This is the new Rinspeed concept, you see? Silly name aside, the UC? will make its debut at March's
Geneva Motor Show, and despite looking like the most sensible concept the Swiss maker has ever crafted, it's still a forward-thinking thing.
Far from being a Fiat/Toyota/Smart clone, the electric UC (we'll drop the question mark, because it's also an acronym of 'Urban Commuter') is operated by a central joystick and can travel 75 miles on one electric charge at speeds of up to 68mph. Nothing much groundbreaking there, but the UC has another trick up its sleeve.
It has an 'advanced railcar loading system' that allows it to be integrated neatly into a train for city-to-city journeys, and you can book some time at a battery charging station over the internet. What a revelation.
Mark Nichol - 17 Dec 2009