GM's Future Start in Electric Two-Wheelers

AMSTERDAM, the Netherlands – This is General Motor’s vision on future urban mobility: a two-wheeled, pedal free and fully covered electric mobility vehicle. According to a study by General Motors in twenty years time we will all roll through cities in an electric Jiao, Xiao and Miao.

Along with its Chinese partner SAIC (Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp.) General Motors has just unveiled three variants of its EN-V study. They are called Jiao, Chinese for ‘pride’, Xiao for ‘laughter’ and Miao for ‘magic’.

Segway technology

In the past years GM developed the Segway and the PUMA (Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility) study designs. This new city two-seater two-wheeler is based on Segway technology while it keeps itself upright automatically. The futuristic EN-V will be shown from May to November at the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai.

The concept is based on predictions that within 20 years over 60% of over eight billion world citizens will live in urban areas. Only with clean and electric equipment requiring a minimum of space it is possible to keep the mega busy personal transportation going.

The EN-V has a carbon fibre and polycarbonate body while each wheel has an electric motor. Together, the engines deliver up to 18 kW and 440 Nm torque. A Lithium Ion Phosphate battery pack provides the 3.2 kWh power. The EN-V has a reach of 40 kilometres and weighs just over 400 kilograms.