Rinspeed iChange History

Unveiled at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show, the iChange explored what Rinspeed called 'evolutionary' vehicle packaging: a fully electric car that physically expands its roofline and interior to carry one, two, or three occupants, minimising aerodynamic drag (and thus battery drain) when driven solo. In one-seat configuration the roofline sits just 1.03 m high; at the touch of a button the canopy rises to accommodate two additional rear passengers.

Power came from a 150 kW (201 hp) electric motor paired with lithium-ion batteries in two stackable configurations for short or long-range use. Rinspeed quoted 0–100 km/h in slightly over four seconds and a top speed of 219 km/h. The iChange was controlled in part via an Apple iPhone — an early example of smartphone-integrated vehicle controls — and remains notable as an early production-serious attempt at a shape-adaptive electric vehicle.