The Opel Rocks-e Kargo Can Go Where Delivery Vans Can't

The Opel Rocks-e is a cute two-seater EV based on the Citroen Ami, and it's made to quietly zip around Europe's tight city streets. Now, businesses can ferry their products through those urban alleyways with the Rocks-e Kargo, which ditches the passenger seat in favor of a versatile cargo compartment.

The Rocks-e Kargo can reach places that your average delivery van can only dream of, with an turning circle of just over 7 meters, or about 23 feet. This tiny EV measures only 7 feet long and 4 feet wide, so minuscule parking spots are no problem. However, the Rock-e Kargo's range is practically as small as the vehicle itself, as it will only travel 4 miles on a single charge.

Inside of this electric quadricycle, the passenger seat has been replaced by a flexible cargo area. This compartment can be reached from the passenger door, or straight from the driver's area. For easy access from the driver's seat, a flat compartment cover opens toward the passenger-side window, and also acts as a horizontal work space when closed. This makeshift desk holds nearly 90 pounds, so it can handle laptops and other fairly large objects. When more space is needed, the cover can be completely removed and placed behind the driver's seat, making more room for taller objects. In order to fit multiple different items at once, the adjustable cargo floor can be risen to seat height to create two separate compartments. There is also a smaller compartment closer to the driver that can store items such as pens, sticky notes, or a wallet. In all, the Rocks-e Kargo is capable of holding 308 pounds of cargo with about 14 cubic feet of cargo space.

Opel says the driver enjoys the same amount of space as they would the standard two-seater Rocks-e, despite the added cargo compartment. There is also a panoramic glass roof above the driver, which is rare in any type of cargo vehicle.

The Rocks-e Kargo boasts the same performance as the passenger version, with 6 kW of continuous power, and 9 kW of maximum power. These outputs translate to 8 horsepower and 12 horsepower. The compact 5.5 kW battery takes four hours to charge when paired with an AC home charger, which may be a problem considering that it has just 4 miles of range. A 9-foot long charging cable is found in the passenger door, and can be used at any time. For public charging stations, a charging adapter is also stored inside the EV.

The Opel Rocks-e Kargo isn't bound for the US, though it will be available in its home country, Germany, as well as in the Netherlands, by the end of the year. It will be available in other parts of Europe soon after.

Opel Rocks-e or Citroen Ami?

Images: Opel