More and more people are drawn into the big cities of the world. Consequently, all of these cities have one challenge to face: Not enough parking space and very congested traffic, especially during rush-hours. This becomes even more problematic when big cars are just used by single individuals.
Therefore, small, comfortable and safe cars are required and, in addition to that, the electric drive train provides possibilities to completely rethink what we know about individual transportation.
A team of German engineers have come up with an ingenious solution with EO smart connecting car 2 — a “flexible” electric vehicle capable of shrinking, driving sideways and turning on a dime.
EO smart connecting car 2 is the result of consequent and ongoing research, development, and optimization of the EO smart connecting car concept.
The EO smart car 2 drives like a regular vehicle, but has the sideways-driving capabilities with each wheel having its own motor. With this functionality, the car can be more easily parked in tight spots in urban environments, such as a tiny space on the side of the road.
The EO smart connecting car 2 has a top speed of 65 km/h (or 40mph) and can travel 50 to 70 kilometers (30 to 44 miles) on a single four-hour full charge of the battery. But it’s the two-seater’s ability to shrink to around 1.5 meters in length that has the team excited about its uses in future cities, says Timo Birnschein, project manager for the vehicle.
One problematic aspect of electric vehicles is the charging cable. To face this issue, a versatile, foldable docking interface was constructed that fits into the body of the car and also allows for connecting extension modules, like range extenders, passenger modules, or cargo modules.[wzslider height=”400″ lightbox=”true”]
Images credit: Timo Birnschein, DFKI GmbH, Robotics Innovation Center
