove the two batteries and charge at home or at the office.
For £8,700 Britons could see one or two of these new designs hitting the road by the end of the year.
Despite its size and lack of an engine, its makers claim it shares several similarities with Formula 1 cars, with energy absorbers around the chassis similar to those used in racing cars to ensure maximum safety.
Mr Lutz said: ‘I think these would suit the UK absolutely perfectly. The bigger the city, the more logical one of these cars makes.
“The plan is to get started as soon as possible, but you know, developing new technology always takes a bit more time than you’d like, we hope to have some cars on the road this year.”
While you might see one or two driving down the street, the Swedish company explained that the massive rollout wouldn’t take a few years.
The LUVs are shipped flat pack for assembly in micro-factories close to end users. This significantly reduces costs and environmental impact.