General Motors has sponsored an MIT Media Lab project to address "the last mile" of public transportation. The carbon-free, stackable, electric rental car will debut next week at the EICMA Motorcycle show in Milan.
"The MIT group sees the vehicles as the linchpin in a strategy that aims to mitigate pollution with electric power, expand limited public space by folding and stacking vehicles like shopping carts, and alleviate congestion by letting people rent and return the vehicles to racks located near transportation hubs, such as train stations, airports, and bus depots," Technology Review said.
The issue with public transportation is that it's great for getting you from point A, to point B, it just so happens to no one lives at either end. It's that last mile that's the tricky part. How do you get from the train station to your house when there's no bus? That's the problem GM is looking to tackle.
What's Driving This Trend
- Last Mile Transportation Solutions
- The development of stackable, public rental electric vehicles presents an opportunity to address the last mile problem in public transportation.
- Electric Car Sharing
- The introduction of carbon-free, stackable electric rental cars could revolutionize the car sharing industry and promote sustainable transportation options.
- Foldable and Stackable Vehicle Design
- The innovative design of foldable and stackable vehicles opens up new possibilities for utilizing limited public space and reducing congestion.
Who This Affects Most
- Transportation
- The transportation industry has the potential to embrace last mile solutions and integrate electric vehicle rental services.
- Automotive
- The automotive industry can explore the development and production of stackable electric vehicles to cater to the growing demand for sustainable transportation options.
- Car Sharing
- The car sharing industry can leverage the introduction of stackable electric rental cars to expand their fleets and offer more convenient and environmentally friendly options to consumers.
