Modu Mosebetsi wa Sehlooho: Koloi ya Toropo by Daniel Henneh

Modu Mosebetsi wa Sehlooho: Koloi ya Toropo by Daniel Henneh is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 Moputso oa Tšepe oa A' Design Award in Moralo wa Dikoloi, Tsamaiso le Dipalanwa Competition Category.

TšepeKoloi· 2025

Modu Mosebetsi wa Sehlooho: Koloi ya Toropo

by Daniel Henneh

Client: Modu

Moputso oa Tšepe oa A' Design Award Winner in Koloi Category

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View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Modu Mosebetsi wa Sehlooho: Koloi ya Toropo

Sengoliloeng sa Buka: Modu ke koloi ya toropo e entsweng ka dikarolo tse kopanngwang bocha, e etselitswoeng ho tsamaea toropong. Koloi ena e hahilwe ho dikarolo tse ka fapanngwang le ho kenngwa dikarolo tse ding. Mabone a ka pele a ka letsohong le letshehadi le le letona a a tshwana, mme ho jwalo le ka diponahatso, dibampara tsa ka pele le ka mora, sistimi ya ho kganna le chassis. Mokgwa ona o fokotsa palo ya dikarolo, tjhelete ya ho hlahiswa le motlakase o sebediswang tlhahisong. Mmele wa koloi o entswe ka dipanele tsa aluminium tse anodised, tse sehilweng ka laser mme tsa kobiwa, ho na le sistimi ya motlakase ya ho kganna, dienjene tse ka hara maotwana a diwili le ho phahamisa koloi ka moya (air suspension). Koloi e hlophiswa inthaneteng ha e reka, mme dikarolo di ka fetolwa hamorao ha ditlhoko di fetoha.

The Recognition

About the Moputso oa Tšepe oa A' Design Award

Modu Mosebetsi wa Sehlooho: Koloi ya Toropo ke mohapi oa Moputso oa Tšepe oa A' Design Award, kananelo e hlomphehang e fuoang meralo e metle e finyellang litlhoko tsa porofeshenale le tsa indasteri tse lebelletsoeng ho lintho tse hlahisitsoeng tse entsoeng hantle. Bahapi ba Tšepe ba bontša bokhoni bo boholo, bokhethehi bo phahameng, kutloisiso ea litsebi le bokhoni ba boqapi ba baqapi ba bona. Modu Mosebetsi wa Sehlooho: Koloi ya Toropo e lebelletsoe ho ba ntho e hlahisitsoeng e hlomphuoang haholo, e ratoang le e ratehang, e sebetsang le e nang le mehopolo e mecha. Moralo ona o hapileng Moputso oa Tšepe oa A' Design Award o kenyelletsa mekhoa e metle ka ho fetesisa ea indasteri mme o na le litšobotsi tsa theknoloji tse nang le bokhoni tse amanang le tsebo le talenta. Ka lebaka la botlalo ba eona, Modu Mosebetsi wa Sehlooho: Koloi ya Toropo e tšoanelehela tlhompho mme e entsoe ho fana ka ntlafatso ea bophelo e thusang ho etsa hore lefatše le be sebaka se molemo.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: Modu is designed around modularity and interchangeability of components. It can be configured both at purchase and later as the need changes without buying a new vehicle. Modu introduces the concept of interchangeability, for instance, the left and right headlights are identical, the driving mirrors, the front and back bumpers, even the drive system and chassis system. This significantly reduces the manufacturing cost, energy and subsequently a smaller environmental footprint.
Dimensions & Packaging: Modu is modular so the dimension will vary base on the configuration. Minimum configuration 1.8m length x 0.85m width x 1.5m height
Electric drivetrain, In-wheel electric motor, air suspension, laser cut and bent anodized aluminum body panels.
Tags: Modular, City Car, Urban Mobility, Sustainable Design, Electric Vehicle, Interchangeable Components, Lightweight, Innovative, Compact, Energy Efficient, Flexible
Production Technology: The design of Modu was made possible through Design Thinking. Early ideas were captured via sketching, white boarding and sticky notes to capture critical features. These ideas were then refined through peer interviews and feedback. Iterative sketches led to CAD modeling in Siemens NX, with FDM 3D printing to validating key technical features. Realistic renderings in Keyshot and composition in Photoshop were used to visualize the vehicle and its potential use cases.
Design Challenge: The main challenge was combining complete modularity with aesthetics and structural integrity, a tough balance since these often conflict. The inspiration for Modu's exoskeleton design is from military vehicles, this simplified the design and reduced part count. Additionally, making the parts interchangeable was a challenge but crucial, for instance the left and right headlights are interchangeable, even driving mirrors, the bumpers, the drive system and many other components.
Research: Extensive academic research on urban mobility trends, material options, and advanced manufacturing, combined with user-centered design principles, drove Modu’s development. Informal interviews and digital prototypes captured local transportation insights and spurred iterative refinements. This research and feedback validated the need for a sustainable, adaptable vehicle, guiding design choices toward superior modularity, energy efficiency, and operational versatility.
Inspiration: I grew up in Ghana, West Africa where transportation continues to be an issue. Seeing first hand the potential of a highly optimized vehicle to impact lives, I was inspired to design a brilliant yet affordable solutions. Modu is designed to give the customer absolute freedom to configure the vehicle at the time of purchase and even later as their need changes without needing to buy a completely new car.
Project Duration: Project started in August 2024 in San Jose California and finished in January 2025
Operation Flow: The unique experience of this vehicle to starts right with the purchasing experience; The customer will configure the new Modu on an online platform where key elements such as size, specific modules and intended use can be chosen.
the vehicle is then delivered after a few days due to the ease of customization.
Operating Modu will be extremely easy with the ability to use the smartphone as a dashboard hence all the users music , frequently visited locations, contacts, etc all comes along for the ride on seamless experience.