TVS OTTO

Problem / Brief

Brief: re-imagine the "powered light vehicle" category L7, beyond tuk-tuks, for Istanbul, and create a visionary vehicle concept for TVS that delivers a sustainable, safe and modern user experience tailored to Istanbul's unique challenges and needs by 2035/2040.

Research

Istanbul has the world's number-one congestion rate, 65%, across a population of 16 million, 5 million cars and 35% car ownership, driven by dense population, hilly terrain and waterways that limit road expansion. An interview with an Istanbul resident surfaced three recurring themes: residents buy cars for functionality and adaptability, people want something affordable and easy to maintain, and finding parking is a constant problem. A separate inspection study looked at Istanbul's fishermen for cues, umbrellas as portable shelter, water-filled buckets to keep fish fresh, foldable seats for portability and comfort, and the teapot's cultural weight in daily Turkish life.

Iterations

Built on the Renault Twizy's package (2300mm long, 1200mm wide, 1500mm tall), the concept resolves around modularity, a maximum-size sliding door for easier ingress and egress, and storage relocated to the front of the vehicle as a separate, removable piece rather than eating into cabin space. Sketching iterations worked through how that storage box could detach and travel with the user rather than staying fixed to the vehicle.

Outcome

OTTO's storage box removes entirely, turning transport into something closer to an experience: most daily activities need a space, a table, a seat and a shelter, and the removable box, seat and table combination meets all four, packing away when not needed rather than adding permanent bulk to the vehicle.