City Transformer’s CT-1 is getting ready to take on other small urban EVs with its unique advantage.
- City Transformer’s CT-1 EV can alter its track width, making it easy to park when needed, or to use as a car in traffic.
- The EV, which has received recognition at the 2023 German Design Awards, is headed into production starting in 2024.
- The EV offers a range of 111 miles and a top speed of 55 mph, but its planned price is quite modest compared to other EVs on the market today.
We’ve seen plenty of concept cars that can change their overall length, most recently with the Audi skysphere concept, in addition to other one-offs dating back years. But we haven’t really seen a car that can change its width to its practical advantage.
That’s the idea behind the CT-1, created by Israeli EV startup City Transformer, that’s headed into production at the end of 2024.
The CT-1 is first and foremost a small EV, one that combines the ease of finding space for a motorcycle with at least some of the comfort and safety of a traditional car. The EV can alter its track width from 1 meter (3.2 feet) to 1.4 meters (4.5 feet). The difference may not sound like much on paper, but it could be the difference between being easily able to use a parking spot meant for a motorcycle, or looking for a car-sized spot. An added bonus: At higher speeds, the wider track will make for better stability and handling.
But the CT-1 boasts other efficiencies, with the company claiming the model to be 75% smaller in footprint compared to an average EV, while also saving weight due to a much smaller battery.
Small cars are popular in dense European environments because they are easier to park in centuries old cities where cars and motorcycles can often improvise their own spots. Parking isn’t much better in US cities, where parking can seldom be improvised.
There are no plans to sell the CT-1 in the US, but just how likely are you to see it on your next trip to Europe?
Earlier this year the German Design Council awarded the CT-1 the Gold prize in the 2022 German Innovation Awards, with the model slated for production in the fourth quarter of 2024 and pre-orders now offered for €13,000.
“We are thrilled to receive this honor from the German Design Council,” said Asaf Formoza, co-founder and CEO of City Transformer.
For EV shoppers in Europe, this expected price will perhaps make the CT-1 competitive with used EVs more than with motorcycles or scooters, given its planned range of 111 miles and a 55-mph top speed.
But the CT-1 also fills the niche of small, urban EVs that aren’t quite cars—approximately the same niche that the Smart ForTwo tried to occupy but was ultimately dragged down by high pricing. A high price will certainly not be one of the CT-1’s characteristics, with the first examples now open for pre-orders in Europe.
Jay Ramey Jay Ramey grew up around very strange European cars, and instead of seeking out something reliable and comfortable for his own personal use he has been drawn to the more adventurous side of the dependability spectrum.
Keyword: An EV That Changes Track Width Is Headed into Production