City Transformer, the World’s First Folding Car
City Transformer, the World’s First Folding Car
October 26, 2017
Israel21C – A new vision for urban transportation was unveiled at the fifth annual Fuel Choices and Smart Mobility Summit, October 31 to November 1, 2017 in Tel Aviv.
Chief Executive Officer and BGU Alumnus
Dr. Asaf Formoza
The made-in-Israel City Transformer, founded by BGU alumni, is an electric smart car whose wheelbase folds in at the push of a button to fit into a motorcycle parking space. City Transformer is touted as the world’s first vehicle of its kind.
City Tranformer’s Chief Executive Officer Dr. Asaf Formoza holds a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from BGU. Dr. Formoza started the company in 2013 with partners Dr. Gideon Goldwine, a fellow BGU mechanical engineering Ph.D. and cofounder of the student team that built the first Israeli Formula SAE car, and Erez Abramov, a practical engineer and rally sport driver experienced in developing motor sport vehicles.
“We have collaborations and partnerships with huge companies, including Yamaha Motor Ventures; Altair, which makes simulation software for Ferrari; Fiat; and other manufacturers to assure stable handling; and Rassini, a tier-one suspension company in Mexico that works with Mercedes, Maserati and other luxury brands,” says Dr. Formoza.
After the wheelbase is folded in, the basic two-seat City Transformer shrinks from about 1.48 meters (under 5 feet) to just one meter (3.2 feet) in width. Its 2.35-meter (7.7-foot) length matches the size of a motorcycle parking spot.
The car will be engineered to go up to 90 kilometers (56 miles) per hour in drive mode and about 30 mph in parking mode as the narrowed car is maneuvering into a spot.
The climate-controlled vehicle with an aluminum chassis will weigh about 450 kilograms (992 pounds) excluding the battery, driver and passenger. The size of the battery is still to be determined.
Designed by the Yama Group in Kfar Netter, Israel, City Transformer’s prototype will incorporate connected-car software and is planned to be launched as an autonomous vehicle with computer-controlled braking and acceleration.
“We have a competitive advantage because we can embed technologies really fast and partner with other companies’ solutions when the technology is ready,” Says City Transformer Chief Innovation Officer Udi Meridor.
The founders first presented City Transformer in May 2013 at EcoMotion, an Israeli government- and industry-sponsored event aimed at creating a collaborative community to work on alternative smart transportation solutions.
Read the full article on the Israel21C website >>
Stories Like This
