What is it?
The Peugeot BB1 is refreshingly different to most of the other electric tin boxes that are wheeled onto motor show stands every year, many with much hype and little substance. That's because it's a sort of bicycle/car hybrid that uses biking design sensibilities to squeeze four people into an unfeasibly tiny space. Each of its four occupants lean forward on saddles, basically, in the manner adopted by tandem riders, and the steering wheel is replaced by handlebars. It's zero-emissions too, of course.
Why's it here?
Peugeot reckons the BB1 'reinvents the automobile in every way,' and it's actually quite difficult to argue with that. Certainly, dispensing with the seats has liberated loads of space for people (although it's probably a slightly agonising long distance cruiser), and it's powered by a quite extraordinary Michelin-developed drivetrain that uses two 20bhp in-wheel electric motors in the rear. That sounds trifling, we agree, but each has also got 236lb.ft of torque, available instantly. All of a sudden it's getting exciting, eh? Its body, which Peugeot says can be customised, is carbon fibre and sits on a bicycle-inspired tubular frame to keep weight down to around half a tonne. It will go 75 miles between charges.
Show stopper or floor filler?
It's most certainly leaning towards the show stopping side of things, this one. That's partly because it really is very different, but also because it has the added credibility of a manufacturer making noises about producing it shortly - possibly priced at around £7,000.
Mark Nichol - 16 Sep 2009