The Shape-Shifting Car of the Future

Here's a car that reconfigures for better weaving through traffic

To be honest, electric vehicle concepts are a dime a dozen nowadays. It's also hard to call electrically powered transportation a concept, when there are multiple designs already out on the market. But here's the only EV concept we've seen that actually changes its shape to accommodate the complicated realities of the daily commute.

The unimaginatively-named Cell is a three-wheeled pod that carries two people and runs on three wheels. The driver sits in front, with the passenger sitting behind like the co-pilot of an attack helicopter. Cell also features driving controls with LCD screens that provide real-time feeds from cameras mounted on the outside. 

Like any other EV, the Cell concept includes a conceptualized source of power—a  network of charging stations that are reminiscent of today's gas stations. Cell however isn't a single vehicle, but an entire system, with owners owning shares that allow them to pick up and drop off the transportation units as needed.

The piece de resistance however is Cell's ability to adapt to traffic jams. Individual vehicles can move its front wheels closer together, creating a narrower profile that takes up less space on the road and potentially provides the same traffic-navigation qualities of wide motorcycles. We're not sure how the "dynamic turning" feature (where the pod leans to the side in turns) nullifies this ability though, so stay tuned for any updates if this concept ever encounters implementation.

Designer: Tom Kent