Hiriko is a folding car that has been in the making for the last 5 years. This city car is positioned for mobility services (car sharing) that aim to reduce the congestion generated by automobiles in cities.
The folding car resembles a Smart Car and has the ability to fold itself into an upright, space-saving parking position that feels straight out of a sci-fi novel. In dense European city centers, shared micro-EV concepts live or die on parking efficiency and last-mile convenience.
A working model of Hiriko is unveiled in Brussels, and it is described as commercially available in 2013.
At a reported estimated price of around €12,500 (excluding tax), the future of driving feels close.
A few fast answers before you act
What is Hiriko?
Hiriko is a fold-up two-seat electric city car concept designed for urban mobility services such as car sharing, with a body that retracts to reduce parking footprint.
What problem is the folding mechanism trying to solve?
Parking density. By shrinking its footprint when parked, the car is meant to make it easier to operate shared fleets in tight city environments.
Why is this framed for car sharing rather than private ownership?
Because the core value comes from fleet efficiency: easier parking, easier staging near transit nodes, and higher utilization in dense areas.
What makes the concept feel “sci-fi” in practice?
The upright, compact parked stance changes the familiar silhouette of a car and makes the space-saving benefit immediately visible.
What is the simplest lesson for mobility and product teams?
If your promise is “better city mobility,” make the benefit visible in one glance. A fold-up parking mode is a benefit people can understand without explanation.