i8 Coupe

Make
BMW
Segment
Coupe

Ford's been extremely busy recently, introducing an enormous amount of patents. But one of the craziest and most incredible patents on the list is for the driver that's looking to turn into Batman. In a recent report by Patent Yogi we learned that the American automaker originally filed a patent back in June 2014 that was recently granted and published. The patent shows a system where the rear wheel of a vehicle can be removed and be used to create an electric unicycle, just like the Caped Crusader in the film "The Dark Knight."

According to Ford, the unicycle would serve as a part of a multi-modal transportation system which would allow drivers to use the one-wheeled system to reach their final destination. The seat, battery, handlebars and upper section of Ford's self-propelled unicycle would hide away in the vehicle's trunk. While the patent looks like a lot of labor, the unicycle will come with an automated jack system that will raise the vehicle and make removing the car's rear tire a little easier. As huge Batman fans, we're on board for a vehicle that can transform into a unicycle, but this patent has some pretty big flaws. For one, we don't know who would like to deal with dirty tires and build a unicycle before going to work.

Ford thinks one solution to the problem would be to build the jack into the actual suspension or structure of the vehicle. Instead of using the vehicle's dirty tires, it would make more sense for Ford to incorporate another spare tire for the unicycle, but automakers are already taking those out of vehicles for better fuel economy. This radical patent seems like a great idea, but it's still a long way away. Does a vehicle with a removable unicycle sound like a good idea?