It's not a car at all

The mini-Stromer Opel Rocks-e is parked somewhere between a rolling handbag and a sustainable one City mobile a. On the way to the car, Opel wants to encourage the youngest possible people to get in.

Treads with his electric cube called Rocks-e Opel new ways. In every sense. First of all, so that we can tick that off: No, this fully electric cube does not pay into Opel's fleet consumption account, so it does not reduce it CO2 backpack. There is also none electric Bonus from the state and no airbags. Strictly speaking, the little rocker isn't a car at all. Even Opel says that without false shame. And that's important. Otherwise you get the Lütten in the wrong throat. The Rocks-e is a moped with a roof and four wheels, approved as a light motorcycle. It can therefore be driven from the age of 15 with a class AM driving license. This also means that he receives a small moped insurance license plate (which doesn't look really cool, of course), does not have to go to the MOT, does not pay taxes, but is also not allowed to drive faster than 45 km / h. We will rarely see speed camera photos from the Rocks-e.

So, and we're already on the trail of where the Morocco-built Rocks-e should find its new buddies. As a link between the moped and the car, Opel has its sights set on novice drivers and young people who want to get from A to B in the city as cheaply and as dryly as possible. Opel Head of Marketing Albrecht Schäfer says: “With the Rocks-e we want to introduce young customers to the Opel brand”. So be careful, the schools could soon be even closer to the parking lot.   
The sales concept also fits in with the new youth movement: the baby electric car is mainly to be sold online. With a click to the e-mobile, this is also how Citröen does it in France with the almost identical Ami.

Opel calls its new project "Sustainable urban mobility”, Abbreviated to SUM. That means something like sustainable urban mobility. And yes, you can't be on the move much more sustainably these days than with the SUM. Unless you ride a bike or walk straight away. On the XXS traffic area of ​​3,35 square meters (length 2,41 meters, width 1,39 meters), Opel builds as much as possible that looks like a car. Four wheels, one on every corner, are a good start. There are almost no overhangs, the turning circle is only 7,20 meters. This allows the Rocks-e to be parked where others leave their garbage can. In the front two googly eyes with LED technology, the hint of the new Vizor grill, in between two doors opening in opposite directions, the panes all around as steep as the Eiger north face.

Square, practical, good? The driver's door is hinged at the back, so it opens to the front. In the vernacular, such entrances are called suicide doors, which was what many small cars used to have. There is no crank window, the lower half of the side window simply folds up, like it used to be with the duck. There is no claustrophobia in the Opel-Quadrat. This is ensured by the standard panoramic glass roof and the infinite space in front of the steering wheel. There is also an astonishing amount of space behind the wheel, even for people with a guard. Two of them fit in and sit slightly offset on economically upholstered mini seats that are really only designed for city tours. There is space for shopping in the footwell on the passenger side, the rest disappears in large door pockets or one of the many storage spaces.

We don't want to talk about it: Everything at Rocks-e is designed for absolute minimalism. There is no air conditioning, the loud ventilation heats the interior by a maximum of six degrees, so you can get ice legs in winter. An infotainment system also shines with its absence. Only a small black and white display provides information about the speed and charge status. That was it about entertainment. If you want to listen to music, you can sing yourself or connect your mobile phone to the USB port and click it into the optional holder. With a Bluetooth speaker, the rolling party box is ready.

A lot is very simple in here: the plastic, the operation, the equipment. If you look up, you can see the exposed square iron of the tubular space frame. But nobody seriously expects a life in luxury for 7.995 euros. The variants “Tekno” or “Klub” (plus 800 euros) make the dreary plastic landscape with yellow (Teko) or gray (Klub) color accents a little friendlier. X-design hubcaps, a hands-free system and the smartphone holder are also on board.

How does such a moped with a roof drive now? First to the technical facts: With a modest 5,5 kWh battery, the Rocks-e is supposed to travel 75 kilometers, charging at a household socket takes 3,5 hours (a charging cable is installed in the Rocks-e), the performance of the E -Motor has a sweet 8 hp. But they only have to roll 471 kilograms and stand straight from the start. This is why the micro-mobile does not move like a shifting dune. At the start of the traffic lights, things are actually going very quickly, even with more urge to move than expected. Accompanied by a background noise that is reminiscent of an escalated hair dryer at the highest level in the limit range of 45 km / h.

A suspension is included, but apparently not connected. Let's put it as it is: the lad won't win a flower pot with his comfort. It's crisp and hard, but also lies on the street like the proverbial board. But driving fun is a highly relative term here. So once again to classify: This is not a car. You have to approach the Rocks-e from below, not from above. The concept emerges from the position of a scooter driver. Because then the little one becomes a weatherproof, somewhat safer and affordable alternative on four wheels. Not more but also not less.

Tomas Hirschberger / SP-X

Opel Rocks-e - Technical data:

Two-door light motorhome with electric drive; Length: 2,41 meters, width: 1,39 meters, height: 1,52 meters, weight 471 kilograms, turning circle 7,20 meters, drive with an electric motor, power 6 kW / 8 PS, one-way automatic transmission, battery 5,5, 45 kWh. Vmax: 75 km / h, max.range XNUMX km (WLTP).

Price: from 7.990 euros.

In brief

Why: because doing without can also make you happy

Why not: because you are a traffic obstacle outside of the city

What else: Citroen Ami, bike

When is it coming: Opel Rock-e Tekno can be ordered from December 16.12.2021, 2022 and will be delivered from January 31.3.2022, Rocks-e and Rocks-e Klub will be available from March XNUMX, XNUMX.