Seat IBE (2010) at Geneva motor show

By Tim Pollard

First Official Pictures

02 March 2010 08:43

Seat's new IBE concept car provided the thrills on the Spanish firm's stand at the 2010 Geneva motor show. Although more about the tech than the design, the IBE does drop a few clues to the next Leon family.

It's based on the running gear of the new Leon and packs a 75kW electric engine capable of daily use around town thanks to lithium ion batteries with 18kWh capacity. The IBE is a classic 2+2 shooting brake design and is teeny tiny; at 3780mm long, it's 10 inches shorter than an Ibiza supermini.

Seat IBE concept car: the electrical gubbins
 
The IBE packs an electric motor under bonnet driving the front wheels and fed by rear-mounted batteries. The 0-62mph dash takes 9.4sec, thanks to a 1000kg kerbweight designed by Seat dieticians working in collaboration with academics around Spain.

James Muir, president of Seat, said: ‘With the IBE we are demonstrating that, for Seat, electric mobility will always be combined with excellent design and outstanding driving fun. The IBE is in the best Seat tradition of always offering the boldest and most youthful cars in its class. On top of that, our first electric concept car represents the continuation of our strategy for the future.

‘Along with the huge success of the highly efficient Ecomotive models, we are now working intensively on electric mobility; and that includes plug-in hybrid drive, as well as an all-electric vehicle.’

By Tim Pollard