“Hasbi” Project – a Small City Car with Off-Road Capabilities
For several decades, there has been an increased number of SUV models on the passenger car market to the point that they now represent the dominant group on the global market, regardless of the type of drive. The reasons for this trend have long been known and analysed - what and how big an influence each individual reason has had on the choice of a new car depends on the interests and ideas of the buyers demself.
In 2021 we came up with the idea of transferring the SUV trend to the lower class of cars. The explanation of this idea is: to enable people to satisfy their desire for SUVs with minimal consumption of materials and energy in production and at an affordable price. Here's how we defined this idea:
To create the concept of a small car that is suitable for city traffic and whose design will also be suitable for off-road use.
At the time, the Microlino from Switzerland was a very trendy topic in the specialist and popular media and so we started thinking about how we could transform the Microlino, a small car in the L7e class, into a real off-road vehicle. We have defined the solution to the technical problems caused by the weight limit as follows:
~ Take the original Microlino body with complete equipment, but without drive and axles.
~ Place the original body on a robust off-road chassis of appropriate dimensions and from
above will be protected with a metal cage, the additional function of which is to serve as a
roof rack.
~ Attach two large removable suitcases to the sides of the car, increasing luggage capacity.
This is how the Microlino Off-Road was born.
This is how the Microlino Off-Road was born.
https://www.behance.net/gallery/129629307/Microlino-off-road-modification
In July 2021 our work was published in “Auto, Motor und Sport”.
https://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/elektroauto/microlino-offroad-konzept-gelaendewagen-2021/
From that moment on, new off-road-style small cars began appearing all over the world - it seemed as if the Microlino had started a chain reaction!
~ In December 2021, Citroen created a small series car called “Citroen Ami Buggy”, based on
its production model Ami. After the finished presentation, the entire series was sold – within
just 15 minutes!
~ In February 2023, the Chinese-American group SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile created a new
off-road-style model "Baojun Yep", based on its already very successful serial model Wuling
Mini EV. This model has a completely closed body.
~ In May 2023, Wuling introduced a small pickup truck "Baojun Yep Pickup". The basis was
the previous model.
~ In July 2023, VinFast presented a small off-road vehicle called “VinFast VF3”.
~ In August 2023, the students of the Opel School created the "Opel Rocks e-Xtreme
design study". The basis was the serial model Opel Rocks.
~ In November 2023, FIAT launched the "Topolino Dolcevita" model - it is an open version of
the Topolino model, similar to the famous Jolly model of the past.
~ In 2023, we worked on developing the concept of a small car whose design and drive can
enable real off-road use. The working name of our project is “Hasbi”.
The following premises are driving the concept of our small SUV:
~ Large wheels;
~ Axles with independent suspension and large spring travel;
~ 4x2 or 4x4 drive with wheel hub motors;
~ A larger capacity battery that allows for longer rides;
~ Robust chassis frame;
~ Rollover protection integrated into the body structure;
~ Two body styles: a closed body and a soft top convertible ;
~ Typical off-road box-design, not only because of the visual effects, but also because of the
good utilization of space;
~ Transport capacity: 2 or 2+2 seats, with the rear seats only able to accommodate children;
~ The car belongs to ECE class M1 and should meet all current regulations.
We have equipped our small SUV with several original functional details:
~ A large display at the front of the vehicle to communicate with the pedestrians;
~ A large display on the back of the vehicle for communication with vehicles behind;
~ The rear door glass is frameless and can be lowered electrically, allowing for quick access, and
the body to be converted from closed to open;
~ Considering the purpose of the vehicle, city traffic and terrain, vehicle performance, speed and
acceleration, will be limited to save energy;
~ Roof rack with integrated spoiler to reduce air resistance;
~ Glass in the lower part of the side door;
~ Removable suitcase built into the rear door.
When implementing the concept, we paid particular attention to reducing production costs e.g.:
~ The chassis consists of several repeating elements;
~ Front and rear axles are identical;
~ The lattices construction of the upper part of the body in the open variant consists of
pressed parts that are integrated into the main body parts.
~ Front and rear axles are identical;
~ The lattices construction of the upper part of the body in the open variant consists of
pressed parts that are integrated into the main body parts.
Basic geometric characteristics of the final design:
~ Vehicle dimensions: 3100 x 1680 x 1650 mm; (The length is without spare wheel.)
~ Wheel base: 2090 mm;
~ Ground clearance: 250 mm;
~ Front and rear approach angle: 45° - 45°.
Styling characteristics:
The styling is based on classic off-road vehicles - not an SUV! - whose exterior and interior are dominated by simple square shapes with straight lines and flat surfaces. The aesthetics of our vehicle is based on proportions, the impression of which is enhanced with a minimal number of details. Not a single detail is just a decoration, each of them has its own function. In this way, a styling was obtained that exudes simplicity and balance, with the character of robustness. The small body combined with relatively large wheels gives our vehicle the irresistible charm of a big toy, so that the vehicle evokes positive emotions in the onlookers! The strong emotional characteristic of our design will be an important marketing factor for the placement of this car.
Visually speaking, Hasbi is a classic off-road car, but its technology is modern. In addition to modern drive technology, Hasbi has several avant-garde functional details: LED lights, a large front and rear display for communication with the environment, wheel design, glass surfaces on the doors, rear doors with electrically operated glass, rollover protection integrated into the body structure, etc.
In accordance with the size and price of our car, the goal of its design is intelligent simplicity and quality, without the slightest sign of pretentiousness towards false luxury and sport. Simply put, Hasbi is what you see at first glance, no less and no more!
Message:
We hope that this concept and design will attract the attention of the audience and one of the major manufacturers. The trend towards small SUVs or crossover vehicles is currently in full swing!
We thank all visitors to our conceptual experiment for their attention!
Dejan and Vladimir
