Lumeneo Smera Video

Lumeneo Smera Video Transcript

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>> Looks like an optical illusion, doesn't it? But it's not. This is a two-seat car, a city car, a commuting car. The Smera from a company in France called Lumeneo. It's electric, two electric motors that are actually back here at the rear wheels, the drive wheels and also very compactly wedged between them is an electromagnetic differentials, part of their secret sauce for making this whole form factor work. By the way, it's a tandem arrangement, like a fighter jet, there is a backseat. You're kind of straddling the driver in front of you and there's also room for a little luggage. Now, in case you're wondering -- yes. Underway this car will tilt like a motorcycle. Up to 20 degrees either way they say. It's not quite a motorcycle, but it's got a lot of the same dynamics. You might compare it a little bit to a smart car, but a whole lot less this way and I think quite a bit shorter this way as well, but you'd be amazed of the space. Let's get inside, nice, fair and smooth door handle and then -- not bad now, I'm six-two, almost six-three and well over 200 pounds and while this car is a little snug, I definitely do fit. The reality on this vehicle is that it's not meant for freeway driving per se. It does up to 130 kilometers per hour -- that's about 60 miles an hour, typical US highway speed. And the range on it, they say will be up to 150 kilometers. Three, four, five hours a night as a plug-in charge not a hybrid just a straight electric car. They will be taking deliveries as they announced it formally at the Paris Motor show, which is coming up October '08, delivering it early in '09. Priced between 20 and 30,000 Euros. We'll keep an eye on this one, interesting shape of some of what's to come. ^M00:01:48 [ Music ]