Hiriko EV Car Will Help The Environment And Lousy Parkers

From EarthTechling's Steve Duda:

Some folks just don't get parking. Slipping into a tight spot induces all manner of angst and trepidation. And parallel parking? In traffic? Are you kidding? Forget it. That takes a certain amount of four-wheel juju that some folks were just not born with.

But what if your car were able to fold itself up into a tidy bundle just two-thirds the size of a smart fortwo? What if the wheels were able to pivot at right angles to facilitate sideways parking in tight spaces? With the application of a few bits of technology, lousy parkers the world over are granted relief. No more parking lot anxiety. The mysterious and perplexing three-point turn has become a thing of the past. Rejoice!

Bad parkers the world over, say hello to your new best friend, the Hiriko. Developed on the drawing boards of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the concept has been brought to fruition by a consortium of seven small Basque firms under the name Hiriko Driving Mobility, with a prototype recently unveiled by European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso.

The Hiriko -- which means "urban" in Basque -- is scheduled to go into production with a street date some time near the spring of 2013. Production of 20 test vehicles is already under way and trials are set to begin later this year in cities such as Bilbao, Spain; Malmo, Sweden; and Boston.

There are few tech or performance specs available for the Hiriko, but what has been released so far is fairly impressive for a micro city car. Here's what we do know: The car will run exclusively on electricity. The driver and passenger will enter the vehicle via the single, flip-up door in the front of the car that also doubles as the windshield.

The two-seater has a range of about 75 miles on a full charge and the car's speed will be electronically limited to a particular city's limits. So, don't expect top speeds over 50 mph and when it comes to a zero-to-60 time ... well, let's not even go there. The Hiriko is about convenience, utility and a common-sense approach to urban mobility -- not squealing the tires on the way to the grocery store.

The Hiriko is powered by four in-wheel electric motors. This is unique in two ways. Because there is not a conventionally connected drive train, the car can perform its most flashy move: folding up. It also means the car has an effective four-wheel drive system, great for bad weather, steep conditions or any situation where just a bit more traction is needed. The car's steering wheel will be replaced by a joystick or a "haptic" steering mechanism that tugs at a driver's fingers to suggest steering moves when directed to do so by the on-board navigation system.

The Hiriko's manufacturers see the car as a city-owned fleet vehicle that folks can rent out on an hourly or daily basis. Already, several cities have shown interest, according to Hiriko, including Berlin, Barcelona, San Francisco and Hong Kong. Talks are under way with Paris, London, Boston, Dubai and Brussels. If you'd like to (very easily) park a Hiriko in your own garage, the estimated sale price will be about $16,500.

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Comments

[wrightrichard007]

02:31 PM on 12/20/2012

I think its great that people are working towards losing our dependency on coal that always tires. Golf cars have been around for years yet we somehow "struggle" to get fuel efficient vehicles. Thanks.

[RVU]

03:24 AM on 03/18/2012

They look like little death boxes that would roll over with the stiff wind.

[Kenz300]

08:25 PM on 03/16/2012

Electric vehicles are the future.

The battery technology is already being improved which will increase range, reduce weight and reduce the cost.

[RVU]

03:26 AM on 03/18/2012

"Electric vehicles are the future."

Perhaps in 50-75 years. But the economy is not sustainable now with them artificially foisted on the consumer. And the industry will easily atrophy if it was heavily subsidized, ie Chevy Volt.

[ASRock78]

02:39 PM on 03/22/2012

You have to look back at your history and see how the cultures of the world adopted the car before you can make that statement. It wasn't an overnight success and it took time to get people to understand the value of investing in something when they knew horse and carriage worked just fine. Our current culture is such that we are so use to instant gratification we loose sight of how things truely progress and change based on our past.

[sim9]

11:23 PM on 03/03/2012

At least this electric car is affordable - unlike the Chevy Volt.

Medved Autoplex in Denver has the Volt - for $40,000+.

Who can afford this?????

[Kenz300]

08:27 PM on 03/16/2012

GM made a mistake by over pricing the Volt.

Toyota took a loss on every Prius sold the first year they came out. The auto reviewers said it would never sell in high numbers. Now it is one of the best selling cars in the world.

[vetxcl]

04:57 PM on 02/10/2012

"The Hiriko's manufacturers see the car as a city-owned fleet vehicle that folks can rent out on an hourly or daily basis." - from the article. This is a trend in several US cities, like Chicago, for example. And the added feature of self parking and folding up means it can squeeze into spaces that only a moped would use. The addition of 4WD and power efficiency of an electric is a bonus as well as the rain coverage not afforded by a moped. I like it, but can't afford it, yet.

[vetxcl]

04:29 PM on 02/10/2012

Ford also makes a car capable of parking itself.

[yeti7]

08:24 PM on 02/07/2012

Fister Auto electric car company shutting down its' plant in Maryland down.

[vetxcl]

04:25 PM on 02/10/2012

No proof = no fact. I'll be willing to believe it when proven. A perfect stranger has no authenticity to me.

