Unveiling the Ibe all-electric sports coupe at the Paris Auto Show took little-known manufacturer Seat from obscure to red-hot with one sweep of the drop-cloth. Until now, the Spanish car maker has largely been known for nondescript VW-based hatchbacks. But the candy-apple coupe should ensure that the public not only remembers the Seat name… but pronounces it correctly (it's SAY-at).
Low-slung, with bulging, muscular wheel arches, the wide four-seater coupe looks aggressive and ready to pounce.
Inside, the cockpit is a veritable tech-fest, with the focus on connectivity. A smart phone docking cradle allows the driver to execute functions previously controlled by traditional buttons and switches, as well as monitor system diagnostics.
Under the flat v-shaped hood lies the electric drive motor, with a lithium-ion battery located under the floor of its pert little rear. LED headlights flank a distinctive fascia with two air intakes.
Although 102 horsepower and 148-lb.-ft. torque sounds rather underwhelming, the featherweight IBE Concept is all about power to weight ratio.
The IBE is only 13 feet long with a curb weight of 2,424 lbs. It's no Tesla 2.5 Roadster, but still - the Seat IBE purportedly scoots from 0-50 km/hr in under 3.4 seconds, with a top speed of 160 km/ hr. And of course - it produces zero emissions.
Powered by a lithium-ion battery, the electrically-motivated IBE has a range of 130 km/h. The company claims the IBE is the "super-compact sports coupe for urban mobility in the near future."
Sure looks like a whole lot more fun than trundling around in a Prius.
 |
| Photo: SEAT |
Low-slung, with bulging, muscular wheel arches, the wide four-seater coupe looks aggressive and ready to pounce.
Inside, the cockpit is a veritable tech-fest, with the focus on connectivity. A smart phone docking cradle allows the driver to execute functions previously controlled by traditional buttons and switches, as well as monitor system diagnostics.
Under the flat v-shaped hood lies the electric drive motor, with a lithium-ion battery located under the floor of its pert little rear. LED headlights flank a distinctive fascia with two air intakes.
Although 102 horsepower and 148-lb.-ft. torque sounds rather underwhelming, the featherweight IBE Concept is all about power to weight ratio.
The IBE is only 13 feet long with a curb weight of 2,424 lbs. It's no Tesla 2.5 Roadster, but still - the Seat IBE purportedly scoots from 0-50 km/hr in under 3.4 seconds, with a top speed of 160 km/ hr. And of course - it produces zero emissions.
Powered by a lithium-ion battery, the electrically-motivated IBE has a range of 130 km/h. The company claims the IBE is the "super-compact sports coupe for urban mobility in the near future."
Sure looks like a whole lot more fun than trundling around in a Prius.
 |
| Photo: SEAT |
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