If you need to get around the city, river, or park, but don’t have a lot of space in your tiny house or apartment for storing various transportation options, you no longer have to fret about adding to your mountain of clutter. Simply decide what type of vehicle suits you best, and then go for the foldable option. These days, you can get a diversity of tools and toys for scooting your tukus around town that reduce in size after you’ve finished using them. Here are a few options to get you started on your foldable life.
Trikelet BV
Here’s a scooter that you can pack away into a ridiculously small size. The Trikelet BV is an electric scooter that you can zip around town on, and when you need to travel for a longer haul, collapse and tote with you onto a train, bus or taxi with a bit of luggage space. Drag it around like you would a small shopping cart, and when you’re tired of walking, simply unfold it, and start motoring again. Sigh. If only it was socially-acceptable to be seen on a scooter…
City Transformer
The City Transformer is a concept car from a bunch of designers and engineers living and working in Tel Aviv. They’ve decided to try and come up with a car that packs away into a neat little shape, which would then make parking much easier. With that idea in mind, they’ve created the City Transformer (comprised of patent-pending technology), an electric vehicle that “drives like a car but parks like a motorcycle.” Pretty nifty stuff if you happen to live in an overcrowded place. *cough* Tel Aviv *cough*
Oru Kayak
Do you love being out on the water, but just don’t have any extra space in your home to fit a kayak? Duh, you’re saying, who doesn’t? Well, if you’re one of those lucky individuals who actually needs your daily or weekly fix of paddle time, and you’ve always wanted your very own boat, the Oru Kayak could be the solution for you. “From box to boat in 5 minutes” is what the company behind this foldable kayak claims. These are high-tech kayaks you can pack inside a small car, or even in a backpack in order to “sling over you shoulder” and take on a hike up to a mountain lake — or a stroll to the riverside downtown.
Movoe Foldable Moped
Maybe you just like things that can change shape, or perhaps you’re a diehard scooter fan (and collector) who could use a little extra living space. Either way, the Movoe Foldable Moped is one piece of clever Hungarian gear that you might want to think about investing in. While not on the open market just yet (this is one of those crowdfunding type of projects), with any luck, this green, drivable and extremely foldable piece of tech will be available for purchase soon. If you have a small commute to deal with, you could easily drive it to work, break it down, stuff it in a corner (no need to pay for parking), and then do the same when you drive it back home.
Soleil City Car
The Soleil City Car is a two-seater concept vehicle that is beautiful to look at, and if it’s ever made, could be folded up and wheeled behind you like a big suitcase. That would be a great boon if you live in a city where there’s fierce competition for parking space. Created as part of the Michelin Challenge Design, the Turkish designers behind this concept say of their idea: “Soleil is a high-tech minimal vehicle which solves the problem of finding a parking spot. With a push of a button, it folds into luggage that you can carry and charge everywhere, even at your apartment.” Let’s hope this very sleek looking car becomes a reality someday.
A-Bike
While the A-Bike, billed as “the smallest, lightest folding bike on the market,” might not be an appropriate choice for someone who rides dozens of miles a day, it could be a great fit for small to medium-ish commutes in an urban setting. It really does fold into a tiny size. And thanks to the “heat treated aluminum” and “glass fiber reinforced engineering polymer,” this British bike is exceptionally light and easy to break down and set up, which means it won’t be a hassle as you go about your daily life.
