If a car-motorcycle hybrid electric vehicle is what you mustered up in your wildest dream, then this is it. Even better how about a sci-fi vehicle that connects to you like a second skin? Meet the R RYZR EV designed by Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC). The high-profile studio in London’s Marylebone has broken the shackles of automotive boundaries with a concept that they claim is the “ultimate symbiosis of man and machine.”
Why’s that? Because this vehicle comes with a special jacket that needs to be locked into place into the seat before it can even get going. SAIC aims to bring a sublime EV experience tailored for the fashion-conscious lot. So the RYZR Smart-JKT (the advanced suit) is the key connecting the user to the vehicle by sitting in the driving seat. The bike-car hybrid adapts the best of both worlds by bringing the agility of a motorcycle and having the reassuring stability of a four-wheeler. The vehicle’s cockpit is open on all ends to make the riders have a “thrilling yet safe urban experience.”
R RYZR is built for the crowded city streets as well as open freeways – that’s the USP of the concept. It has a central spine running the length of the chassis, and two seats are suspended on either side. The drive-by-wire assisted centrally-mounted steering wheel is designed to operate independently of its position. Meaning, both the driver and passenger can drive it from their sitting position by simply sliding it. The central spine gives the EV freedom to pivot on the front and rear arms – this makes leaning and carving through tight corners on the hubless wheels highly maneuverable.
According to Carl Gotham, the company’s Advanced Design Director “R RYZR is an exciting and visceral vision of the future of urban travel. By exploring the unconventional, it unlocks new modes of transport for the future, new experiences, and new emotions.” I can’t help but agree with the vision, since getting the better of mobility challenges demands such vehicles that people would actually want to use.
Designer: SAIC Design
