Gaby
Despite its unusual half-meter width, this electric vehicle is a fully functional passenger car.
Its interior fits a driver (in the front) and one passenger (in the back). There’s one condition: both must be fairly slender. The car can move forward and backward, stop, and turn left and right, just like any other vehicle. Another advantage is that the electric car can squeeze into even the tightest parking spots. But high speeds are not its strong suit.
The concept has sparked mixed reactions on social media. Some commentators called the car “impractical,” “ugly,” and “crazy.” One user sarcastically wrote, “I can see Mr. Bean driving it.” Consumer electronics expert Gavrav Sud described the vehicle as “an artistic installation rather than a transportation solution.”
Some internet users pointed out that the car was designed “without considering any safety regulations or standards.”
What do we know about the inventor and his creation?
The quirky electric car was hand-built by 30-year-old Italian mechanic Andrea Marazzi, using parts from a 1993 Fiat Panda.
Marazzi showcased his handmade creation at a recent festival celebrating the 45th anniversary of the Fiat Panda. The event took place in the Italian town of Pandino, southeast of Milan.
In response to festival attendees’ concerns that the vehicle would topple over with the slightest breeze, the inventor demonstrated the car’s stability by pushing it and tilting it several times. The car swayed but did not fall.
Other specifications of the vehicle include a weight of 264 kg, a height of 145 cm, and a length of 340 cm.
Most of the components of the narrow Fiat Panda are the same as in any other car: a steering wheel, four wheels, two rearview mirrors, and two doors on either side of the driver. The limited space for the passenger means they will need to be small—ideally a child. The car is also equipped with turn signals and a single headlight for nighttime driving. Marazzi has yet to decide on a spot for the license plate, according to the Daily Mail.
The electric car runs on a 24V battery. The motor comes from an electric scooter, which limits the top speed to about 15 kilometers per hour—quite slow for public roads.
This doesn’t discourage Marazzi; he is preparing to present the car to Guinness World Records experts as the thinnest functional vehicle ever created.
The electric car is not for sale and does not have official permission to operate on public roads. But perhaps at this stage that’s not Marazzi’s main concern. What matters most to him is offering car enthusiasts a creative vision of how vehicles of the near future might look and how they could save space on crowded roads and in parking lots.
