Your teenager's first plug-in
More out-of-the-box thinking is good
Opel is set to debut a new two-seat electric car at the Frankfurt Auto Show that is following a plug-in concept trend already blazed by the likes of Audi and VW. Fortunately, however, Opel is offering up an interesting new angle on small commuter vehicles.
The perfect plug-in for teenagers.
The base concept is a 60 mile electric vehicle that can reach speeds up to 75 mph — perfect numbers for most commuters, especially if the new plug-in concept can achieve Opel’s promise that such a vehicle will be ideal for budget-concerned consumers.
But the more interesting idea is Opel’s suggestion that this plug-in could be tweaked for teenagers by reducing top speed capabilities to 28 mph.
As a result, it would seem that if Opel can keep costs down and ensure crash-test safety with larger vehicles, such a vehicle could resonate with teenagers, especially if it were their only option for driving freedom. Additionally, it could break the mold amongst this consumer cohort that big and powerful is better.
Additionally, since speed requirements are so low, maybe a hybrid offering with a tiny diesel or gasoline engine would be even better, as it could probably cut costs even further, while still achieving more than 100 mpg.
Ultimately, baby boomers and Gen Xer’s probably aren’t the key to new transportation ideas. Gen Y and the future of auto consumption, however, could be a great consumer segment to start revolutionizing personal mobility psychology, and concepts like this Opel plug-in are a great way of targeting such possibilities.
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