Shane Chen, an American inventor of Chinese descent, has unveiled a concept for a new electric vehicle named after himself — the SHANE. The glossy two-wheeled car has doors that open upward like a mollusk shell.
Chen presents the SHANE as practical, maneuverable, and energy-efficient — a car for everyday use in the city and on the highway.
A car that looks to the future
At first glance, the electric car makes a striking impression. The doors appear to swallow five passengers without a trace, like the mouth of a fantastical creature. Then it becomes clear that the vehicle’s futuristic design also communicates reliability and safety, along with a sense of mischief and childlike wonder.
Look at the LED strips on the wheels, which spin playfully while the car moves. The front metal semi-bumper gives the impression that the car is smiling.
The car’s wheels can rotate 360 degrees, allowing easy maneuvering and parking in tight spaces.
When you look at the innovative car, it’s hard to understand how its body, supported on a single wheel axle, doesn’t tip backward or forward. On his website, Shane Chen explains that the laws of physics handle that balance. He stated that “the displacement of the center of gravity of the SHANE relative to the wheels counteracts the braking moment, keeping the car level and making it just as stable and safe as a four-wheeled vehicle.”
Inside, neither a steering wheel nor pedals are visible, which indicates the vehicle is driverless and autonomous. Between the front-row passengers, a compact control panel is visible. The rear section features a spacious trunk that also opens upwards, the publication Designboom reported.
The wheels have regenerative shock absorbers, which recover energy from suspension damping to help charge the battery.
“I was excited to create the concept of an energy-efficient vehicle with two wheels that can move at high speeds,” Shane Chen said. He hopes that his electric vehicle will become a reality in the future, just like the hoverboard.
