When parking, the folding car takes up about a third of a normal parking space. Hiriko, Basque for “urban car,” folds as the rear of the car slides underneath its chassis. Every square foot counts. It will be implemented like ZipCars, owned by the city and hired out temporarily, but it will cost about €12,500 if you want to buy one.
The Hiriko runs on electricity, since there’s no room for a gas tank. Mechanical control systems that are traditionally found in the steering column, throttle, and brakes are replaced with electrical, drive-by-wire technology. The motor, which is located in the wheels, can drive about 120 kilometers (75 miles) when fully recharged. The car is also smart: its top speed is programmed to obey city speed limits. The Hiriko prototype is being presented to European Union president Jose Manuel Barroso, and another 20 prototypes are to be built and tested this year, thus reaching the European market.
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The Hiriko folding electric car prototype was formally launched by the President of the European CommissionJosé Manuel Durão Barroso in January 2012. The project is promoted by parts association AFYPAIDA andDENOKINN, in collaboration with EPSILON EUSKADI and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Lab. Its a part of a solution to the urban mobility called CityCar.
Hiriko: MIT Media Lab's Urban Folding Car