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NASA-Inspired Takapo Could Be the Renault Concept of Our Future

How did this happen!? How did we go from the cars we see on our streets today, to the concept of the future you see here? Oh, now I get it. It’s supposed to be a Renault.
Renault Takapo 15 photos
Photo: GyuWan Kim
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Don’t worry folks, what you see in the cover photo is only an idea, a concept if you will, and hasn’t actually seen the light of day, yet. It’s quite possible that this idea may never actually manifest. Definitely not under the Renault brand that’s for sure. That’s just for show.

What we see is called the Renault Takapo, apparently named after a lake in the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve, and is from the mind of two gentlemen by the names of Dong Ju Jeon and GyuWan Kim, two students at Chung Ang University in South Korea - the Korea that makes your Samsung phone, and not WW3.

Before you start bagging on how it looks like the newest gaming console or a shaving razor, take into account that beyond the bodywork, like any good concept, this one too expresses one tech idea or another. The Takapo even showcases hardware inspired by NASA.

Renault Takapo
Photo: GyuWan Kim
Now, the renderings do show that this puppy is an EV, so batteries and an electric drivetrain are a part of the design. But, we have absolutely no indication as to where, or how it all works. All we know is that it has two battery systems: one active and one as a backup.

Saying that the body design is odd is an understatement. First off, where the heck are the wheels? Oh, yeah there they are. If we look closely at the front of the car, whichever that may be, we can see a couple of what may look like wheels on the interior of the car. However, that’s all we get, just a visual representation. There's nothing offered by the designers to sustain any of these assumptions.

Even the idea that this car is autonomous is just an assumption. But like any educated guess or hypothesis, the idea that the Takapo is autonomous is based on something. That something is the positioning of the windshield. Unlike modern-era vehicles that include a forward-facing windshield, here we find that windshield on the top of the car, very much like other autonomous designs.

Renault Takapo
Photo: GyuWan Kim
The past has also taught us that autonomous vehicles place large emphasis on what sort of living space is created for passengers. Some concepts offer activities such as board games, or space for socializing, while some show the idea of virtual conferences on the go.

The Takapo is a bit different in that there is absolutely nothing to do inside but chill. I wonder if they’ve got Netflix hooked up, standard. However, the way you’ll be chilling is absolutely next level. Inspired by NASA Zero Gravity chairs, the designers choose to employ a similar idea as to offer passengers a feeling of weightlessness while cruising to their destination.

Let’s imagine this for a moment. Wherever you’re sitting right now, just close your eyes and imagine you’re lying on a lounge chair. Now, imagine that chair is suspended in air. That’s basically the feeling the designers wanted to capture.

But is it enough to make it into a real car? Probably not. But it’s still one heck of a ride to imagine yourself in. Or maybe, just maybe, somebody gets a hold of that chair design and goes to town making their own. I don’t know, ideas seem to be limitless these days.
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About the author: Cristian Curmei
Cristian Curmei profile photo

A bit of a nomad at heart (being born in Europe and raised in several places in the USA), Cristian is enamored with travel trailers, campers and bikes. He also tests and writes about urban means of transportation like scooters, mopeds and e-bikes (when he's not busy hosting our video stories and guides).
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