MERM (Modular Electronic Retail Minivan)
red dot
red dot award: design concept 2008
MERM targets the changeable modern retail
market with a transformable car body and
various retail modules that can be fitted inside.
The whole vehicle is powered by electricity
and solar power.
MERM (Modular Electronic Retail Minivan)
facilitates a mobile retail market that could
bring retail services and vibrancy to city areas
that have been drained of intensity due to
singular functional uses or irregular visitor
flows. With its various functional modules
and transformable car body, MERM makes
optimum use of the space it occupies. The
electric engine does not produce any air
pollution and the solar panel on the roof
provides power for all facilities on board.
With the help of a central information system,
a group of mobile MERMs could greatly
increase the efficiency of the retail process,
and reduce unnecessary municipal input. So
that MERM can match various sales purposes
in different environments, the central container
has been designed with changeable modules.
These accommodate “Magazines and
Souvenirs”, “Hot Food” and “Frozen Food”.
Users can purchase several types of modules
and choose a two-module combination (one for
each side of MERM) that best fits their current
sales plan. Modules are easy to replace by
simply sliding them out from the car body.
When MERM is in driving mode, all the inner
space is fully used for storing goods. When
it’s switched to retail booth mode, the shelf
can be easily unfolded for display outside the
car, making adequate space for the vendor
to stand inside. This feature minimises the
size of the car and thus reduces its energy
consumption. Also, the compact size enables
the user to drive in narrow urban streets. |
