Inventor builds car that folds into a wheeled suitcase
Updated
A Bosnian inventor has a new solution to expensive and hard-to-find parking — a collapsible car.
Mechanical engineer Elvis Cero's Go City electric car was designed so it folds into itself with the wheels exposed, to turn it into a wheelie suitcase.
The vehicle is designed to be used like a foldable bicycle and taken into the user's destination once they arrive.
"People who live in narrow streets, in big cities where there is no space, at any time they can take this vehicle out. They don't need a garage, this car can be parked anywhere inside a house," Mr Cero said.
He said the collapsing process only took about three minutes.
"People can also take this vehicle out, drive towards the bus station, easily fold it and then enter the bus, tram or tube and continue their ride towards the destination."
The car has bicycle wheels, is made of light-weight aluminium, and can carry any driver up to 100 kilograms.
The battery on the prototype has enough power to keep going for five hours.
"The idea was hanging around for a long time, but the moment I decided to build this is when I visited my relatives in Germany," he said.
"I saw people driving bikes at all weather conditions, rain, snow, heat and wind.
"So I thought to myself, I have to follow up on my idea to build a vehicle such as this."
Mr Cero developed a 3D model for the car during his spare time over the space of two years.
His employer, Mostar, financed the prototype, which was made with "the most practical and cheapest materials," like aluminium and basic steel.
The company was working towards mass production in the future.
Mr Cero believes the price of the vehicle will be around $4,100 or more, depending on the quality of aluminium from which it is produced, which is around the same price as a mobility scooter.
"We showed that it is possible to build a vehicle that can be folded easily, reduced 10 times in size, and at the same time be very functional," he said.
AP
Topics: offbeat, road-transport, inventions, human-interest, bosnia-and-herzegovina
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