[yeti7]

04:53 PM on 02/10/2012

sorry correction it's in Delaware
http://www.digitaltrends.com/cars/fisker-fumbles-forced-to-lay-off-workers-at-delaware-plant-seek-further-government-aid/

[ItsGettingWeird]

01:35 PM on 02/02/2012

That's what a Hummer looks like in the larval stage.

[PlayTOE]

04:31 AM on 02/02/2012

We don't need golf carts.
What we need (and see the technology available to make) is an SUV sized electric car that will go 4 hours on the highway, then recharge while the driver has lunch (about 45 minutes).

We need to have a common plug chosen, and begin installing the infrastructure.

[yeti7]

08:26 PM on 02/07/2012

what happen if this car is in a collision with a Volkswagen Beetle much less a GMC suv, it and the other little car from Europe.
I think a crash even with a bicycle would be pretty hard on this car. Death traps

[vetxcl]

04:36 PM on 02/10/2012

Oh? What happens when you cross the street and get hit by an SUV?
You're entitled to your opinion, but not your own facts. Please name how many people have burst into flames or been irreplably mangled by these cars? Oh, can't do that? That's because you speak before knowing. "...will be electronically limited to a particular city's limits..." - from the article. See if you can accurately figure out what speed limits are within city limits. No, I said accurately.
Next exception?

[vetxcl]

04:29 PM on 02/10/2012

So? See also; Ford .
You may not want what you refer to as a golf cart - and you'd be better off walking from hole to hole - but you speak for noone but yourself. You'd be more believable if you did that.
As to your last sentence, that's being done here in the US, now.
You always comment without knowledge?

[Ron Shook]

06:36 PM on 02/01/2012

It's a step in the right direction, but not far enough. Rather than being 1600 lbs at $16k, it needs to be 800 lbs at $8k. That's quite possible to do using e-bike and e-cycle tech rather than car tech. It's way too heavy and way too expensive for what it does.

We'll get there.

[ItsGettingWeird]

03:09 PM on 02/01/2012

A cross between a dune buggy and an egg! Looks like fun at city speeds, though.

[vetxcl]

04:39 PM on 02/10/2012

It does, yes. At 17K, not counting insurance and maintenance, I'll be sticking to city buses in the winter and rainy days.

[Kenz300]

12:44 PM on 02/01/2012

Every auto maker is bringing out an electric car.

Electric vehicles are the future of transportation.

Go electric !

[yeti7]

08:28 PM on 02/07/2012

Fister is shutting down its' Maryland plant , just announced today

[Kenz300]

08:34 PM on 02/07/2012

New technology is a struggle against vested interests. When gas prices go to $4 then $5 then $8 a gallon people all of a sudden will be saying where are all the electric cars?

[vetxcl]

04:40 PM on 02/10/2012

Announced where exactly? Do you think there's only one company making them?

[Kenz300]

08:42 PM on 03/16/2012

Nissan is the first automaker to put battery-electric cars on U.S. highways with the Leaf. Nissan plans to open a 150,000 electric car plant in Tennessee in 2013.

General Motors has the Chevrolet Volt, a hybrid with 40 miles of electric range and 500 miles per gas range per fill up.

Ford will be selling at least five battery-electric and plug-in hybrid cars by the end of 2012. The best seller will be the Ford Focus Electric, a battery-electric that will compete with the Nissan LEAF. Ford is already selling the Transit Connect Electric van.

Mitsubishi i is their electric car.

Toyota offers both plug-in hybrids and pure battery electric cars.

Smart ED

Honda has the Honda Fit EV and a plug-in hybrid for sale in the U.S. in 2012.

Tesla owners have put 10 million electric miles on U.S. roads. Tesla is also working with Toyota to bring back the Toyota RAV4 EV.

Fisker Karma is a luxury sports plug-in hybrid.

[Jaynelbob]

12:44 AM on 02/01/2012

"not squealing the tires on the way to the grocery store." Uhm, really? I don't see ANY space for a full load of shopping there. Don't get me wrong, I love the concept, and for what it's been designed for it's a great idea - a city car. It's not something that's going to work if you have to travel long distances, but I can see this working a treat in Europe.

You also don't need the wheels to pivot now that they've introduced the technology that allows your car to reverse park itself. Now that I really, really want.

[yeti7]

08:33 PM on 02/07/2012

you're correct I have 4 door Stratus and between a trip to the grocery store and TS for bird seed and dog food my backseat and trunk were nearly full.

[vetxcl]

04:50 PM on 02/10/2012

Yes, it's not going to work outside the city, because it's limited to the city. "... will be electronically limited to a particular city's limits..." - from the article.
Self parking is never needed. It's an added feature, for convenience, much like cruise control. No, it doesn't come with cruise control because it won't operate, at all, on the highway.

[NWBrunette]

09:41 PM on 01/31/2012

I so, so want one. Can't wait until they come to the US.

[yeti7]

08:35 PM on 02/07/2012

go buy an north american made golf cart you'll get a better deal.

[vetxcl]

04:42 PM on 02/10/2012

You need to keep in mind they are being tested still, and are designed for city travel only. But yeah, I could see myself getting a used one, if it's reasonably priced. Nice to see progress being made.

[dumocraps]

05:31 PM on 01/31/2012

The car is fine for someone the size of a smurf.