Swincar E-Spider Is Part Car, Part Lunar Rover

I could get in trouble very easily here, so let me just say that French cars have a certain je ne sais quoi that cars designed in other countries do not. Think of cars like the Citroen DS, SM and 2CV, the Renault Twizy, and the Peugeot Onyx. Need I say more?

Here’s a French creation that helps prove my point. The Swincar E-Spider boasts independent suspension and an electric motor for each of its four wheels. Perhaps “independent suspension” doesn’t really do the car justice. It has 4 long, individually articulated legs that allow it to be extremely nimble and navigate across anything that gets in its way.

The vehicle, if you want to call it that, uses a technology that lets each axle arm and wheel function on its own, creating one highly versatile ATV. According to the company, the E-Spider can travel up and down 70% grades and across a 50% slope with all four wheels firmly planted on the ground, according to Hybrid Cars.

Each wheel is driven by either a 1 or 1.5 kW motor which delivers instant torque. Underneath the driver’s legs is a battery pack with your choice of a 2, 4, or 6 kWh battery. The Swincar E-Spider uses a conventional steering wheel that turns the front and rear wheels in opposite directions

Created by Pascal Rambaud, Jerome Arsac, and Thierry James, the Swincar has been in development for 8 years and is almost production ready, according to Hybrid Cars. The company is currently seeking investors so it can bring the Swincar E-Spider to market. It even has plans for a two-seater if things work out, as well as a version with joystick steering.

Come to think of it, the Swincar E-Spider looks like it belongs in a video game, so perhaps the addition of a joystick would be appropriate. Maybe future astronauts could use one of these vehicles to train for future interplanetary excursions. Or it might just go into production as the next EV from Peugeot!