UK pricing awaited for the Silence S04 nanocar/quadricycle

A recent social media post from Silence UK – the British subsidiary of Barcelona based electric mobility company known for their electric two-wheelers – indicates that the Britain launch of the Silence S04 ‘nanocar’ is on the cards, though production won’t start until the summer of 2022 reportedly.

Let’s take a quick look at the upcoming quadricycle

Design & Specifications

The S04, which measures 2.33 meters in length and 1.56 meters in width, will be made available in the UK in two variants, appealing to the two license classes. The Silence S04 L6e (which can be operated by UK drivers with a 50cc moped license) will get a 6 kW motor (8 hp) with a top speed of 28 mph (45 kmph) whereas the Silence S04 L7e (a standard car driver’s license is required) sees a 14 kW motor (19 hp) with a top speed of 56 mph (90 kmph) and a range of 92 miles (147 km) as per the WMTC (World Motorcycle Test Cycle) standards.

Source: Youtube/Silence

The highlight of the S04 is its two trolley-style removable battery packs (one under each seat) which allows the user to conveniently remove the battery and charge it from any domestic socket at work or home. Alternatively, the batteries can be left in their position, and the S04 can be connected to a charging socket through a plug located at the front of the vehicle.

The company is also working on a Silence Battery Vehicle Exchange Point (which would cost around 20 EUR/17 GBP per month) which will allow users to easily swap their drained batteries for charged ones. The pilot program for the battery exchange is being conducted in Barcelona. The overall battery capacity is rated at 11.4 kWh for the L7e, split between two packs, with 6 hours being the time quoted for a full refill from a domestic socket. The Silence L6e is reported to feature a 5.6 kWh battery pack.

Features

Silence S04 swappable battery
The Silence S04 features a removable battery that can be wheeled out for charging and also comes into use for the Battery Exchange which is undergoing a pilot test currently in Spain. Image: Silence UK Facebook page.

Main features of the Silence S04 include a multifunction steering wheel, power windows and central locking, a Bluetooth stereo system, a 7-inch TFT monitor, smartphone holder, and heating. ABS and air conditioning are part of optional extras. Using the My Silence App, drivers can use their smartphone as an electric key to access and use the S04, and even activate the air conditioning, turn on the alarm and lower the windows. The app also alerts the user if there is an attempted theft.

Production

The Silence S04 is designed, developed and will be made in Barcelona. It features two seats located in a traditional side-by-side arrangement, unlike the Renault Twizy which features a motorcycle-like layout.

Silence S04 interior
Unlike the Renault Twizy, the Silence S04 features a conventional car-like seating layout for two adults with a trunk located behind. Image: Silence UK Facebook page.

Price & Release Date

Media reports indicate that the Silence S04 could have a starting price of around 7,500 EUR/6,400 GBP which puts it head-on with the Citroen Ami which is expected to start around 6,000 GBP and UK deliveries are on track for summer 2022. The Ami is available for reservations currently and has at least 1,400 orders from the UK. In addition to the passenger variant, Citroen also announced a cargo variant of the Ami, which too will reach Britain in 2022 and is available to reserve presently. The 3D-printed XEV Yoyo which was shown in the production version at the IAA Mobility in September 2021 has a much higher starting price of 13,900 EUR before subsidies.

Silence S04 side
The Silence S04 will see its main rival in the Citroen Ami, which is due to reach UK customers next year and has already garnered over 1,400 orders. Image: Silence UK Facebook page.

Silence in the UK

In May this year, Silence opened its UK headquarters, training centre and first retail store in Solihull in the West Midlands. At the time of opening its UK HQ, Silence was only catering to the electric 2W market, however stated its intentions to roll out more stores in the UK. The Barcelona-based company said that Covid-19 had boosted demand for last-mile delivery services, with sales of electric two-wheelers having witnessed a 300 per cent growth year on year.

The Solihull store of Silence will be one of their several UK flagship outlets with new locations planned in London and Manchester. Additionally, a partnership model will allow businesses to retail Silence products as well. Silence held its annual dealer day event on November 4 in Barcelona where the S04 was showcased to distributors from Spain and Europe.

Images from Silence UK Facebook Page