Micromobility is transforming the landscape of big cities. More and more people are choosing to move efficiently and sustainably in urban environments, to the point that bicycles and electric scooters have become two more players in this new way of moving. In this context, quadricycles, small four-wheeled vehicles that oscillate between a motorcycle and a car, have begun to gain prominence as another micromobility option on the streets of the most populated cities.
A clear example of this new mobility that day by day adds more followers comes from the United Kingdom. The company Ark Motors presents a quadricycle called Ark Zero designed "to address the mobility challenges of the city and its inhabitants", as described on its website. The microcar's small dimensions - measuring 2.5m in length, 1.2m in width and 1.63m in height - allow it to easily navigate city streets and park in tight parking spaces.
The quadricycle, which for now is only marketed in the United Kingdom for 5,995 pounds (about 7,000 euros), has capacity for two adult people and a dog, according to the manufacturer. The passenger, however, must sit in the rear of the vehicle, behind the driver, as is the case with other quadricycles with these characteristics, such as the Renault Twizy.
Despite the tight cabin space, which forces its occupants to travel in a tandem arrangement, the Ark Zero is equipped with a tablet-sized infotainment screen on the steering wheel that includes a reversing camera. It also has Bluetooth connection, which allows users to play music wirelessly, use navigation maps and answer phone calls.
The chassis and the body are fused into a single structure, made entirely of aluminium. This choice of material offers a combination of lightness and resistance, allowing greater shock absorption. Thanks to this monocoque construction, the vehicle obtains greater rigidity and safety in its design, as the company highlights on its website.
The weight of the car is just 489 kg, much of which corresponds to the battery. The Ark Zero's batteries provide a range of 80 kilometres, which is almost four times the average distance traveled by British drivers on a daily basis. It is equipped with an 80 Ah lithium-ion battery and comes standard with a Type 1 charger (7.4 kW of power) that requires between 6 and 8 hours for a full charge connected to a conventional household socket.
The electric motor is 2.2 kW or 3 CV of power that allows it to reach the maximum speed of 45 km/h allowed by law in these vehicles. “This is the most functional car ever built since the Ford Model T. Over the last century capitalism has sold us oversized cars we don't need. Thanks to Ark Zero, we can address a need in the market efficiently and affordably without giving up anything," a company spokesperson said in statements collected by the British site Autocar.
The Ark Zero can be purchased through the company's website, but is currently only available for the British market. The vehicle comes with a single model with four color options: red, black, white and grey. The highlight is its attractive price of 5,995 pounds (about 7,000 euros), which is considerably lower than most of its competitors. For example, the Citroën Ami is priced at £8,095 (around €9,400) in the UK.
The quadricycle delivery period can be up to four months from the formalization of the order, according to Ark Motors on its website.
