LOS ANGELES, California – I happened to stumble upon a curious sight at the recent L.A. auto show – a car so small, it was unloaded by forklift truck. What I could see of its rotund backside is that it sported X-shaped taillights, looking disconcertingly like the eyes of deceased cartoon characters.
Curious, I decided to investigate – was it a design school exercise? Another odd little Japanese electric concept?
Neither. The Doking XD prototype, strangely enough, is the product of a Croatian company that, for 20 years, has designed and built heavy machinery and robotic equipment for both the mining and firefighting industries. Tiny, at only 2.85 metres long, the XD boasts luxury, compact city driving and unbelievable acceleration in one miniscule package.
The XD is the brainchild of Doking CEO Vjekoslave Majetic, fulfilling a childhood dream of a luxurious city car that can do double-duty on the race track.
Huh? How does what looks like the mutant run offspring of a smart fortwo qualify as anything resembling a race car? Well, it's available in two models; one, your average modest city car, the other a potent sleeper.
Thanks to four 45-kW electric motors, one at each wheel, the all-electric XD4 can blast from 0-100 km/h in 4.2 seconds and boasts a 220-km range. With all four motors engaged, output is 220 hp and a staggering 532 lb-ft of torque. The XD4 can function as a front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive, or AWD car depending on the driver's whim.
The more modest XD2 has a slight range advantage at 250 km and weighs 1,200 kg. It has a maximum speed of 140 km/h and reaches 100 from 0 in 7.5 seconds.
Power is stored in a 33-kWh lithium-ion phosphate battery system that's produced in-house. Sandwiched between the floor, the 320-kg battery pack adds stability to the overall handling.
The tiny XD boasts an odd but riveting design. First, the scissor doors open skyward, Lamborghini-style. Its unique layout features the driver in the centre and, quite surprisingly, accommodates two passengers in the back. Not only does this enhance the XD's image as a sporty race machine, according to Majetic, the middle seat is the safest place for the driver to be.
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| Photo: Lesley Wimbush/Auto123.com |
Curious, I decided to investigate – was it a design school exercise? Another odd little Japanese electric concept?
Neither. The Doking XD prototype, strangely enough, is the product of a Croatian company that, for 20 years, has designed and built heavy machinery and robotic equipment for both the mining and firefighting industries. Tiny, at only 2.85 metres long, the XD boasts luxury, compact city driving and unbelievable acceleration in one miniscule package.
The XD is the brainchild of Doking CEO Vjekoslave Majetic, fulfilling a childhood dream of a luxurious city car that can do double-duty on the race track.
Huh? How does what looks like the mutant run offspring of a smart fortwo qualify as anything resembling a race car? Well, it's available in two models; one, your average modest city car, the other a potent sleeper.
Thanks to four 45-kW electric motors, one at each wheel, the all-electric XD4 can blast from 0-100 km/h in 4.2 seconds and boasts a 220-km range. With all four motors engaged, output is 220 hp and a staggering 532 lb-ft of torque. The XD4 can function as a front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive, or AWD car depending on the driver's whim.
The more modest XD2 has a slight range advantage at 250 km and weighs 1,200 kg. It has a maximum speed of 140 km/h and reaches 100 from 0 in 7.5 seconds.
Power is stored in a 33-kWh lithium-ion phosphate battery system that's produced in-house. Sandwiched between the floor, the 320-kg battery pack adds stability to the overall handling.
The tiny XD boasts an odd but riveting design. First, the scissor doors open skyward, Lamborghini-style. Its unique layout features the driver in the centre and, quite surprisingly, accommodates two passengers in the back. Not only does this enhance the XD's image as a sporty race machine, according to Majetic, the middle seat is the safest place for the driver to be.
 |
| Photo: Lesley Wimbush/Auto123.com |