E1 Ecodrive electric taxi designed for drivers with disabilities

Some cars are retrofitted to accommodate passengers in wheelchairs, but the electric E1 Ecodrive is designed from the ground up to be operated by wheelchair-based drivers. With its front-opening cockpit reminiscent of the BMW Isetta, the intention of the E1 isn't just to give drivers with limited use of their legs a way to get around; it's intended to provide them with a job.

The E1 is aimed at the taxi market. Behind the driver is space for four passengers, who sit facing each other as in a mini-airport shuttle. Wide, upward-swinging doors at the side mean that the passengers also have easy in-out access.

At the moment, the E1 exists only as a set of digital renderings. However, the design team is seeking investment to turn the futuristic taxi into a prototype and eventually into a production vehicle.

[Source: Treehugger | Photo: Juan Carlos Mendoza Collazos]