Brussels Launch for Spanish Folding Electric Car

An American-designed electric city car and made in Spain’s Basque country is to be unveiled next week. It should be on Europe’s roads in 2013.

The electric fold-up two-seater “Hiriko”, which means “urban” in Basque, is to be formally launched in Brussels on Tuesday. The first models should be on the streets of Europe’s cities next year.

The idea comes from M.I.T.’s Media Lab. But the concept has been developed by a consortium of small companies based in Spain’s Basque Country.