Overview
Folks heading to Finland's Ruisrock festival won't have to worry about paying to get there — but they will have to be willing to belt out a few tunes.
Once, singing in your car was something everyone did when they were alone or enjoying an epic road trip with friends. In recent years, it has become an overdone late-night talk show comedy bit. Now, it's the only form of payment accepted by the Fortum Singalong Shuttle, which won't be taking cash, cards or funds via app when it hits the Turku streets between July 6–8.
On the way to and from the three-day fest — which features N.E.R.D. and The Chainsmokers among its headliners — punters can hop in at designated stops, pick a tune from an in-car tablet and start unleashing their inner pop star. According to the shuttle website, the vehicle keeps on moving as long as its passengers keep on singing; however, given the cars will come with drivers, we're guessing that there'll be some discretion about how much singing is really required.
As gimmicky an idea as you're likely to hear, it's actually an attempt by clean-energy company Fortum to get people thinking about its alternative energy solutions, with the Singalong Shuttle fleet populated solely by electric cars.
"The silent electric cars make it possible to enjoy singing without background noise and emissions," says the outfit's brand manager Jussi Mälkiä.