▁by ▁William ▁J . ▁Mitchell ▁and ▁his ▁Sm art ▁C ities ▁Research ▁Group ▁at ▁the ▁M IT ▁Media ▁Lab ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁as ▁the ▁M IT ▁Car ▁and ▁later ▁the ▁City Car ▁project . ▁Upon ▁William ▁Mitchell ' s ▁death , ▁the ▁project ▁was ▁led ▁by ▁Kent ▁Lar son , ▁director ▁of ▁the ▁Ch anging ▁Places ▁Research ▁Group . ▁ ▁The ▁commercial ▁development ▁of ▁the ▁Hi ri ko ▁began ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁in ▁the ▁Science ▁park ▁of ▁A lava , ▁Bas que ▁Country , ▁by ▁the ▁Spanish ▁cons ort ium ▁Hi ri ko ▁D riv ing ▁M ob ility ▁in ▁collaboration ▁with ▁the ▁Ch anging ▁Places ▁Group ▁and ▁the ▁Spanish ▁government , ▁which ▁provided ▁about ▁ ▁million ▁( ▁million ) ▁in ▁financial ▁support . ▁ ▁The ▁Hi ri ko ▁D riv ing ▁M ob ility ▁cons ort ium ▁included ▁seven ▁Spanish ▁companies ▁under ▁the ▁promotion ▁and ▁leadership ▁of ▁the ▁Association ▁for ▁the ▁Development ▁and ▁Prom otion ▁of ▁Indust rial ▁and ▁Sport ▁Activ ities ▁from ▁A lava ▁( A f yp a ida ), ▁the ▁Bas que ▁Center ▁for ▁In nov ation ▁Den ok inn , ▁and ▁the ▁Entre pr ene ur ship ▁and ▁New ▁Business ▁Development ▁E psilon ▁E usk adi . ▁ ▁A ▁production ▁prototype ▁of ▁the ▁Hi ri ko ▁F old ▁was ▁formally ▁un ve iled ▁by ▁the ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁European ▁Commission ▁José ▁Manuel ▁Dur ão ▁Bar ro so ▁in ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 2 . ▁ ▁The ▁variable ▁wheel base ▁concept ▁of