Swiss Softcar presents first four-seater in L7e EV category

The Swiss manufacturer Softcar has unveiled a lightweight L7e electric car with four seats. It weighs 640 kilograms, including the battery, and is said to have a range of 200 kilometers. Prices start from €23,000.

All vehicles in the L7e class have one thing in common: they can travel at a maximum speed of 90 kph, which is also the maximum speed for the new Softcar.

Four-seater

Four seats are an absolute specialty for the lightweight L7e class: until now, only two seats were typical in this category, such as the Microlino, the Silence S04, or the Chinese BAW Pony. The latter has announced that a four-seater version will also be available soon.

The Softcar is powered by an electric motor that generates 15 kW continuous power and 30 kW peak power. Consumption is said to be around 8 kWh per 100 kilometers. With the 15 kWh battery, a range of just under 200 kilometers is possible.

Softcar also plans to offer a gas-powered range extender as an additional option, which should double the range to 400 kilometers. BMW pioneered such a solution when it launched a ‘range extender version’ called REX for its first EV, the i3, over ten years ago. Currently, Mazda offers a comparable solution in the MX-30 r-ev, and several Chinese brands are proposing the same solution in their home market.

‘Skateboard’ platform

The Softcar runs on an autonomous ‘skateboard’ platform designed for durability, on which a recyclable, easily replaceable body can be mounted. State-of-the-art materials, including the latest generation of low-carbon composite materials for the body, make this possible.

One notable feature is the low number of components: While regular cars require an average of 45,000 components, the Softcar gets by with 1,800. From 2025, the vehicle will be built in a ‘micro-factory’ to counter the car industry’s gigantism and the trend toward gigafactories.

Four major challenges

Softcar plans to produce 5,000 units annually and aims to operate profitably from just 2,000 units. According to the company, Softcar was created in response to the automotive industry’s four major challenges: weight, recyclability, high safety, and affordability.

“Innovation is at the heart of our DNA,” says the press release. “At Softcar, we believe the automotive industry needs a complete rethinking. Our vehicles result from rigorous eco-design, using recyclable materials and decentralized manufacturing.”

“Thanks to our innovative business model based on local micro-factories, we reduce pollution and CO2 emissions while creating local jobs and boosting the circular economy,” commented Jean-Luc Thuliez, CEO and founder of Softcar.

At least three other models

In addition to the four-seater with foldable gullwing doors presented now, Softcar intends to develop a van, a convertible, and a two-seater on the same ‘skateboard’ chassis in the future.

Softcar is a Swiss company that has existed for 30 years and specializes in the design of lightweight, recyclable, and low-cost vehicles produced locally in circular micro-factories. The company aims to become a global leader in eco-friendly vehicles.

Financially backed by a Swiss energy company, government programs, and European institutions, Softcar positions itself as a key player in the energy transition.