The Nothing Car

[grogee]

Some of you may be aware of the Nothing Phone:

AFAIK no mad marketing, just quietly doing their own thing and being different. Very much appeals to me. 

Anyway, if they were to make a car, what would be be like? 

Polycarbonate transparent bonnet. No badges. Steel wheels, no trims. Any more? 

(I'm aware this sounds like the Swatch+Merc = Smart tie-up, but why not?) 

[Rust Collector]

I got an advert for their phone, and I actually clicked the link as I was curious - a no fuss phone sounded good and I need a new phone.

I found their website so baffling that I gave up though, as I couldn’t really find out much about the phone bar a load of marketing wankery and confusing terms.

[Bear]

My nothing car is:

A Citroen 2CV style chassis with interconnected suspension and radius arms in the same style, but a wider platform, utilising an airbag in the centre tube to adjust ground clearance and spring rate in conjunction with electronically controlled dampers. The chassis contains a flat battery pack inside the sandwich, and the rear radius arms support individual, small, axial hub motors.

The engine is petrol, with on-demand supercharging - either a flat-twin DOHC or a small single-cylinder rotary with a sandwich motor and and either CVT or five-speed auto transaxle including inboard disc brakes. When in battery charging range extender mode, it doesn't use the supercharger - just sits at the optimum revs for efficiency. When it's needed to power the car, the first mode is to switch the front motor to generator only, and use the rear hub motors to cruise, but the supercharger kicks in and couples the engine for acceleration.

The body is an aluminium spaceframe (or carbon fibre if nothing just refers to the dressings, not the price) which encompasses rear arch inner tubs, rear panel and supports, A-pillars and windscreen with crash structure (I suppose it'll need airbags, meh), there is no structural B-pillar because the front bench seat frame is fixed and forms a side impact structure below the hip point and a loop with side airbag and seatbelt mountings. It can be configured as two wide, two narrow plus storage, or three seat bench, and the pedals and steering wheel move to fit the driver.

Mounting points for rear individual or bench seats are provided, but the seat can be left out and a drop-in tub installed to make a pickup on the same chassis.

Opt for four/five door models and the rear doors are on runners, sliding back. The front doors latch on the sill and cant rail, the rear doors latch on the front seat support structure and 'C-pillar' locations, with keyway positive locks upper and lower on sill and cant rail. This allows the rear door to be opened without opening the front.

Glazing is everything. In family car mode it looks like a slightly modernised Nissan Prairie.

You can swap all external panels for plastic/composite units allowing a long two-door, short two-door, four door side profile. My favourite is long two-door targa pickup that looks rather like a Citroen Mehari or Renault Rodeo. Alternatively the chassis can be used to support a cheap, less flexible aluminium monocoque not unlike an Audi A2, which uses the same A-pillar, bulkhead and engine compartment pressings (and windscreen) for homologation.

Battery density and overall design is chosen to keep weight below 1,200kg while achieving a 400 mile range on fuel and battery - at present that's likely to be 15kWh and a 35 mile EV range, bearing in mind the potential three-motor drain and lack of heat generated by the small engines placing a greater load on electrical services.

Instrumentation is minimal. The radio and audio is just a bluetooth amplifier that automatically pairs with a phone, and there's no screen, just a magsafe mount. Controls are modelled after a Citroen GSA's PRN barrels with a couple of extra features - you can engage a parking mode that uses the outer (right on RHD) PRN module as a rotation control - drive the car in nose first, twist the barrel left or right to use the rear hub motors in 'tank turn' mode to swing the back of the car in.

(The origins of this design - if not the EV/PHEV aspects - are from 1992 when I had two Citroen Dyanes, a lot of carbon fibre tubing, and was trying to turn this photo studio background support into a spaceframe with flat Correx infill panels, super-light Mehari type idea. Rather spoiled when the body of the Dyane had been welded to the centre of the chassis and ripped it in half when trying to remove it...)

