Those
thinking of buying aToyota Prius may be disappointed to learn that the
future of eco-friendly travel has nothing to do with hybrid synergy
drives – instead it involves six wheels, a treadmill, and a horse. The
Naturmobil, the brainchild of an Iranian engineer, Hadi Mirhejazi,
combines 19th-century travel with 21st-century gym equipment.
In
essence it is a horse, tethered to a treadmill, inside a perspex box on
wheels. The driver and passenger sit in the front (the prototype is a
two-seater sports car), while the horse is in the back. To get moving
you simply turn on the treadmill and wait for the "engine" to start
trotting. The horse's movement, aided by 20 gears, recharges the
treadmill's battery, and keeps the vehicle moving. It can go at quite a
canter, reaching 28mph during a road test.
Mirhejazi
spent more than two years building the Naturmobil, and says he uses
"many types of technology to make the horse comfortable". The animal
sits under a jacket of cold water. For the more delicate problem of
"emissions", Mirhejazi straps on an extra-large colostomy bag. The
waste is then collected beneath the treadmill, "so the road will not
get dirty or smell bad"; a selfless design, given there is no partition
between horse and driver.
There
are a few drawbacks. Despite the horse's cooling system, the Naturmobil
is not suitable for hot climates. Motorways and main roads are also
off-limits.
Mirhejazi
had hoped to attract advertising for the vehicle's exterior, which
could host two LCD screens. The plan was to take a publicity road trip
around the world. Alas, the plan never came off. Mirhejazi has offered
to give away the prototype, patent, and $100,000 to anyone who can
explain why the Naturmobil was really invented. Advertising?
Eco-friendly horse box? It seems the inventor himself is not entirely
sure.
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This article was edited on 17 August. It incorrectly said the
Naturmobil had four wheels - it has now been changed to six wheels.