While in Paris, sprint king Usain Bolt unveiled a $ 10,000 electric micro-plan project designed by the Bolt Mobility start-up, of which he is the main shareholder.
Electric microcars are one of the significant trends in terms of new mobility. The projects have multiplied in recent months, whether on the side of substantial manufacturers like Citroën with the Ami One, Seat with the Minimó, Renault with the EZ-Pod or young brands like Electra Meccanica, Monitor Bicar. We can now add the Bolt Nano to this non-exhaustive list.
Bolt as Usain Bolt, the legend of the multi-medal sprint over 100 meters, 200 meters and 400 meters. The athlete, now retired from athletics tracks, came to the Vivatech show to present the microcar designed by the young Bolt Mobility, which he is the primary funder.
The Bolt Nano will use an interchangeable battery
No specific details about the autonomy, configuration, and performance of the Bolt Nano were disclosed during the presentation of what appeared to be a scale model. All that has been learned is that the microcar can accommodate a driver plus a passenger sitting behind him, as in the Renault Twizy, which is a lot of emulators.
It will be equipped with interchangeable batteries, a technical model similar to that adopted for electric scooters that Bolt Mobility has started to deploy, particularly in Paris. According to the company, the small footprint of the Bolt Nano allows parking up to four vehicles on a parking space.
The idea is that the microvolume takes over the electric scooter for urban journeys from 3 to 25 kilometers. The use will be identical in both cases: users will use a mobile application to book and unlock a self-service Bolt Nano they will leave at their point of arrival.
Bolt Mobility has devised an economic model where people who buy a Nano will be able to rent it via its service and share the income 50/50 with the start-up. The Bolt Nano is available for pre-order for a deposit of $ 999. Its price will be 9,999 dollars, and its release is scheduled for the end of 2020.