City Car, a Carbon-Free, Stackable Rental Car by MIT Media Lab

learned about this Smart City Smart Cars design from a class. Thought it was pretty futuristically and pragmatically cool.

A team called Smart Cities have designed a two-seat electric vehicle which they call the “City Car” that can be “stacked” in convenient locations (say, just outside a subway stop), and then taken on short trips around urban areas. This technology is patented-pending and under design development at the MIT Media Lab.

The City car utilizes fully integrated in-wheel electric motors and suspension systems called, “Wheel Robots.” The wheel robots eliminate the need traditional drive train configurations like engine blocks, gear boxes, and differentials because they are self-contained, digitally controlled, and reconfigurable. Additionally, the wheel robot provides all wheel power and steering capable of 360 degrees of movement, thus allowing for Omni-directional movement. The vehicle can maneuver in tight urban spaces and park by sideways translation.

The MIT group sees the vehicles as the linchpin in a strategy that aims to mitigate pollution with electric power, expand limited public space by folding and stacking vehicles like shopping carts, and alleviate congestion by letting people rent and return the vehicles to racks located near transportation hubs, such as train stations, airports, and bus depots.