The City to Surf marathon was run on the weekend in Sydney. The usual furry animals and superheroes ran in the wake of the world’s serious runners but event sponsor, GWM, produced the greatest spectacle, a runner in GWM PHEP – Plug-in Hybrid Electric Pants.

The pants, an idea by Thinkerbell, are “a bold step into the future of wearable technology”, according to the agency, unveiled and tested by Australian decathlete, Cedric Dubler.

The custom-engineered pants were powered using GWM’s Vehicle to Load (V2L) feature, that enables appliances, and in this case, apparel to draw electricity from the car’s hybrid battery system.

‘For the first time, a car’s energy inspired a design that supports the performance of a human body in motion,” Thinkerbell noted.

Steve Maciver, GWM, stated, “City to Surf gave us the perfect stage to showcase our technology in a surprising, light-hearted way. The PHEP project was a fun, creative demonstration of what our VL2 feature can do, well beyond the expected.”

Integrated with Electro Muscle Stimulation (EMS) technology, the PHEP helped activate fatigued muscle groups during a run. Much like GWM’s Hi4 -T hybrid drivetrain, which intelligently delivers power when a vehicle needs it most, the pants delivered bursts of muscle-priming support when muscles begin to tire, keeping the wearer moving stronger, for longer.

“City to Surf was the perfect testing ground for this kind of tongue-in-cheek, or leg-in-pant, innovation,” said Tom, CC, Thinkerbell. “The GWM PHEP project showed how hybrid energy systems can extend beyond automotive, into performance, recovery, and personal mobility… if you don’t mind plugging your shorts into your car.”

The GWM Plug-in Hybrid Electric Pants follow the GWM Carpool, both designed to get attention and get people talking about the innovative features within the GWM range.