Hybrid Cars

2009 has been a big year for hybrid cars. There were a host of hybrid cars launched this year. Out of them few of them were termed as shape changing and intelligent cars.

TransforMISS: The transformMISS electric vehicle has got multiple functions. It can change itself to a bike to a trike to a car. Its designer Thierry Dumaine has placed the electric motors in the hubs of the wheels. He has used recycled paperboard for interiors. The car is a two seater and is both right and left-hand drive. The steering position can be changed. The best and astonishing feature of the car is that it can be driven with both 2,3 and 4 wheels depending on the traffic conditions.

Peugeot Globule

The Peugeot Globule is a car that looks like a worm. It has 4 independent cabins that has been covered with a flexible polymer. Each cabin has got its own electric motors and share a centralized battery. All the 4 cabins can have different configurations and more such pods can be added to the car. This would help in seating more passengers. They can also be vertically stacked when parking space is tight.

Minulux:

Minulux takes the concept car technology to the extreme. The car has been designed to be stationary for most of the time. It actually behaves as a solar panel. The top has made of solar curtains. The solar wings are controlled to follow the sun’s angle. The car was designed by Jukka Rautiainen who studied in the Royal College of London.

Rinspeed iChange:

This car also uses solar panels. These panels are roof-mounted and charge the lithium-ion battery packs. It has 2 such packs- for long and short distances. The designers claim that the car has got a speed of upto 135 miles/hour. The car can be morphed from an iPhone application and can be changed from a single seater to a 3-seater.

Mazda TONBO:

The TONBO has been charged with hydrogen fuel cell. The car’s main ability is that it can swim. It is an amphibious car and has been designed by DedekDesign with Mazda Europe.