Those thinking of buying aToyota Prius may be disappointed to learn that the future of eco-friendly travel has nothing to do with hybrid synergy drives – instead it involves six wheels, a treadmill, and a horse. The Naturmobil, the brainchild of an Iranian engineer, Hadi Mirhejazi, combines 19th-century travel with 21st-century gym equipment.
In essence it is a horse, tethered to a treadmill, inside a perspex box on wheels. The driver and passenger sit in the front (the prototype is a two-seater sports car), while the horse is in the back. To get moving you simply turn on the treadmill and wait for the “engine” to start trotting. The horse’s movement, aided by 20 gears, recharges the treadmill’s battery, and keeps the vehicle moving. It can go at quite a canter, reaching 28mph during a road test.