[rob88h]

Is the Nothing Car not the 2013 Dacia Sandero “Essential” 🤣

(Photo Credit: Parkers)

[wesacosa]

5 minutes ago, rob88h said:

Is the Nothing Car not the 2013 Dacia Sandero “Essential” 🤣

(Photo Credit: Parkers)

I hired one in Ireland a few years ago, ended up quite liking it.  Like brand new old school car before they got fat and bloated 

[DSdriver]

4 hours ago, grogee said:

 

Anyway, if they were to make a car, what would be be like? 

An Austin  A30 or Austin 7

[bezzabsa]

something akin to a series landrover....If it isn't needed to propel the vehicle - or keep the occupants dry & safe then do away with it....

separate chassis and bolt on panels..

the yanks are doing similar with the Slate EV

[Bradders59]

I think my base model C1 would fit the bill pretty well too, which is one of the reasons I like it. 

Theres very little to go wrong.

[grogee]

24 minutes ago, bezzabsa said:

something akin to a series landrover....If it isn't needed to propel the vehicle - or keep the occupants dry & safe then do away with it....

separate chassis and bolt on panels..

the yanks are doing similar with the Slate EV

That's some clever marketing. Pretending that these are three separate entities:

[grogee]

5 hours ago, Rust Collector said:

I got an advert for their phone, and I actually clicked the link as I was curious - a no fuss phone sounded good and I need a new phone.

I found their website so baffling that I gave up though, as I couldn’t really find out much about the phone bar a load of marketing wankery and confusing terms.

I agree, the website is annoying. 

[eddyramrod]

I would have thought a Dyane or an original Panda fitted the brief pretty well.

[Supernaut]

I feel like my current Megane does this quite well.

It's a mk3 Megane "Expression" which is the absolute base model with 15" steel wheels, lots of black plastic and cloth seats. I just wish it had cruise control.

It still has a 1.5 dci with 110hp and a 6 speed manual, which doesn't make it a rocket ship but it's enough to not get in the way and does stupidly good mpgs.

 

I'm definitely starting to like basic cars. The series one Land Rover we have is fun, and I would rather like a Morris Minor whenever I'm in a position to get one.

[warch]

1 hour ago, Supernaut said:

I'm definitely starting to like basic cars. The series one Land Rover we have is fun, and I would rather like a Morris Minor whenever I'm in a position to get one.

Same (see my fleet profile). Nothing I own is anything other than super basic apart from my Triumph which uses first generation (for bikes) fuel injection instead of carbs. 

2CVs have always appealed, they're just a fantastic design in almost every way and decently executed too (unlike ,say, the Mini).

[Lord Sterling]

There seems to be a (still) small but growing trend in anti-flashy advertising. However, there is still some way to go as there is always someone wanting to be "creative" as with the "Nothing" phone's website being rather baffling to use.

I'm not sure creators are ready to fully embrace simplicity in the way of say if a Dacia Sandero "Essential". 

I like the way its going though. I find adverts for pretty much anything utterly annoying to a point of putting me off.

But, creators gonna create and ads are gonna ad.....or something....

[alcyonecorporation]

muji car 1000

[Kiltox]

Probably that American EV pickup thing that was announced a few months ago 

[D.E]

I really wish this was a better car:

A good idea, but in reality the Nano's tiny engine has so little power that it just can't go quite fast enough for safe motorway useage. Also, everyone I spoke here that have driven one says that they're so shoddily built that it renders them unreliable. Imho the ideal basic car should have simple but robust tech.

[grogee]

7 hours ago, D.E said:

I really wish this was a better car:

A good idea, but in reality the Nano's tiny engine has so little power that it just can't go quite fast enough for safe motorway useage. Also, everyone I spoke here that have driven one says that they're so shoddily built that it renders them unreliable. Imho the ideal basic car should have simple but robust tech.

I agree, it showed such promise but it's been a huge flop for Tata. 

