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A Tiny, Rectilinear Electric Van With Swappable Panels, Modular Interior

HW Electro's Puzzle concept

By Rain Noe - November 21, 2023

in Cars

Tokyo-based startup HW Electro has unveiled Puzzle, their concept for an electric Kei van.

The tiny, rectilinear vehicle is just over 11' long and just under 5' wide. Intended for both mobile vending and disaster relief, it features sockets, USB ports, a WiFi transmitter and a first aid kit behind the front panels.

The charging will reportedly be augmented by solar panels.

As you can see by the color-coding below, a number of the panels are interchangeable, to keep production costs down.

"PUZZLE is a product that has been thoroughly streamlined to give form to its functions. That design philosophy is clearly reflected in the exterior. For example, the panel under the front light and the front edge of the roof, or the left front door and right rear door, are made of the same exterior panel. By standardizing every detail and using compatible common panels in various locations, we have eliminated waste during manufacturing and increased productivity. Rational design optimizes all resources during manufacturing. Funds obtained by reducing hardware costs will be used to develop software and connected services."

The rectilinear shape is to maximize interior storage space.

"PUZZLE prioritizes convenience as a transport vehicle, and has been designed to minimize wasted luggage space. Its appearance, which looks more square than a typical small van, is the result of an almost cubic cargo space that makes full use of the given size. Up until now, the luggage space of typical one-box cars has often narrowed towards the roof, making it often impossible to use every inch of the space originally provided."

I'm digging the Spartan interior, particularly that sliding shifter.

Also note the pegboard-like arrangement.

"The user-friendly interior layout differs from user to user. PUZZLE's interior panels are made into pinboards, allowing you to flexibly arrange various interior parts as if you were arranging your own room. Even if one unit is used by multiple users, you can easily attach and remove the necessary kits wherever you like. Each driver can drive with the interior of their choice."

While the company claims the Puzzle will be available in the 'States in 2025, they've got a long way to go: "Plans are underway," they write, "for a mass-produced model based on the concept car." Unsurprisingly, no prices have been announced.

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Comments

Rob Wilkey

a year ago

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Nitpicky comment because I really love 99% of this concept, but weird to see them go for such a strange gear shifter and a push-button parking brake, given how straightforward and functional the rest of the design is. A column or dial shifter and cable driven lever parking brake seem more aligned with the rest of the design ethos here.

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- Anurag Kurapati
  
  Rob Wilkey
  
  a year ago
  
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  Hey Rob, long time no see haha
  
  In theory I agree with you, but a mechanical parking brake would likely just increase part count, complexity, and cost when everything in an EV can be electronically actuated for maximum simplicity.
  
  As for the gear shifter, that seems like mostly just concept car fun. In all likelihood, they will probably move to an existing dial shifter as they get closer to production.
  
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Matthew Wilkins

a year ago

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Love the simplicity and how it's carried into the interior. Love a good pegboard dash and doors.

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