This might seem stupid or just a stunt by some crazy Japanese companies looking for cheap press, but it’s actually a serious endeavor and has some merit.  It’s the Meguru, an amalgam of bamboo and steel to create a stylish, electric rickshaw-style taxi for Japanese cities.

It’s been developed in a three-way venture between the Yodogawa metalworking firm and Kinki Knives Industries (both in Osaka) and designed by several Kyoto craftspeople.  The car has a 25 mile all-electric range, seats 3 (driver, up to 2 passengers) and has some great design elements.

The framing is all metal, covered in coatings to make it appear to be wooden.  The flares and trim pieces, as well as the flooring, are all made of bamboo and the traditional fans making up the doors are made of washi paper.  At night, LED lighting lights up the interior to make the car appear like a lamp from the sides.

Recharge time is about 2 hours from a standard socket and its top speed is 25mph.  It’s accepted by the Japanese government as a road vehicle for urban use and it will have a price tag of about $10,000 (US).

Pretty cool, I think.  Here’s video:

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