Opel RAK e Concept: the design

tags: Frankfurt 2011, KISKA, Opel, RAK e Concept | in: Concept Cars 1 February 2012

New details, design sketches and a video on the development of the RAK e Concept, created by Opel in partnership with KISKA and unveiled at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show.

The Opel RAK e Concept proposes Opel’s vision for the future of personal mobility, thanks to its electric drivetrain that allows to travel 100 kilometers for one euro.

The concept is just 1.3 meters wide, around 3 meters long and 119 cm high, and accommodates two people in tandem configuration.

The underlying structure is a a steel space-frame structure combined with a skin of conventional synthetic material.

For its design, KISKA and Opel adopted a new approach, with both the interior and the exterior designed in a single process, breaking down the barriers between car and motorcycle design.

The canopy combines the functions of roof and windshield and gives a 270-degree view with no blind spots.

The steering wheel automatically swings out of the way when the canopy is opened, and the hinge arrangement ensures that the vehicle maintains its low profile.

Weighting just one third of a modern small car, the RAK e has a maximum speed of 120 km/h.

According to Opel the study, which was developed in partnership with KISKA, “has production potential” and would be *”affordable for younger customers”,thanks to a low-power mode with speed limited to 45 km/h for 16-year old drivers.