Luvly, a Swedish microcar company, is gearing up to produce a tiny, ultra-efficient electric car for urban living – and distribute it around the world using a flat-pack shipping method, much like IKEA, another famous Swedish brand.
Luvly derives its name from LUV, or “Light Urban Vehicle,” which really sets the tone for what they’re going after – small cars designed for city use.
Luvly’s first vehicle, the Luvly O, has specs intended to work perfectly for an urban dweller. Which is to say, those specs are not any more than what you need (or more than what European quadricycle regulations limit them to), combined into a cute, affordable, and convenient package.
Since it weighs so little and requires minimal energy to get from A to B, the Luvly needs a smaller (therefore, cheaper) battery than usual to get around. But that’s not the best part – the battery is two separate units, each weighing 15kg (33 pounds), and they are removable.
So, sure, you can plug in the car to charge it. But what if you park on the street and don’t have access to a charging point? Well, you can just take the battery with you into your apartment and charge it there.
Despite (perhaps because of) its small size, the car has a 60 mile range (100km) and capable of reaching a top speed of 90km/h (55mph) - more than enough for getting around town. Luvly plans to sell the Luvly O for around €10,000 ($11,000) - not much more expensive than high-end cargo bikes. If it ends up qualifying for EV subsidies in the various regions it ends up being sold, that price could become even lower.
Oh, and the car is recyclable.