I'd love one, obviously 

[grogee]

7 hours ago, alcyonecorporation said:

muji car 1000

I did not know about this, thanks for sharing 

[alcyonecorporation]

it was what immediately sprung to mind 

i would love one but i don't know what I'd do with it 

[MrBig]

As already mentioned, the Slate EV. Everything a modern car should be (IMO of course). 

Was lucky enough to go and have a poke around one in Seattle last week.

I'm not overly impressed with EV technology becoming an excuse to legitimise 4 tonne behemoths with motors and touchscreens to change the angle the airvents blow at, so this is an absolute breath of fresh air.

 

[MrBiscuits]

13 hours ago, grogee said:

I agree, it showed such promise but it's been a huge flop for Tata. 

I'd love one, obviously 

I think their biggest mistake was heavily promoting it as the cheapest car in the world. That really didn't go down well the home market where car ownership was a serious status symbol and nobody wanted to be seen on the bottom rung.

Anyway, a nothing car - I always felt the original Mini had nothing unnecessary. It was really popular in it's time for people who just wanted 'a car'. Aside from being a rust prone death trap its probably still all the car most people need.

[Metal Guru]

3 hours ago, MrBiscuits said:

I think their biggest mistake was heavily promoting it as the cheapest car in the world. That really didn't go down well the home market where car ownership was a serious status symbol and nobody wanted to be seen on the bottom rung.

Anyway, a nothing car - I always felt the original Mini had nothing unnecessary. It was really popular in it's time for people who just wanted 'a car'. Aside from being a rust prone death trap its probably still all the car most people need.

I’d rather go on the bus. It’s horrible.

[Knotty Ash Towers]

On 31/07/2025 at 07:08, grogee said:

I agree, it showed such promise but it's been a huge flop for Tata. 

I'd love one, obviously 

They were rear engined - an immediate red flag - and had the battery located underneath the rear seats WCPGW?!

[HMC]

presumably something with sliding windows, and as little tech as possible in place simple to satisfy the mandated safety requirements simply wouldnt sell. no screen. no ac mechanical linkages wherever etc. although having a separate  pontoon chassis and readily detachable body sections might make repairs easier and allow people to change things to their taste over time.

For some reason i ended up thinking of the cab in total recall (1990) styling wise

[grogee]

48 minutes ago, Knotty Ash Towers said:

They were rear engined - an immediate red flag - and had the battery located underneath the rear seats WCPGW?!

Normally I'd agree as nobody has made a decent rear engined car yet, but I think it's the 'minimum viable' aspect of the Nano that appeals. I mean, it's better than walking... Isn't it? 

Also it looks a bit like this 

[alcyonecorporation]

The fit and finish on that Slate thing is wonky. I hope it's a prototype. 

[loserone]

33 minutes ago, alcyonecorporation said:

The fit and finish on that Slate thing is wonky. I hope it's cheap. 

Fixed that for me.  I seem to recall they're funded by someone I don't want to give money to - Bezos? Otherwise I can totally see the appeal.

[Rocket88]

17 hours ago, MrBiscuits said:

I think their biggest mistake was heavily promoting it as the cheapest car in the world. That really didn't go down well the home market where car ownership was a serious status symbol and nobody wanted to be seen on the bottom rung.

Anyway, a nothing car - I always felt the original Mini had nothing unnecessary. It was really popular in it's time for people who just wanted 'a car'. Aside from being a rust prone death trap its probably still all the car most people need.

Original Mini was designed by a sadist , who had no regard for the arrangement of human limbs, especially if you were over 5’10”, and of slightly  more robust construction than a stick insect 

[grogee]

2 hours ago, Rocket88 said:

Original Mini was designed by a sadist , who had no regard for the arrangement of human limbs, especially if you were over 5’10”, and of slightly  more robust construction than a stick insect 

I think there's a fair few Mini owners who would take issue with this. One of its strongest suits is the interior packaging. 

I had a friend who was 6'7" who had a Cooper S, he just cut the back legs off the driver's seat and was fine. 

Normal sized people like me had enough headroom to wear a stove pipe hat. I'll concede the pedals are a bit close together though.