New Ford concept folds under pressure

Ford has been caught patenting a novel new concept for a car that, it claims, "will fill the gap between bicycles and automobiles".

The blueprints, discovered by the Patent Yogi blog, is believed to be for a pure-electric vehicle that can fold or unfold depending on its users’ needs.

The clever, but simple, design sees the small low-cost vehicle extend out to a four-seat rickshaw or close up for easy parking in congested cities.

Believed to have been created for places like India and China, the designs were filed at the US Patent Office back in June 2014 but have only been published this month.

From the drawings it’s possible to make out the versatile platform can be used by the owner to fold out to a single-seat vehicle, two-seater tandem, two-by-two-seater or fold all the way out to a six-seater.

Helping the vehicle to be this flexible are hammock-style seating which could also allow the folding pure-electric rickshaw to become a ute at a moment's notice.

The flexibility extends to adding a further roof frame and floors if needed.

To steer the concept, Ford designers have used a simple handlebar arrangement.

With front and rear-mounted electric motors the concept could also be used off-road or even as an impromptu tractor.

It's not known if Ford has since evolved the concept for a 21st century pure-electric rickshaw since the drawings were submitted, nor when we'll see a the US car-making giant use a foldable platform again.