Sci/Tech

The first prototype of the folding electric car Hiriko was unveiled on Tuesday in the headquarters of the Presidency of the European Union in Brussels.

European Union President Durao Barroso participated in the "Global Launch of Hiriko Driving Mobility", a large scale European social innovation initiative offering a systematic solution to major societal challenges: urban transportation, pollution and job creation.

The presentation was held at the headquarters of the European Commission and was attended by senior officials dealing with social innovation as well as representatives of regions and municipalities, the industry and investment sectors from all over the world. The Basque authorities, together with the group of entrepreneurs led by Jesus Echave also attended the meeting.

The Hiriko is a 100% electric and electronic two-seater, with four-wheel drive, capable of folding up for parking and is equipped with a state-of-the-art information system for permanent communication in an intelligent city environment.

The first units to come out of the plant at Vitoria-Gasteiz will be homologated before July as a previous step towards industrial production and commercialization, which is foreseen for 2013.

Several European and American cities will be the scenes for the initial trials in autumn this year of the first Hiriko cars. Trials begin in autumn this year in cities such as Bilbao and Boston.

The Hiriko Project , an initiative promoted by Afypaida and Denokinn with the collaboration of the MIT, targets to transform the initial concept of the “Citycar” and turn it into an innovating industrial Project consisting of the development of the initial prototype and its industrialisation by means o fan innovating production and distribution model.