New Canadian-designed EV Announced… With a Toy Car?
You probably have never heard of AK Motor International Corporation, and why would you? Despite the name, it’s a small company founded in February 2012 by Arkadiusz Kamiński, a Polish entrepreneur who now lives in Canada.
After unsuccessfully trying to launch a new version of the FSO Syrena, a small car manufactured in Poland, AK Motor is back with another project. It’s called Maple Majestic.
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"Maple Majestic is intended to be Canada's flagship brand of automobiles on the world stage. It will be a world-class automobile or it will not be,” Kamiński said this week.
But instead of showing a prototype, a concept, virtual renderings or even sketches, AK Motor had this weird idea to announce the Maple Majestic in a video featuring a scale model—a toy car if you prefer. Watch:
Ok, so the car is not even real yet, but it looks like it will take a lot to make it a reality. AK Motor is calling on manufacturers and suppliers as it does not intend to build the car itself nor does it want to bother with batteries, electric motors and other key driveline components.
The idea is to create an EV that’s fun to drive especially in cold weather conditions, which is what prevents the technology from going mainstream at the moment, the company argues. There is no mention about range, though.
As you can see, the Maple Majestic wouldn’t be an SUV or crossover, but rather a sporty car projected to stand 4.7 metres long, 2 metres wide and 1.4 metres tall with a long wheelbase of 3.1 metres. Despite the large 21-inch wheels, ground clearance would be just 14 centimetres (5.5 inches). However, an adjustable suspension would allow drivers to increase the ride height up to 29 centimetres (11.4 inches) for tackling deep snow.
AK Motor claims an actual concept is coming. It has also considered provisions for a hybrid version of the Maple Majestic. The space ahead of the rear axle can potentially house a small combustion engine.
"Canadians have accepted that electric cars are the future. Maple Majestic is an opportunity for Canada to not just embrace the technology but to also play an active role in bringing electric vehicles to the world market. It's an opportunity for Canada to contribute rather than just consume,” Kamiński added.
Is any of this serious? We’ll let you draw your own conclusions…
