Slovakia-based Patak Motors wants to bring electromobility to the masses with its retro-inspired two-seater electric microcar called the Rodster (not a typo).
Designed to be homologated as an L7e-A2 vehicle in Europe, meaning it can be driven by 16-year-olds in some countries on the Old Continent, the open top pays homage to roadsters from the 1930s that ran on skinny spoked-rim wheels and weighed next to nothing.
As such, the Rodster rides on motorbike-like wheels itself and measures just 132.2 inches (3,360 millimeters) long, 54.9 in (1,395 mm) wide, and 53.4 in (1,360 mm) tall, all while tipping the scales at 992 pounds (450 kilograms) without the battery.
The so-called Stage 1 electric version comes with a single rear-mounted permanent-magnet synchronous motor that develops 20 horsepower (15 kW), enabling a 0 to 31 miles per hour (0 to 50 kilometers per hour) sprint in 7 seconds and a top speed of 80 mph (130 kph). The battery has a capacity of 10 kilowatt-hours and can offer enough juice for 62 miles (100 km) on a full charge, according to the startup’s website.
The Stage 2 version ups the battery capacity to 20 kWh, which in turn more than doubles the driving range to 155 miles (250 km), while all the other specs remain unchanged. Charging the battery takes between four and nine hours from a regular 220-volt household outlet.
Gallery: Patak Rodster
There’s also an internal combustion version in the works, powered by a single-cylinder four-stroke water-cooled engine that puts out 20 hp, pushing the topless microcar to a top speed of 77 mph (125 kph).
The gas-burning engine version is the cheapest, starting from roughly $17,800 (€16,900), while the base electric variant goes from $24,000 (€22,900), and the long-range EV starts from $26,800 (€25,400).
Standard equipment includes four-wheel disc brakes, a wood decor dashboard, a three-spoke steering wheel, faux leather upholstery for the interior, a multifunction touchscreen display, central locking, a tire repair kit, a rain protection cover, and a 200-liter trunk on the electric version.
Heating, fast charging, speakers, parking sensors, and an analog speedometer are available as optional extras, but the pricing for these niceties hasn’t been set yet because the Patak Rodster hasn’t actually reached the manufacturing stage.
With this being said, Patak partnered with Czech-based Evektor, which makes airplanes among other things, to handle the production of the Rodster, which is scheduled to begin in August 2024, while deliveries are slated for November 2025.
The pint-sized urban runabout is the brainchild of three men, and the first ICE prototype came about in August 2021. The vehicle appeared on the startup’s website in December of the same year, followed by the first electric tests in June 2022.
