Beyond Africa

Mombasa ( Kenya), June 24, 2014

Auto-mobility can have many facets: While we in this country consider a lack of air conditioning even as stark poverty, it comes in many parts of Africa to the pure locomotion on four wheels. It is in this gap pushes Joel Jackson with his car company based in Kenya Mobius Motors.

Striking appearance

There, the Mobius II is manufactured in small series for quite some time and a lot of manual work. No later than 2020, finally an African all-Volkswagen off the line on a large scale. Quite a few will find the Mobius II abysmally ugly. But beauty was not in first place in the specifications. Instead, it comes to a car without unreliable frills, which is durable enough for the different slopes of the country. At the same time the car must be as inexpensive as possible.

A car for the country

The background is quite serious: Many countries in Africa are large but rather sparsely populated. It so happens that medical care, but also the formation are often too short, because long distances have to be covered. This is where the Mobius II: A solid steel frame makes the vehicle 's rugged enough for most surfaces. In addition, is joined by a rustic suspension with leaf springs in the back, and a ground clearance of 26 centimeters. The load capacity is 625 kilograms. Due to the very angular body slope angle are possible from 41 and 38 degrees.

Cheap technology

The drive of 3.88 meters short Mobius II assumes a 1.6 - liter gasoline engine with 87 hp. Over a five-speed circuit 128 Newton meters of torque are transferred, 120 km / h maximum are possible. What is striking is the specified with only 5.60 meters turning circle. The cockpit is limited to the bare necessities, a large speedometer and two small round instruments inform the driver. Two mounted longitudinally on the bed benches offer a Mitfahrmöglichkeit for a maximum of six people. Optionally, the benches can be folded up. And what does a Mobius II? The manufacturer indicates 950,000 Kenyan shillings, or the equivalent of around 8,000 euros . ( rh )

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