In 2014, French e-mobility company AEMotion aimed to “combine the agility of a motorcycle with the safety profile of a four-wheeled vehicle.” After much prototyping, its two-person tilting creation is up for pre-order ahead of production next year.
The “microcar” doesn’t yet have a dedicated name but will roll on four wheels, sporting tilting technology that allows the vehicle to lean into corners like a motorcycle.
We’ve seen plenty of examples of this sort of thing over the years – on three-wheelers and four, with and without weather protection for riders, and with motor only and pedal action. This latest creation adopts a motor-only approach, achieving a top speed of 115 km/h (71.5 mph), a maximum lean angle of 35 degrees, and is steered using a handlebar rather than a wheel.
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ÆMOTION
The specs reveal a fixed battery estimated to be good for up to 200 km (124 miles) per charge, plus swappable battery units that provide 70 km (43.5 miles) each. The driver sits in front of the passenger – motorcycle style – and will need a Permis B car license in France to get on the road. A few hours of training may also be required.
Both seats feature four-point safety belts, and prototypes have been developed using “automotive-grade crash test simulations.” The vehicle benefits from EPP bumpers as well as structural elements known as crash boxes. At the same time, the EPP interior also “allows lightness and energy absorption, comparable to a passive airbag system, ready to cushion the impact in the event of a collision.” Hydraulic disc brakes provide adequate stopping power.
With a width of just 79 cm (31 in), the vehicle should be able to zip through congested city streets with relative ease and should also be a reasonably easy park, standing upright without a kickstand. Both occupants are shielded from inclement weather by the outer shell and doors with windows, though the lower halves of the doors do leave the driver’s legs exposed for some reason. The small storage area in the back can be expanded by pushing the passenger seat forward.
Following its global debut late last year, AEMotion has been showing off its vehicle on the trade show circuit, most recently at the Viva Technology expo in Paris last week. Folks interested in learning more can contact the company via its pre-order and registration page. The company is initially targeting long-term lessees at around the €200 per month mark, rather than outright buyers. We’ve no word on whether it will be available outside of France. A pre-series “pioneer” batch is expected to be ready later this year, followed by regular deliveries scheduled for late 2026 or early 2027. Larger-scale production is due to begin after 2028.
Tags
Urban Transport, Electric Vehicles, Quadricycle, Tilting-Vehicle, car
While Paul is loath to reveal his age, he will admit to cutting his IT teeth on a TRS-80 (although he won’t say which version). An obsessive fascination with computer technology blossomed into a career before he relocated to France for 10 years, where he began working for New Atlas in 2009. Now back in his native Blighty, he serves as Managing Editor in Europe.
