Photo: Screenshot from PDF, US Patent Office
Ford has filed for a patent in late 2014, but the application has recently been granted and published on the U.S. Patent Office’ website.
The patent is for a foldable car, which has a collapsible frame and four members that can be joined or separated through extensions, thus providing variable capacity.
The vehicle is imagined for emerging markets, and electric motors power it. It is important to note that Ford’s patent specifies that an automobile is an ultra-light-weight unit, and that it is also a low-cost product.
The idea behind this patent is to make a car that has a smaller footprint when it is parked. This way, a foldable vehicle could be used in a big city, but then would not affect parking situations in countries known for its crowded spaces, like China or India. Patent Yogi uncovered the filing, and they published the discovery on their web page.
From what we can observe in the patent filing, the vehicle is not a car in the traditional sense of the word, since it has no roof. Instead of a conventional roof, it seems to have a retractable top, which will not provide a full isolation from the outside world.
Keep in mind that this is a patent that might never reach production, so do not imagine Ford is going to launch a low-cost electric rickshaw on the Asian market.
It also appears to be controlled with a handlebar instead of a steering wheel, which is also an unusual choice. We can only presume that the concept has no airbags in mind, or that any future devices of this sort would be integrated into other elements.
A closer look at the vehicle reveals a rather simple suspension system, which seems inspired by the world of bicycles. The large wheel hubs make us believe that they will be used to house motors that will power this unnamed creation. We already know from the patent filing that it will have rechargeable batteries behind the seats.
The vehicle is imagined for emerging markets, and electric motors power it. It is important to note that Ford’s patent specifies that an automobile is an ultra-light-weight unit, and that it is also a low-cost product.
The idea behind this patent is to make a car that has a smaller footprint when it is parked. This way, a foldable vehicle could be used in a big city, but then would not affect parking situations in countries known for its crowded spaces, like China or India. Patent Yogi uncovered the filing, and they published the discovery on their web page.
From what we can observe in the patent filing, the vehicle is not a car in the traditional sense of the word, since it has no roof. Instead of a conventional roof, it seems to have a retractable top, which will not provide a full isolation from the outside world.
Keep in mind that this is a patent that might never reach production, so do not imagine Ford is going to launch a low-cost electric rickshaw on the Asian market.
It also appears to be controlled with a handlebar instead of a steering wheel, which is also an unusual choice. We can only presume that the concept has no airbags in mind, or that any future devices of this sort would be integrated into other elements.
A closer look at the vehicle reveals a rather simple suspension system, which seems inspired by the world of bicycles. The large wheel hubs make us believe that they will be used to house motors that will power this unnamed creation. We already know from the patent filing that it will have rechargeable batteries behind the seats.
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