Who needs a road? Chinese designer creates eco-friendly all-terrain car for land, water and ice

By Daily Mail Reporter

Last updated at 4:24 PM on 3rd January 2012

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A Chinese inventor has come up with an incredible new design for a car that will work on tarmac, sand, ice... and even water.
The all-terrain vehicle, which has a top speed of 62mph and works like a hovercraft, can move seamlessly between different surfaces.
Designer Yuhan Zhang, 21, created the spectacular car - called the Volkswagen Aqua - for a competition sponsored by the German car manufacturer.

Concept: The Volkswagen Aqua car would be capable of travelling on road, sand, water and ice

It features a shiny, sleek design with four fans and integrated airbags that inflate to make it hover.
And it's also environmentally-friendly as its two motors are powered by a hydrogen fuel cell - with zero carbon emissions.
One of the motors inflates a 'skirt' around the vehicle to lift it off the ground, while the other drives it forward and controls direction.

Futuristic: Created by Chinese designer Yuhan Zhang, the Aqua would be powered by a hydrogen fuel cell and would emit zero carbon dioxide

Sleek: The car was dreamt up for a Volkswagen competition and features technology found in hovercraft

Mr Zhang said: 'There is no better form of transport than an air cushion vehicle because it travels equally well over land, ice and water.
'I hope Aqua will become an affordable supercar that is available to the general public one day.'
The competition asked designers to come up with a 'Chinese off-road vehicle'. Aqua is based on technology that is currently available.

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