Is this the future of off-roading? The bizarre electric concept car The Huntress has wheels that can rotate autonomously to negotiate rough terrain
- The Huntress is an electric off-road concept car designed by Connery Xu
- Its independent suspension system allows each wheel to move autonomously
- Half of the car’s body can rotate according to different off-road conditions
- The car is still a concept and it remains unclear when or if it will become a reality
If you’ve driven off-road before, you probably remember jumping around in the back of a 4×4.
But the days of clinging for life could soon be a thing of the past when talking about a new concept car.
Called The Huntress, the concept vehicle features wheels that can rotate autonomously to negotiate rough terrain.
If you’ve driven off-road before, you probably remember jumping around in the back of a 4×4. But the days of clinging for life could soon be a thing of the past when talking about a new concept car
Called The Huntress, the concept vehicle features wheels that can rotate autonomously to negotiate rough terrain
The Huntress is an electric off-road concept car designed by Connery Xu that wouldn’t look out of place in the Transformers franchise.
The two-seat vehicle features an independent suspension system that allows each wheel to move autonomously in response to varying conditions.
Half of the car’s body can also rotate off-road according to different conditions such as rough terrain and bumpy roads.
The Huntress is an electric off-road concept car designed by Connery Xu that wouldn’t look out of place in the Transformers franchise
According to Mr. Xu’s sketches, the front of the car has unusual headlights that rotate horizontally
According to Mr. Xu’s sketches, the front of the car has unusual headlights that rotate horizontally.
As the lights rotate, they reveal a different set of headlights, giving the driver better visibility in dark or foggy conditions.
The electric motor, meanwhile, is placed at the rear of the car, with the spare tires also positioned between the two rear wheels.
Unfortunately, the car is currently still a concept and it remains unclear when or if it could become a reality.
Half of the car’s body can also rotate off-road according to different conditions such as rough terrain and bumpy roads
Unfortunately, the car is currently still a concept and it remains unclear when or if it could become a reality
It does, however, offer an interesting glimpse of what the future of off-roading might look like.
The Huntress isn’t the first concept car to make headlines in recent weeks.
Earlier this month, Hyundai’s ‘walking car’ concept took a step closer to reality after the vehicle maker unveiled a new $20million (£16million) development center to speed up its arrival.
Opened in Montana, USA, New Horizon Studios’ goal is to build vehicles for future customers who want or need to navigate terrain that is challenging for traditional ground vehicles.
The Huntress concept vehicle offers an interesting glimpse into the future of off-road driving
It will focus on developing Ultimate Mobility Vehicles (UMVs), including a car with legs that can easily walk over anything that’s difficult to drive over.
The South Korean company already presented designs for UMVs at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in 2019.
Similar to the All Terrain Armored Transport (AT-AT) walkers from the Star Wars universe, the Elevate concept combines a traditional wheel with a leg that unfolds for dangerous terrain.
Elevate: Hyundai’s trolley concept
The Elevate concept is based on a modular EV platform with the ability to swap out different bodies for specific situations
The Elevate concept is based on a modular EV platform with the ability to swap out different bodies for specific situations.
The robotic leg architecture features five degrees of freedom, in-wheel drive motors and is enabled by the latest electric actuator technology.
This design is uniquely suited to both mammalian and reptilian gaits, allowing it to move in any direction.
The legs also fold into a stowed ride mode that cuts power to the joints, and the use of an integrated passive suspension system maximizes battery efficiency.
This allows Elevate to drive at highway speeds like any other vehicle.
But no other can scale a 5-foot wall, step over a 5-foot gap, walk across varied terrain and achieve a 15-foot wide lane width while keeping the body and passengers perfectly level.
Additionally, the combination of wheel motion with articulating legs offers a new paradigm of mobility by enabling faster walking speeds, unique dynamic riding postures, and torsional control at the end of each leg.