Road trips in China may eventually come with a new kind of onboard convenience: a slide-out car toilet. Chinese EV maker Seres has secured a patent for an "in-vehicle toilet" that tucks beneath a passenger seat and can be deployed with a push or voice command, according to a filing with China's intellectual property office seen by the BBC. The system includes a fan and exhaust pipe to vent smells outside, a waste tank that must be emptied by hand, and a heating element designed to evaporate urine and dry solid waste. In the patent filing, Seres said the system is designed to "satisfy users' toilet needs on long journeys, while camping or while staying in the car."
Seres hasn't said if or when the feature will make it into a production model. The idea lands as Chinese electric-car makers race to differentiate in a crowded market by loading vehicles with extras like refrigerators, karaoke systems, and massage seats. Seres, which sells mainly in China but has expanded to Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, is one of the few Chinese EV firms currently turning a profit in a sector many analysts say is ripe for consolidation.
Onboard toilets are common in RVs and long-haul buses. In cars, they are rare but not completely unheard of, Auto Express reports. In the 1950s, New Jersey business tycoon Joseph J. Mascuch had a Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith modified to include a gold-plated toilet, which doubled as a champagne cooler.
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