Vauxhall RAK e

By shunning exotic materials Vauxhall is confident that the RAK e could be a production reality, and affordable too. The low-slung layout and head-swivelling looks make it great fun to drive, while the feeling of security and all-round visibility impressed. With the Renault Twizy going on sale in 2012, forward-thinking city cars are already a reality, and with the RAK e Vauxhall is forging ahead of the competition.    

Can Vauxhall's vision of a two-seater electric city car really make production? We drove an early rolling prototype of the RAK e at the Opel factory in Russelsheim, Germany. Although this car is not representative of how a production model would perform, in terms of its drivetrain or handling, it did give us a good idea of the model's unique driving environment.

The pairing of a low 'bathtub' body with a wraparound glass canopy combines a feeling of security with excellent all-round vision. It also overcomes the sense of vulnerability sometimes associated with small, light electric vehicles.

Getting in and out of the RAK e is not quite as straightforward as a more conventional car, but shouldn't be a problem for anyone able to get on a regular motorbike.

The final verdict on what the car is like to drive will have to wait for a more polished prototype, but for now it's easy to see how its compact dimensions, low centre of gravity and torquey electric motor could deliver a very entertaining experience.

And drivers as young as 16 could be getting behind the wheel if it reaches showrooms. Vauxhall says the RAK e has been designed to appeal to young buyers, students and others who would not usually consider buying a car. Depending on local legislation, 16-year-olds could drive speed-limited versions.

“We aim to target new customers – the type of person who would normally ride a scooter,” said the RAK e's chief designer, Richard Shaw. He explained that the concept needed to be “fun and sexy” to appeal to young buyers and those normally uninterested in cars. “If it entered production, it would be priced to compete with entry-level city cars,” he added.

Vauxhall hopes the RAK e's extremely low running costs – calculated at €1 (around 85p) per 62 miles – will be key to its appeal. The tandem design halves the concept's frontal area compared to a conventional car, leading to a dramatic reduction in drag and energy consumption.

Stefan Gloger, a senior vehicle engineer with Vauxhall's sister brand Opel, said, “The RAK e will consume only 10 percent of the energy required by a typical small car – the equivalent of nearly 490mpg fuel economy.”

The other major feature of the RAK e is how it integrates with the latest smartphones. “By handing over functions like in-car entertainment and sat-nav to a device that most people own already, we can make the car itself simpler and cheaper,” explained Gloger.

The RAK e was first shown at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September in order to gather feedback and estimate demand for a production version. There are currently no firm plans to put it into production, but Gloger told Auto Express that “the technology is quite simple, so we could build a production version quickly. At the moment we are assessing feedback to decide an appropriate production volume and what investment would be required to make that happen.”