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- 42nd Tokyo Motor Show 2011 Special
When vehicles become EVs, perhaps they don't need to be vehicles any more. That may sound like a Zen koan, but I was really thinking along these lines. In other words, shouldn't a compact EV be useful even when it's not being used for transportation? It should be compact, chic and cute. One should be able to take it indoors and load it in an automobile. I wondered whether we could create a vehicle that's stylish like a home electronics product.
One potential advantage of an EV is compactness. One can make a vehicle that's small but exciting. The first step is to make it cute. Then it needs to be nimble and go just where the rider wants it to go. That's the kind of vehicle I wanted to create.
An EV doesn't need gasoline or oil, so it's easy to bring one indoors. You can also stand it up and store it without worrying about it leaking. Like a digital home electronics product, it can still be useful even when not being used for transportation. Wouldn't a vehicle like that be fun?
Since its steering wheel and steps fold up, the MOTOR COMPO can even fit inside a small car. In fact, it's designed to fit inside the MICRO COMMUTER CONCEPT. Outside, the battery can be removed and used as a portable power source. More than a vehicle, it's a completely new type of appliance.
