Photo: KEVIN A. WILSON, Autoweek
Think that the SUV and/or CUV craze is a relatively new phenomenon? Peter Horbury, head of design for Ford in the Americas, suggests that the Ford Model T was really a crossover. He has a point, considering that the old-timer sat rather high off the ground (because of the shoddy roadways at the time) and featured a modular design capable of hauling people, stuff, or a combination of both.
Ford wonders what a modern-day version of the T may look like and what it would be powered by. To find out, Ford commissioned some young designers the task of modernizing the Tin Lizzy. The winning design, created by Dong Trang, a junior at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, is an electric vehicle which features a removable battery. That battery is charged with on-board solar panels and an electricity-generating suspension system. The innovative modular structure can be converted from a hatchback to a pickup bed and can seat up to four passengers. Click past the break for some video of Trang explaining some of his concepts.
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[Source: Detroit Free Press, Autoweek]
1. You see no where is another hot innovative fun idea that money could be made off of but nobody wants to step up to the plate
Posted at 8:45PM on May 5th 2008 by Kevin Nugent