The world is urbanizing, the United States included. According to the United Nations Population Division[i], as of 2016, 82% of the US population lives in urban areas, with no signs of urbanization slowing[ii]. At the same time, mobility is being transformed. The one person, one fossil fuel powered car, ownership model for transportation that exists today is giving way to a shared, electrified and autonomous personal mobility services model[iii]. These two interdependent societal shifts will fundamentally change our relationship with the automobile as we head into the 2020s and beyond. Empty nesters will trade their suburban homes and multicar garages for urban condominiums with single reserved parking spaces, while millennials will utilize convenient mobility services to get around their downtown environments.
How will this affect car enthusiasts? Today there is already an unmet need for the space required to store unique and collectible personal vehicles away from the elements. Tomorrow this need will grow. Personal garage space will need to be better utilized. As mobility continues transforming through electrification and sharing, what is deemed unique and collectible will grow proportionally, driving demand for third party providers offering specialized services for off sight vehicle storage. Together, this growth in the demand for and better utilization of vehicle storage space is the opportunity for CarSled.
What Is CarSled?
CarSled simplifies car storage and retrieval by providing a self-contained platform onto which a car is driven then parked, enabling the car to be easily moved in any direction using air film technology from AirSled®.
Air Film Technology:
AirSled® is a pioneer in moving loads using a cushion of air. Their innovative air film technology enables a car to be moved by a force equal to just 1% of the weight of the vehicle. Leveraging air film pads and blowers integrated into CarSled, the blowers need only be turned on before the car can be easily moved in any direction.
Features & Benefits:
- Air film technology to lift a car and easily move it in any direction without damaging the floor
- Drive the car directly onto the platform without the need for ramps or lifts
- Flexible flip-up guides on the leading corners and the end help with positioning
- Integrated and adjustable tire cradles help reduce flat spotting during long-term storage
- Oil and grease repellent surface keeps drips from floor and rinses clean between uses
- Keeps the car battery charged with 3-stage smart battery charging
- Retractable battery charging cord has interchangeable ends for cigarette lighter or terminals
- Self-contained with integrated rechargeable batteries, eliminating power cord management
- Long retractable power cord for occasional recharging when indicator light reads low
- Control panel provides info on battery charging history and CarSled’s state-of-charge
- Integrated, lockable & easy-to-access box is used to stow keys, registration, insurance card, etc.
- Can be stowed on any edge to reduce space when not in use
Primary Use Cases:
Personal
- Car enthusiast has a 3-car garage at home, filled with the usual garage items
- Stores a unique collectible car during the winter
- After winterizing the car, CarSled is slid out of a corner and laid flat near the garage door
- Guides are flipped up at the leading corners and the end
- Car is driven onto CarSled
- Battery charging cord is connected into the car’s cigarette lighter
- A covered is put over the car
- CarSled’s air film is turned on using the control panel
- The car is slid into the back corner of the garage at an angle that maximizes remaining space
- An outlet is nearby so CarSled is permanently plugged in
Commercial
- Membership-based car club provides storage and concierge services for collectible cars
- Car club offers 15-min or less feature via mobile app – i.e., fueled, warmed & ready to drive
- Storage area is at maximum utilization
- All cars sit on CarSled platforms, uncovered so they can be admired by visitors & members alike
- Member uses mobile app to hail their collectible car for a sunny Sunday drive
- Car club tech assesses the shortest route out for the member’s car
- Tech turns on CarSled for 8 cars needing to be moved to create a path, plus member’s CarSled
- 8 cars are easily and safely moved aside to clear the route, then CarSled is turned off
- Member’s car is moved out of the storage area and then CarSled is turned off
- Member’s key is securely retrieved from CarSled box, started, driven off, fueled and staged
- Other 8 cars are returned, closing the route yet saving room for the member’s car
[i] United Nations Population Division – https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS?locations=US
[ii] United States Census Bureau – https://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/2010_census/cb12-50.html
[iii] Mobility Transformation – https://rmi.org/our-work/transportation/mobility-transformation/
Gonzology 