The Silence S04 quadricycle promises to be one of the most affordable road-legal battery-electric vehicles in South Africa. But it is smaller than a Smart ForTwo, so is it even a car? Justus Visagie interviewed Robbie Schmidt, who drove the model in Spain.
There was much hope that GWM’s Ora Cat would bring affordable electric motoring to South Africa. These hopes were dashed when the Chinese brand announced that prices of the Golf-sized hatchback would range from R716 900 to R915 900. But don’t crucify GWM for those price tags; blame our fragile currency and a South African government that burdens electric vehicles (EVs) with additional tax.
Before getting to the Silence S04 itself, you might want to know more about the manufacturer. Silence is a Spanish automotive company based in Barcelona, where it builds its S01 and S02 scooters for various markets, including Britain and South Africa.
A notable feature of the S01 (which is about the same size as a 125 cm3 Japanese scooter) is its removable battery, which weighs a hefty 41 kg, but it has 2 wheels and a telescopic handle. This means you can wheel it around like a small (heavy) suitcase to charge it separately – if you need to.
Why should you care? Because two of these 5.6 kWh batteries power the S04’s motor and they can be swapped out in about 2 minutes. And, if all goes to plan, the Spanish quadricycle should reach South Africa at the end of November 2023.
What is a Silence S04?
Because of its small size, the S04 is classed in the same category as the Bajaj Qute, Eleksa CityBug, and Citroën Ami. It is tiny – just 2.28m long, 1.29m wide and 1.59m high. It is tiny, even when compared to the Smart ForTwo (2.7m x 1.66m x 1.56m) and is positively dwarfed by a Fiat 500 (3.57m x 1.63m x 1.49m).
With both removable batteries slotted in, the S04 weighs 517 kg, compared to the 875 kg mass of a Suzuki Swift 1.2 GL manual, for example.
A 14 kW (22 kW peak) electric motor drives the rear wheels, compared to 4 kW and 9 kWh for the Eleksa CityBug. Silence quotes an optimal range of 149 km, based on the World Motorcycle Test Cycle (WMTC).
It has three drive modes: City, Economy, and Sport. In Sport mode, the claimed range is 90 km.
There are two versions of the S04: the L7e, with its speed limited to 90 kph, and the L6e, limited to 45 km/h. The L7e is classified as a heavy quadricycle and the latter as a light quadricycle.
These 2 versions have different road usage limitations and license requirements in Europe. No doubt the L7e, with its higher top speed, will be more appealing to South Africans than the L6e.
The local agents say it may be possible for licensed 16-year-olds to drive the S04, which could be good news for wealthy parents who are sick of the school run.
Safety, interior, and build quality
Since it is a quadricycle with the main purpose of low-speed city driving, it does not have to meet the safety requirements of regular cars. It does have disc brakes all round and ABS is an optional extra.
“For the needs it aims to fulfil, the pre-production S04 I drove was well-designed and built,” says Robbie.
The passenger seat is set back to the maximum and cannot move forward. This is to maximise space due to the narrow width of the vehicle. The passenger sits diagonally from the driver, instead of next to them (the Citroen Ami uses the same configuration). The dashboard and doors had quite luxurious suede-like material with stitching and the 274-litre load bay should accommodate about 2 “carry-on” suitcases.
“There was no audio equipment or Bluetooth (Silence will include the features in the production version) and, although the S04 does not have an infotainment screen for Google Maps and other apps, it does include a well-integrated holder for a smartphone or tablet. The car also had built-in charging cables with various connectors, USB ports, electric windows and -side mirrors (there is no centre mirror) and aircon.”
The easy-to-use Silence smartphone app allows drivers to see the state of charge and control certain functions, such as locking and unlocking, pre-heating, and opening and closing the windows. Using the app, the registered driver can even allow someone else to drive the S04 – without the key.
Driving the Silence S04
“Bear in mind that the S04 I drove was not a production model, but a prototype,” adds Robbie. “I drove it as far as 10 kilometres along the streets of Barcelona, which is its intended type of habitat.
“Silence claims the S04 can sprint from 0 to 50 kph in less than 7 sec… and it felt that fast. Performance is more than sufficient, especially in Sport mode. It is lots of fun to drive and quite a head-turner.
“The car’s small size makes it super easy to find suitable on-street parking. Unlike the prototype, the production car will have power steering (tyre size is a modest 155/65 R14).
“Outward visibility is good, but drivers must familiarise themselves with the S04’s compact dimensions when manoeuvring. You can almost touch all four corners of the car by extending your arms. The seats are comfortable, and since you will not be doing 6-hour road trips, they are more than acceptable.
“Don’t expect car-like sound insulation, though. Road noise is noticeable and so is the sound of the electric motor. But again, given the S04’s intended purpose, that’s okay.
“I was told the production version will have better brakes and an improved suspension. That would be a welcome development, because the suspension felt quite stiff,” he concludes.
About those batteries…
The Silence S04 certainly won’t be the first electric quadricycle to come to Mzansi, but its batteries make a compelling proposition, especially for commercial applications. Since the batteries are sold separately, or will be available on lease from Silence South Africa, a commercial enterprise can set up its own battery swap station. This is ideal where range requirements exceed the distance the car can drive on a charge.
To charge a battery – whether it’s slotted into the S04 or not – simply plug the supplied cable into a standard 220V domestic plug point.
The 600W charger built into each battery can charge it from empty (“flat”) to 100% charged in about 4.5 hours. Faster charging is not currently possible, however.
Swapping batteries should be easy. As you remove the battery from the S04, 2 small wheels pivot out from under its casing. Note that the battery is not as easy to drag or push as cabin baggage… It weighs about 40 kg and you have to be mindful of the way the battery block is balanced when moving it around.
Perhaps the best feature of a Silence battery is that it is a large-capacity power bank too. Owners can use it to power or charge electronic devices during load-shedding or when camping, for example.
In other words, you could charge your smartphone and laptop, keep the WiFi router and a few lights going, and still have enough power to get to work the next day. If you use it to run a hairdryer, microwave or any other power-intensive appliance or device, well, you’ll have to hail a ride to your next destination…
Using the battery as a power source does, however, require the use of an inverter that Silence sells separately (the local price of which has yet to be confirmed).
How much will it cost?
Silence South Africa has indicated a target price of R448 000 for the Silence S04. Barend Engelbrecht, a director at the company, says numerous factors will influence the purchase price. “We have not yet received any firm dates from Spain for the availability of these units nor any final costs, he adds.
For that price, the two required batteries will be included. Additional batteries cost R79 350 each. Silence is planning battery leasing for 2024 onward. A customer who opts to buy the S04 without the batteries (in other words, chooses to lease them instead) will pay 30% less for the car itself.
Service intervals and the servicing cost are still unknown – but the latter is likely to be very affordable.
Summary
With its easy battery swapping and attractive design, the all-electric S04 is an intriguing proposition. It is a vehicle that SA businesses and individuals should consider for deliveries, security patrols, running errands, or the daily commute. But, considering its 90-kph top speed, that precludes highway driving.
To be competitive, Silence will have to keep the price of the S04 low, to compete with possible entrants like the Wuling mini EV (under USD 5 000 in China), and BYD Seagull (USD 11 400). Bear in mind that those are domestic Chinese prices; the landed prices in South Africa would be considerably higher.
We will test the S04 in South Africa in due course. In the meantime, you can visit Silence SA’s website.
