[tranlated with google translate]
By
Fernando Ríos | October 21, 2021 |
Mechanical Monstrosity |
13 Comments
Silence
is a Spanish electric vehicle brand that was recently acquired by Acciona, a company specializing in infrastructure management and renewable energy. Until now, Silence only sold electric motorcycles—the S01 and S02—but
has now unveiled its first car, the S04 .
The S04 is a two-seater vehicle designed primarily for city driving, although a version is
also available that is legally permitted on highways . In terms of size—it measures only 2.23 meters in length—and its overall design, its main competitors are the
Citroën Ami , the eAixam, and the XEV Yoyo.
There are two versions that differ from each other in the maximum power of the motor (electric in both cases), in battery capacity and
in their classification from a legislative point of view :
- L7e: This version has a 19-horsepower motor, two battery packs with a combined capacity of 11.2 kWh, and a range of up to 149 kilometers according to the WMTC (World Motorcycle Test Cycle, a homologation cycle for motorcycles that is not comparable to WLTP). It can reach speeds of up to 90 km/h and legally requires a category B driving license .
- L6e: For this version, Silence has installed a lower-power motor—8.2 hp—and a single 5.6 kWh battery. Its top speed is 45 km/h and it meets the requirements to be classified as a light quadricycle. To drive it, you need an AM license , the same as for 50cc mopeds (which can be obtained from the age of 15).
The battery in both models is located under the seats,
can be removed from the vehicle, and transported like a trolley suitcase (it has a folding handle for this purpose). It takes about six hours to fully charge using a Schuko socket (in the case of the L7e version, which has two models, each takes six hours).
When purchasing the vehicle, Silence offers the option of
buying the battery as well or leasing it for a monthly fee of just over €20. This second option reduces the vehicle's purchase price by approximately 40%, and also
provides access to a series of battery swap stations that Silence will be implementing in the near future (the first of which, already operational, is in Barcelona).
At these battery swap stations, the customer simply removes the discharged battery (or batteries), deposits it at a designated point, and
picks up a fully charged one to install in their car . According to Silence, the process is very simple and takes about the same amount of time as refueling a combustion engine vehicle.
Both versions of the S04 come standard with features such as power windows, central locking, a multifunction steering wheel, a sound system with Bluetooth connectivity, and windshield wipers with five speed settings.
Air conditioning and ABS brakes are available as options .
S04 owners have access to a mobile application from which
it is possible to consult vehicle data (general status, range, battery charge level or where it is parked) and
perform actions remotely (open or close the car, activate or deactivate the ventilation system, raise or lower the windows or sound the alarm).
Silence hasn't given a specific figure for the S04's trunk volume, but it does say it has enough space to carry several shopping bags, some luggage, or light sports equipment.
