In
1975, Sbarro worked on an electric car, the Carvile-Pilcar,
produced in a very small series. Twenty-five years later,
Franco Sbarro designed the Twike, a small three-wheeled
two-seater electric car for Swiss company SwissLem AG.
The SwissLem Twike at the
2000 Geneva Show
Electric
Designed by Franco Sbarro, the
Twike.Me has a fiberglass monocoque body. Customers can opt
for a joystick instead of the conventional steering wheel.
Nickel-cadmium batteries provide a range of 80 km and a top
speed of 100 km/h. The Twike.Me is therefore a city car where
its small size and maneuverability make it an interesting
alternative to combustion-powered vehicles.
Although compact, the car can accommodate two tall people. The
200-liter trunk is designed for professional transport. The
dashboard can be fully rotated to conceal the instrumentation,
telephone and GPS, so as not to tempt would-be thieves. A
large plexiglass roof adds light and space.
Three wheels, electric,
2.60 m long, 2 seats and a 200-litre boot
Too early?
When SwissLEM went bankrupt in
the summer of 2002, FINE Mobile took over the production and
branding rights to the Twike. The Sbarro-designed Twike.Me,
which SwissLEM had planned to expand its product range, was
discontinued (source Wikipedia). Fine Mobile, the company that
took over the SwissLEM Twike business, now produces other
electric vehicles in the same vein as the Sbarro, which may
have been released too early, not yet meeting the automotive
expectations of the company at the time.
In brief
1- Electric urban vehicle
2- Intended for annual production of
2,000 units
3- Never marketed, following the
bankruptcy of SwissLem
In brief
1- Electric urban vehicle
2- Intended for annual production of 2,000 units
3- Never marketed, following the bankruptcy of SwissLem