[Tour de France…in a Slappy] His son attended UTBM and one day asked his father what he was actually doing to help the planet…here’s the answer: Frédéric PORQUET, then director of manufacturing, founded the company MOBISlow and devised a mode of transportation that is practical, easy to use, and easy to repair with parts already available on the market…and, above all, carbon-free.

The Slappy—that’s its name—is a buggy powered by wheel-mounted motors. It can be charged the traditional way (150 km of range), but also by pedaling or using a solar panel mounted on the roof. The Slappy prototype is being developed in partnership with UTBM and the dynamic duo of Antoine Varret, handling the mechanical aspects, and Daniela Chrenko, handling the energy aspects, along with about fifteen students majoring in mechanical engineering and ergonomics working on the project, as well as students in the plastics technology BTS program at the Nelson Mandela High School in Audincourt.

Before continuing on its way to have its body made of recyclable materials assembled near Orléans, Sam Bonjean, a journalist for L’Est Républicain and an avid cyclist, came to capture the handoff of the prototype last Thursday on our campus. It’s big news: the Slappy is kicking off its Tour de France, which will take it all the way to the Le Havre Mid-Size Vehicle Show in December. UTBM is proud to partner with manufacturers who are leading the way.