Mole Urbana: The ultra-compact, Made in Italy electric car

The future of mobility? It’s electric, of course, and the biggest point to reach it is to produce more and more cars that are made for urban use.

Kia spoke about it, Citroën already proposed its new Ami and now the Turin designer Umberto Palermo presented its project called “Mole Urbana”, an electric quadricycle which will be available in three sizes that differ in the configuration of the cabin and in dimensions. But they all share the same style and mechanical settings.

The first thing that grabs the viewer’s attention is its looks. Designed by reinterpreting in a modern and personal key the typical setting of nineteenth-century carriages, the Mole Urbana has a squared interior with large glass surfaces. The boots are actually made by two chests which are kept closed by some leather straps closure: the front one houses the batteries, the rear one is what you need to carry your shopping bags.

The car will be available in three versions: small, medium and large. The small one is 1.74 meters (5.7 ft) long and has just two seats, the medium one is 2.95 meters (9,6 ft) long and has three seats side by side (Fiat Multipla style) and the biggest one is 3.2 meters (10,5) long but it still has three seats. The third one is located back, in a central position.

Inside the cabin there’s a 10” touchscreen which commands the infotainment. The Mole Urbana has an electric powertrain with an engine that can reach 22 HP, while the 48V batteries guarantee a range between 70 and 150 km (43 and 93 miles), depending on the model.

You won’t even need a driving license – if you can drive a Vespa, you’re good to go, because the car can’t go faster than 50 km/h (31 mph).

This car’s production will be very limited, though. The maker “Pretto di Pontedera” aims to reach just 300 units sold before the end of 2023.

You won’t even be able to buy it, because you can only rent it.