A joint venture between Renault Group and Jiangling Motors is set to bear fruit with the new Mobilize Limo.
The all-electric limo, designed specifically for taxis, private hire, and fleet usage, will be revealed at IAA Munich next week.
You won’t be able to buy the Mobilize Limo, either. Instead, the new motor is offered with a flexible-rate subscription.
“The first Mobilize model, Limo, is the new brand’s response to the evolution of the ride-hailing market,” says Clotilde Delbos, the company’s CEO. “This offer, which combines a vehicle and flexible services, fully illustrates Mobilize’s ability to the changing needs of vehicle users.”
The Limo is 4.67m long, 1.83m wide, and 1.47m high, making it similar in size to the BMW 3 Series and Audi A4. The Limo’s dashboard comes with a 10.3-inch touchscreen instead of an instrument panel and a 12.3-inch touchscreen instead of a traditional centre console.
Mobilize says that the new Limo has a range of “more than 280 miles” which is enough for “one or even two full days of work without recharging.”
The Limo offers drivers “the most ergonomically and acoustically comfortable seat possible,” with eight electric seat settings and a steering column that can be adjusted for both height and depth – like most modern cars.
Unlike most modern cars, however, the Limo will come with a refrigerated storage compartment between the two front seats, while a “Winter Pack” will offer a heated steering wheel and seats in some markets.
With a 2.75-mile long wheelbase, the Limo offers a good amount of room for rear passengers, who can also plug their phones into two USB ports, as well as adjustable air vents and reading lights.
The Limo is powered by a 110 kW electric motor that can coax the car to 60 mph in 9.6 seconds. Top speed is a leisurely 87 mph.
But, of course, the Limo was designed as a taxi first and foremost, so it has a relatively small 11.2-metre turning circle. It also has an unusual featured called “Vehicle Sound for Pedestrians” – a system that warns pedestrians and other vehicles of the car’s presence and is always active at speeds under 19mph. Quite what that entails, we’ll have to wait and see.
We’ll also have to wait until IAA to find out the Limo’s price – though it’ll be Summer 2022 before we see any on the roads at all.
