"World's first" flat-pack truck designed to deliver aid to developing countries
This flat-packed delivery truck is designed to be easily disassembled and packed away in under 12 hours (+ slideshow).
The OX truck was created by automotive engineer Gordon Murray for the Global Vehicle Trust (GVT). It aims to provide remote parts of Africa and the developing world with transport for both everyday living and emergencies.
Because of its proposed international use, a key requirement of the vehicle was that it needed to be easily transportable.
Murray's solution to this was to make it flat-packable, meaning that the truck can be folded in on itself for disassembly – something GVT claims is a world first.
According to the GVT, it takes three people less than six hours to create the flat pack in the UK prior to shipping.
When the truck arrives at its destination, local professional companies will be employed to assemble and maintain the finished vehicles. Three skilled people can put an OX together in approximately 12 hours.
"Gordon Murray's design for the OX is nothing short of revolutionary," said GVT. "The flat-pack format fundamentally changes the way a vehicle can be bought and transported, providing specific advantages to lead times and overall unit cost."
As well as being easy to transport, the OX truck had to be able to tackle tough terrain and be suitable for undertaking tasks such as delivering drinking water and transporting building materials.
While the overall vehicle length is shorter than a large SUV, it can still carry up to 1900 kilograms of cargo. It also has enough space to seat up to 13 people.
In its cabin, the driver is seated centrally with a passenger either side. This layout accommodates road laws in different countries, where some drivers are seated left and some are seated right.
The tailgate, a hinged flap at the back of the truck, can be detached completely and rotated lengthways to create a loading ramp. Frames from the bench seating can be removed from the vehicle and used under the wheels to help move the OX across soft ground.
Going forward, the GVT is seeking financial backing to complete testing and put the vehicle into production.
Architects and designers are increasingly focusing on problems facing those in developing countries, particularly in the wake of the ongoing refugee crisis.
In a similar vein to the OX truck, Ikea created flat-pack shelters to provide emergency housing.
More recently, a group of students from London's Royal College of Art designed a prototype coat for refugees that transforms into a tent or a sleeping bag.