The EV in the video below, created by researchers at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), can fit into a third of a parking space. Of course this is not the future of transportation. You can quote me on that (… as well as anything else I write on here, I guess). But it’s pretty cool. And it does highlight some of the advantages of EVs. As Chris Demorro of Gas2 notes:
Is the Armadillo-T set to replace gas-powered cars? No, of course not, but it does demonstrate some unique features of electric cars. The drivetrain is so compact and free of features like exhaust pipes, driveshafts, and transmissions, allow the Armadillo-T to tuck the front half of its body into the rear “shell”, halving the space it takes up. A standard 5-meter parking space can fit three Armadillo EVs. America’s MIT has worked on a similar project, a folding EV commuter called the Hiroko.
http://youtu.be/8DoZH7Y-sR0
Here more from Chris on some noteworthy points:
While these city EVs have a limited range of just 60 miles, or about 100 km, and the top speed is only about 40 mph, these vehicles would be perfect for tourists or travellers who left their own car behind. With more people moving into urban areas, and public transit systems increasingly crammed full of people, innovative transit solutions will become more and more important.
Personally, I think it’s a bit ridiculous and don’t think it will ever find a practical home, but maybe I’m wrong. But as implied above, I do think it is a cool toy. And some of the technology or concepts used in the foldable Armadillo-T could end up being useful for a commercial vehicle.
More from KAIST: Active Wireless Charging In Transit; Remarkable Progress In Korea For Electric Vehicles
Sign up for daily news updates from CleanTechnica on email. Or follow us on Google News!
Have a tip for CleanTechnica, want to advertise, or want to suggest a guest for our CleanTech Talk podcast? Contact us here.
Former Tesla Battery Expert Leading Lyten Into New Lithium-Sulfur Battery Era — Podcast:
I don't like paywalls. You don't like paywalls. Who likes paywalls? Here at CleanTechnica, we implemented a limited paywall for a while, but it always felt wrong — and it was always tough to decide what we should put behind there. In theory, your most exclusive and best content goes behind a paywall. But then fewer people read it! We just don't like paywalls, and so we've decided to ditch ours. Unfortunately, the media business is still a tough, cut-throat business with tiny margins. It's a never-ending Olympic challenge to stay above water or even perhaps — gasp — grow. So ...
