From electric cars to wheeled spas: Changan’s most crazy patent that no one saw coming

30/10/2026 15:30

Updated to

30/10/2026 18:26

Changan, Mazda’s Chinese partner brand, is generating a lot of talk in Spain and could become, if it hasn’t already, the surprise brand of 2026. The reason is the commercial success of the Deepal S05, which is sold as both a PHEV and an electric vehicle with a range of up to 485 km, and which has just been refreshed. Although it isn’t very well-known among the general public, it has been the 9th best-selling electric vehicle in Spain for months now.

Well, if Changan is going to make a splash in Spain, it has just done something incredible that will get headlines around the world: it patented a foot bath for its cars, one that is foldable and can be stored under the seat when not in use. An accessory worthy of a spa.

If your feet hurt, Changan might have a solution

Chinese consumers’ preference for comfort is well known, but the surprise this Chinese brand has just introduced will challenge many assumptions among both users and manufacturers. Indeed, though it sounds incredible, this foldable foot bath could be quite useful for long trips… and no manufacturer had thought of it before.

The patent application CN122873858A filed in China by this brand, which has surprised us in our country, is for a foot bath — spa-worthy — that has been thoroughly designed: the patent covers the aforementioned foot bath along with a retractable mechanism that allows it to be stored under the driver’s seat when not in use.

But what’s most amazing is that the Chinese brand has thought of everything, from providing an anti-slip bottom to a connection to a pipe in the vehicle’s floor, so that once the passenger finishes using it, the car can drain the water from inside — though the patent doesn’t specify whether it should be poured onto the road or into a graywater tank that these Chinese SUVs might have. It even includes a system to ensure the foot bath is disinfected.

Although Changan’s foot bath remains a patent for now, the brand has stated that this accessory “aims to address the challenges related to integrating foot care devices into vehicles.” That’s all for now.

What’s even more astonishing is this: another Chinese brand patented a toilet!

But if this foot bath from a surprise brand in Spain seems almost unbelievable, another Chinese brand went even further. We’re talking about Grupo Seres and its luxury brand AITO, which will arrive in Europe next year. Last April, without hesitation—well, maybe a bit hesitant—AITO patented a toilet for use as an interior accessory in its SUVs for the year 2025!

It’s a sliding toilet that would be placed under a single seat and could be removed and stored again after use. However, the brand didn’t explain how it planned to address such “trivial” issues as odor, sealing the toilet, or disposing of waste.