Or perhaps GM is serious about the EN-V* concept it unveiled this week. Developed for the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai by GM and its partner, Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp. Group (SAIC), the EN-V is said to address “the need for personal mobility through a radical change in personal urban transportation”.

The EN-V is powered by an electric motor driving its two drive wheels and can carry two passengers and small amount of cargo. Range is said to be about 40km and integrated GPS technology allows the vehicle to be driven manually or “autonomously”. Sensors on the vehicle permit it to avoid obstacles and collisions with other vehicles.

At just under five feet long, it is about one-third the size of traditional cars and weighs about 1000 pounds. GM says that given its size and manueverability, a typical parking lot could accommodate five times more EN-Vs than traditional cars. The EN-V is supposed to solve transportation problems in crowded urban environments now and into the future, addressing issues such as congestion, air quality, parking and affordability.

At least it beats walking. Or does it?

--M.D.

* Not to be confused with Chrysler’s defunct electric program ENVI.