Paris 2008: Eco & Mobility present the Simpli-City and Next-re

Away from the glamor cars spinning on their turntables with posing models are a few vehicles that most of the North American press has not had time to investigate. The Simpli-City and Next-ère made by Eco & Mobility are two such vehicles. Both are lightweight electric cars that, together with the Heuliez Friendly we already showed you, are being promoted with the help of recent French presidential candidate Ségolène Royal, who represents the Poitou-Charentes region where they all originate.

The two cars are both made with recyclable materials including hemp fiber and share many components which are mostly sourced close to the area where they were produced. The Simpli-City (on the left) seats three to four people while the Next-ère is built for two. They are said to have a range between 80 and 150 Km (50 to 90 miles) depending on the type of battery used. Top speed is 55 Mph which is as fast as we think anyone in their right mind would want to go in these. The pair are meant to be sold under the brand Electrique Llinarès Véhicule (ELV) and have a target price of €5,000 ($6,834). We are pretty sure we won't be seeing either on our shores any time soon. Bonus video after the jump featuring Mme Royal, the Simpli-City, Next-ère and the Friendly in Paris.

[Source: Région Poitou-Charentes / Eco & Mobility]