If this is what the future has in store for us, someone please zap us back to the past were designers actually designed cars and not dodo eggs on wheelchair tires… Yes, the Puyo concept incorporates fuel-cell technology and its outer-shell is features soft-touch materials, but would you ever dream of owning a car that looks like it was just hatched? -Images and press release after the jump
PUYO
‘PUYO’ is a Japanese onomatopoeia that expresses the sensation of touching the vehicle’s soft body. It is meant to convey a warm, friendly impression.
The PUYO represents a new idea in mobility that brings together ‘clean’, ‘safe’ and ‘fun’ functionality in an environmentally responsible, people-friendly minimalist design featuring an ultra-high efficiency, small frame and fuel cell technology to please both users and onlookers alike.
Exterior design
The development theme for the PUYO exterior was to create a cornerless, ‘Seamless Soft Box’ form that is kind to both people and the environment. The goal was to create a personable design with the feel of an adorable pet, while taking advantage of the maximum spaciousness of the box-shaped design. The PUYO’s ‘gel body’ features soft materials to promote greater real-world safety. Moreover, the body has been made luminescent to guide people into the proper operating position and notify them of the vehicle’s condition, facilitating a more intimate relationship between people and their cars.
Interior design
Developed to have a ‘Silky Feel’, the PUYO’s interior is designed to provide a refreshing, people-friendly space imbued with a feeling of transparency. Features such as an instrument panel monitor, controls that take advantage of the elastic qualities of cloth to rise up when the vehicle starts up, luminous fluid meter displays, and a joystick for intuitive operation are all designed to gently support occupants’ senses and sensibilities.