Self-driving cars and drones may be the future of travel, but a car that can tackle any terrain with the agility of a spider could give them a run for their money.
The Swincar can navigate steep slopes and ditches just as easily as a tarmac road and its wheels are each on separate ‘arms’ that can move independently.
It’s described as ‘a mechanical spider on wheels.’
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In one video showing the car being tested, the Swincar can be seen driving diagonally across deep ditches with its ‘arms’ flailing.
It can also be driven up and down steep banks with little discomfort to the driver.
The Swincar’s extraordinary agility is made possible by each wheel having independent motors and suspension.
This unusual set-up means that the body of the car remains vertical even when the car is performing incredible feats on steep slopes.
Each wheel is attached to an arm that has a high degree of maneuverability, including seemingly folding under and over the driver.
It has four-wheel steering and braking, which means sharp corners can be taken quickly, as well as the ability to stop suddenly.
The French company behind Swincar, Mecanroc, describes it as ‘a mechanical spider on wheels.’
Video: Swincar E-Spider features separate suspen
The design of the car and its axle’s independence from its body allows a driver to lean into turns, as if he is driving a motorbike.
‘Imagine a mechanical spider on wheels,’ it says on its website.
‘Swincar takes the concept of fully independent suspension to a whole new planet’
Each wheel is powered by its own 1 or 1.5 kW electric motor, and the suspension for each wheel is at the end of each of the arms of the vehicle.
Video: This Vehicle Is Part Car and Part Spider
The wheels are powered by either a 2, 4 or 6 kWh battery and because it is all electric, it is emission-free, and almost silent.
The car is not yet on sale, but its creators plan on producing a version with two seats, as well as a joystick controlled version for people with reduced mobility.
The company have suggested Swincar could be aimed at the military, as well as off-road enthusiasts, or simply as a vehicle to improve the mobility of disabled people.
‘Swincar, this electric vehicle with exceptional all terrain capabilities was developed by reinventing tilting technology on a fully mechanical bases,’ the company says on its website.
‘It will allow you to rediscover the pleasure of walking in the mountains, in forests, in fields or along the beach enjoying the fresh air, the sound of the wind, waves or birds without noise or air pollution.’
The Swincar won multiple awards at the Geneva Innovations Fair in April 2015, and its developers hope it will go on sale by the end of the year. No price has so far been announced.
SWINCAR SPECIFICATIONS
Battery: A 2, 4 or 6 kWh battery, providing four hours of drive time.
Wheels: A 1 or 1.5 kW motor on each wheel.
Steering: 4-wheel drive steering.
Stability: A tilting cab keeps the driver vertical on slopes.
Fuel: The car is electric, emission free and silent.
Availability: On sale end of 2015.
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