SHANGHAI AUTO SHOW: China's 'magic' car, powered by a mobility scooter

Two for the price of one: Geely combines electric three-wheeler with a hatchback

Chinese car maker Geely has invented an ingenious vehicle that allows the frail, the disabled or the plain lazy to ride a mobility scooter into the back of it -- then use the same scooter to help power the car.

It's called the McCar and although it has nothing to do with a fast-food burger chain, it does make drive-thru seem like a physical activity by comparison.

The McCar, unveiled at Auto Shanghai yesterday, is about the same size as a Fiat 500 but has a rear hatch with a ramp that enables the driver to ride the three-wheel scooter into position.

Once locked into place, the electric car can access any reserve energy left in the scooter -- or the scooter can be charged by any excess energy in the car.

In a case of 'you scratch my back, and I'll scratch yours', both vehicles can restore energy to their respective battery packs whenever the McCar is driven downhill or under brakes.

Top speed of the fully-electric car is 85km/h and it has a driving range of 150km. Top speed of the scooter is 30km/h, with a range of 30km.

Geely claims the car can be recharged in 20 minutes and the scooter in five minutes when a fast charger is used.

There is also a plug-in hybrid version -- that provides 50km of petrol-free driving before the petrol-engine cuts in. It has a driving range of 600km.

While it's all fine in theory, it is only a concept vehicle for now and not planned for production. There's also no hint on what it might cost.

But given the world's aging population, and China's ambition to be a world leader in electric cars, such a vehicle could hit the road within the next few years.

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