Four Link Systems has developed a folding electric car modelled on shape-shifting. You must gave heard and some of you are likely to see while another short number of people is expected to have experienced autonomous cars. Well, how many of you know about the folding electric car?
The car modelled after transforming robots has been developed in Japan. The £52,000 ($70,000) concept vehicle with this folding electric car is expected to gain approval to run on public roads very soon, after opening its way to public sales.
Car from a Japanese firm Four Link Systems, called ‘Earth-1’, was inspired by the shape-shifting robots featured in the popular Japanese anime series “Mobile Suit Gundam”.
What are the reasons behind making ‘Earth-1’:
The firm “Four Link” first stated its goal of developing an electric car 5 years ago, claiming that it aims at beating a Toyota.
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The firm said because it couldn’t compete with the automaker as concerned with performance, cost or brand power, engineers were focussing on design.
Due to the help from “Gundam” designer Mr Okawara, the team developed a robotlike vehicle that’s road legal despite its strange design.
The design of car was conceived by the cartoon’s lead artist “Kunio Okawara”, and was developed by Tokyo-based startup firm Four Link Systems.
Four Links claims that orders are started now coming in from the buyers in Japan & abroad, with one overseas airport that is interested in using the vehicle for a ride-sharing service.
The compact chassis of the vehicle is capable of folding itself up, creating something that is akin to one of Mobile Suit Gundam’s “mecha” robot cockpits.
The car is driven by a conventional steering wheel, users can transform the chassis with a joystick.
As there were no already existing mechanisms for a folding car chassis, the firm developed special motors & other components from scratch.
Being not able to compete with and beat Toyota on performance, the firm engineers focused on design.
With the help of designer Mr Okawara from “Gundam”, the team successfully developed a robotlike vehicle that is road legal despite its strange design.
Mr Kinoshita while referring to youthful fantasies of futuristic vehicles said,
“As cars mature, [we’re] realising a dream that everyone once dreamed of,”.
Four Link has priced this uniquely developed electric car at £52,000 ($70,000), that us close to what would be payed for one of Toyota’s Lexus luxury sedans.
