Hiriko Electric Fold-Up City Car Unveiled

A new environmentally-friendly car design has made its public debut in the Basque Country, one year ahead of its planned deployment across Europe.

Produced by the Hiriko Driving Mobility consortium - which involves seven local firms - the electric-powered Hiriko design is a tiny, collapsible car. It folds up in much the same way as a pram for ease of parking or storage but, when on the roads, can travel 120 kilometres off a single electric charge.

Designed for city use, the Hiriko doesn't have masses of acceleration and only possesses a minimal top speed but that's not the point: it's a hi-tech solution to the issue of city emissions and, for the driver, offers the potential of a relaxed style of motoring free of the space and parking limitations associated with larger cars.

Hiriko Fold-Up Car

The Hiriko fold-up car has no traditional doors as such - instead, driver and passenger enter and exit through a single structure located at the front.

Discussions are now in progress between Hiriko Driving Mobility and officials in cities across Europe that should see this novel little car trialled in coming months. Plans are also in place for the car to not only be offered to private motorists (at a forecast rrp of approximately 12,500 Euros) but to be hired out, too.

Cities said to be considering the Hiriko include Barcelona and Berlin, while talks have been initiated with Brussels, London and Paris, among others.

Hiriko Electric City Car

According to Hiriko Driving Mobility, the Hiriko electric city car ‘...only uses two-thirds of the footprint of a smart car and the aim of the project is to free up the many miles of car parking space that inhabits cities'.

Although adopted by European manufacturers, the Hiriko was the vision of US scientists working at the world-renowned MIT research facility in Boston, Massachusetts.

"I call this mobility on demand", MIT's Ryan Chin stated in comments quoted by The Telegraph. "Hiriko's technology and green footprint is five times better than you find in today's Smart cars."

Image copyright Hiriko Driving Mobility