Rinspeed's "backpack on wheels," the Dock+Go concept, will debut in Geneva.
Leave it to Frank Rinderknecht and his team of over-the-edge designers at Switzerland’s Rinspeed. They’ve come up with a two-piece concept vehicle that they liken to a “backpack on wheels.”
Whenever a release from Rinspeed crosses the digital transom you can expect something unusual. The design house has come up with submersible cars, cars that slip into specially designed trains and all manner of other off-the-wall transportation concepts. The latest fits that reputation.
But, surprisingly, the Dock+Go isn’t entirely original. Chrysler offered up its own version of a two-part show car two decades ago, one that functioned like a minivan with the stowable rear unit attached. But throw a few levers and it released a small minicar up front.
With the Rinspeed Dock+Go, the main part of the concept is a battery-powered city car that should seem familiar – a Smart fortwo. A variety of “backpacks,” riding a single axle, can be paired up, depending on personal needs.
These, the Rinspeed release explains, can “turn the electric-powered mini car into the dream car of any pizza delivery driver – complete with an integrated heated box. For craftsmen there is a toolbox pack with well-organized spaces for every tool. And after the day’s work is done the shared or owned camping, golf, skiing, beach or party pack is docked to the rear of the mini-mobile.”
The rear pack could also give added functionality to a battery car like the Smart ED, or electric drive, with a range extender mounted in the back pack, or perhaps extra batteries or a fuel cell to boost range. The third axle could also provide additional regenerative capacity for a battery car.
In typical fashion, the latest Rinspeed concept, the Dock+Go, will make its official debut at the Geneva Motor Show next spring.