Much like flying cars, the notion of amphibious automobiles has been embedded in the public's collective conscious for ages. Now, with the Audi Hydron, artist David Cardoso has re-imagined the 'automoboat' as a proper (if futuristic) car that can also be comfortable on the water.
Here's what David told us about his latest conceptual creation:
"The Audi Hydron is a 3 seat, electric amphibious vehicle with the looks of a road car that can be used as a "boat" when necessary. Today, most amphibious vehicles are transformed road vehicles. The Hydron, on the other hand, is especially designed to give an original mix between land and water capacities.
The cockpit is relatively narrow to have a reduced water resistance. The doors have a hollow structure to guide the water from the front to the rear wheelarches. In water, the Hydron is propelled by hollow axe wheels. Each wheel is driven by an electric engine that can turn 90°.
Other advantages of independent turning wheels are the several driving modes on land such as a the parking mode and the rotation mode. It is also possible to have front, rear or 4 wheel drive depending on the driving conditions."
The Hydron's boat-ness is clearly the attention-grabber here, but those rotating wheels would make for a spiffy solution to some people's parallel parking issues.
By Phil Alex
All Photos Courtesy of David Cardoso
