Innovative ‘Afreecar’ wins SAE 2021 Create the Future Design award

His middle name doesn't begin with “I,” but innovation is what made Dr. Chris Borroni-Bird's reputation as one of the most creative minds in the auto industry. Best known for a string of remarkable advanced concept vehicles he led at Chrysler and General Motors in the 1990s and 2000s, including the now-ubiquitous EV ‘skateboard’ platform, Borroni-Bird has a new mission. He's focused on bringing electric power and mobility to the roughly 1 billion people worldwide (primarily in sub-Saharan Africa and rural India) who are without electricity.

And his solution, called Afreecar, has impressed an independent panel of technically qualified judges to win - along with development partner Rich Saad - SAE's 2021 Create the Future Design Award, in the Automotive/Transportation category.