Electric vehicles may not be mainstream yet, but that shouldn’t stop designers from envisioning concepts related to the cars of the future.More than a charging device, V-Tent is a concept of a futuristic parking system created by Turkish designer Hakan Gürsu. It includes a canopy (hence its name) that covers electric cars while also charging them. The concept employs solar panels, among other gimmicks, so it should be seen with good eyes by environmentalists.
The collapsible pavilion of the V-Tent would work equally fine in personal and public parking lots. Once the availability of electric cars increases, there will undoubtedly be charging stations everywhere, but a concept that integrates both parking spaces and charging stations into one system would also be very convenient.
In case V-Tent is ever implemented at a large scale, it won’t come free of charge. After all, most services out there are available at a cost and the fees need to pay off the investment. The solar-powered canopy would feature a user-friendly interface, as well as a system that would allow people to pay the fee by card. Among other things, the user interface would display the estimated time needed for charging the car. Of course, that estimation is conditioned by the vehicle’s type, as well as by the battery’s capacity.
As seen in the following image, the material the canopy is made from includes a flexible solar panel, micro ventilation tubes and a reflective layer. The micro ventilation tubes assure that the material doesn’t reach extreme temperatures that would affect its functionality. Assuming that the V-Tent isn’t used by any cars, the collected energy could very well be used for urban applications such as lighting.
In 2012, the creator of the V-Tent submitted this concept as an entry for the Green Dot Awards. It only got a honorable mention, even though the concept might have been worth more. Now we only have to wait and see if the concept will become a reality or if it will remain a sketch one someone’s notebook. It would be great to see such a system that charges the car while also protecting it from harsh weather conditions.
The video that exemplifies how the V-Tent works cannot be embedded (that’s the uploader’s request), so anyone wanting to watch it should check this link.
If you liked this post, please check the C-1 electric motorcycle concept and KPV, the solar powered vehicle.
