Peugeot BB1 - Strange but cool!

Peugeot BB1 - Strange but cool!

One of the more quirky cool concept cars at the Frankfurt Motor Show yesterday was the Peugeot BB1. The design brief for the BB1 was to provide maximum versatility, a compact size, manoeuvrability (3.5m turning circle) and good performance levels.

To achieve all this, the Peugeot teams faced a real challenge - accommodate four people in an overall length of just 2.5 metres. To meet this challenge, the design of the structure of the passenger compartment has drawn inspiration from two-wheeled vehicles in terms of the ergonomics and controls.

The driver controls the vehicle by adopting a novel driving position - more vertical than is usual. This is mainly made possible through the absence of foot pedals, as in a conventional car. Access to the vehicle is through the reverse opening doors, while the load area access is through an innovative tail board / tailgate design.

The interior can be transformed as required to offer a load volume of up to 160 litres (with four occupants), or 855 litres (with just one person in the car). The style of the vehicle includes a large glazed frontal surface area, low door waistline and extended wheel arches. It's fitted with two electric motors mounted in the rear wheels, designed in association with Michelin.

They produce a maximum power output of 20hp per motor, with a 0 to 19 mph time of 2.8 seconds. Two lithium-ion battery packs supplying energy to the respective electric motors located under the right and left-hand rear seats, with a comfortable range of 75 miles.