There are many threats that hang over the future of city dwellers, but one of the possibilities placed on the table is their “reinvention” as compact electric quadricycles to face rising costs. We've already seen it in models like the Renault Twizy or the much newer Citroën Ami. Now, coming from Poland, comes this intriguing proposal, the wheat.
The proposal gains interest as the eponymous Polish company says that the electric quadricycle is scheduled to start production as early as 2021.
With the capacity to carry two passengers in a very compact body — just 2.6 m in length — the Triggo, without batteries, is under 400 kg.
Width… variable!
However, the main highlight of Triggo and its most intriguing appearance is the fact that the width of its front axle varies depending on the speed at which it is driven and the driving mode selected.
If in "Cruise Mode", Triggo has a width of 1.48 m (18 cm narrower than a Smart Fortwo), in "Manoeuvering Mode" (maneuverability mode), the width decreases to an amazing 86 cm — at the level of some two-wheeled models — thanks to a front axle that is able to “shrink” towards the bodywork.
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In this mode, Triggo's speed is limited to just 25 km/h, making it the ideal mode for maneuvers and parking, or even for passing “among the raindrops” in the most varied situations we can find in urban areas.
In Cruise mode, with the front axle in its widest position, the maximum speed is 90 km/h, able to guarantee the necessary stability.
As the system that allows this variation in front axle width has not yet been explained in detail, we will have to wait a little longer to find out how it works. Complementing this system, the Triggo, like a motorbike, can lean on curves — a bit like the three-wheel scooters that are on sale.
Triggo numbers
Moreover, being electric, two electric motors with 10 kW (13.6 hp) each are in charge of animating Triggo. However, the Polish company chose to limit the combined power of the two engines to 15 kW (20 hp). By having the combined power limited to 15 kW, the small Polish city dweller guarantees approval as a quadricycle in Europe.
With an 8 kWh battery capacity, the Triggo has 100 km autonomy . Speaking of the battery, this is removable, which could even be an option to avoid time-consuming charging, replacing it with another. However, its 130 kg seem inadvisable to do this.
For now, it is not known whether Triggo will ever be sold in Portugal or how much it will cost if that happens.
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