There are tons of different origami vehicles out there. Pretty much everything from cars to boats and of course paper planes can be folded with paper. In this post we’re going to look at some of our favourite vehicle designs.
First up is an awesome paper plane and a race car folded using dollar bills.
Race Car Designed by David Brill and Folded by Craig Folds Fives
Instructions not available
This Bugatti Royale might just be my favourite origami car design. It’s folded from multiple sheets of paper.
Bugatti Royale, Designed by Halle and Folded by Eyal
Diagrams available in Pajarita Magazine #116
This is another modular vehicle design that looks absolutely incredible!
Vietnamese Cyclo, Designed and Folded by Lê Danh
Instructions not available
Here’s a paper version of one of those old steam-powered cars. This is folded from a single 60cm x 60cm square of paper.
Steam Car, Designed by Morisue Kei and Folded by Artur Biernacki
Diagrams available in Origami Tanteidan Magazine #123
This is a very famous design called Mooser’s Train designed by Emmanuel Mooser. It was designed more than 50 years ago but we haven’t had instructions until very recently. If you know what you’re doing you can fold extra cars to make it much longer. The standard train only has the engine and two cars.
Mooser’s Train, Designed by Emmanuel Mooser and Folded by Rui Roda
Diagrams available in Moosers’ Train: The Origami Train Set
In this post we’ll look at a few different origami motorcycles. This one looks especially awesome if you use bright coloured and black paper. The body is folded from one sheet of paper and the wheels use another two squares of paper.
Motorcycle, Designed by Ryo Aoki and Folded by Philippe Landrein
Diagrams available in Origami Space
And of course, here’s a tank folded from a single sheet of paper. You definitely have to have a tank in a post like this.
Tank 3, Designed by Jang Yong Ik and Folded by huynhducle1403
Diagrams available in the Origami Tanteidan 21st Convention Book
Here’s a fantastic looking paper plane. This whole plane is folded from one square of paper.
Zero Fighter, Designed by Satoshi Kamiya and Folded by Mariano Zavala B.
Crease pattern available from Xiaoyu Ji’s Flickr
This is an absolutely beautiful full rigged ship. I love the little stand it’s sitting on here too. This is probably the best version of this model I’ve ever seen.
Full Rigged Ship, Designed by Patricia Crawford and Folded by Luc MARNAT
Diagrams available in Creating Origami
Taking things under water now we have this awesome looking paper submarine. Unfortunately I don’t think a paper submarine would last too long under water though…
Submarine, Designed by Sergio L. Guarachi and Folded by Alexander Krupnikov
Diagrams available in Olympiad 2012
Here’s another really awesome ship, this time a viking one. The entire model is folded from a single 1:10 rectangle of paper.
Viking Ship, Designed and Folded by Andrés
Diagrams available from Andrés’ website
Here’s a different train engine design. It’s folded from a single sheet of paper and the metallic coloured paper Eyal used here looks fantastic.
Train Engine, Designed by Yoshihide Momotani and Folded by Eyal
Diagrams available in Origami Amusement Park
Here’s a second motorcycle design. This time it’s folded from a single sheet of paper.
Motorcycle, Designed by Itagaki Yuichi and Folded by Paulius Mielinis
Crease pattern available in Origami Tanteidan Magazine #139
This is another really excellent car design. It’s folded from a single square of paper and uses a fantastic colour change so the wheels are a different colour.
Vintage Car, Designed by Akira Kawamura and Folded by Philippe Landrein
Diagrams available in NOA Magazine #231
Here we have one of the most famous plane designs by Marc Kirschenbaum. Believe it or not that’s a single sheet of paper! I have no idea how you can fold the wings like that with space in between them.
Biplane II, Designed by Marc Kirshenbaum and Folded by Luc MARNAT
Diagrams available in Origami USA Convention 1997
Here’s another highly impressive group of paper planes. This whole model is folded from a single sheet of paper. Apparently the diagrams are available in a book called Drawing Origami Tome 2 but I can’t find this book anywhere.
Air Show, Designed by Lee Jae Gu and Folded by Luc MARNAT
Instructions not available
Here’s that Bugatti Royale from earlier folded by a different artist.
Bugatti Royale, Designed by Halle and Folded by Pere Olivella
Diagrams available in Pajarita Magazine #116
This is a very clever and unique design of John Lennon from the Beetles in car form. The original design is technically a character from the animated movie Cars though…
Beetle, Designed by Halle and Folded by Blanka P (blunek)
Diagrams available in Drawing Origami Tome 1
Here’s Itagaki Yuichi’s motorcycle again parked outside. The little kickstand that holds it up is a really nice touch.
Motorcycle, Designed by Itagaki Yuichi and Folded by Artur Biernacki
Crease pattern available in Origami Tanteidan Magazine #139
Here’s another train model that’s sort of similar to Emmanuel Mooser’s but not quite. All the cars are folded from the same long strip of paper.
Train, Designed by Jose Angel Iranzo and Folded by Robin Scholz
Diagrams available in Pajarita Magazine #90
Here’s that awesome full-rigged ship from earlier but this time folded by a different artist.
Full Rigged Ship, Designed by Patricia Crawford and Folded by Rui Roda
Diagrams available in Creating Origami
Here’s another excellent rendition of that submarine from earlier as well.
Submarine, Designed by Sergio L. Guarachi and Folded by Luc MARNAT
Diagrams available in Olympiad 2012
And here’s one last Bugatti Royale to take a look at.
Bugatti Royale, Designed by Halle and Folded by Rui Roda
Diagrams available in Pajarita Magazine #116
This Formula 1 race car is incredible!
Formula 1 Car, Designed and Folded by Neelesh K.
Crease pattern available from Neelesh K.’s Flickr
I quite like this space shuttle design. It’s not too complex but it has a lot of character.
Space Shuttle, Designed by Seiji Nishikawa and Folded by Adriano Davanzo
Diagrams available in Works of Seiji Nishikawa
Yep, there’s even origami construction equipment.
Excavator, Designed by Philip Schultz and Folded by Luc MARNAT
Diagrams available from www.origami.happymagpie.com
And here’s a simple but great looking bulldozer too.
Bulldozer, Designed by Yamaguchi Makoto and Folded by Rui Roda
Diagrams available in Origami Tanteidan Magazine #111
Here’s an awesome little scene and photo where instead of sitting on a stand like we saw previously this ship is out sailing on the ocean.
Full Rigged Ship, Designed by Patricia Crawford and Folded by Alexander Krupnikov
Diagrams available in Creating Origami
Here’s one last motorcycle. The red paper used here on the body is perfect.
Motorcycle, Designed by Ryo Aoki and Folded by Willie g crespo
Diagrams available in Origami Space
Our final model for this post is this absolutely incredible tractor photographed at a convention. The entire model is folded from a single square of paper!
Tractor, Designed and Folded by Jang Yong Ik (Photo by Shuki Kato)
Instructions not available
That’s it for this post. Have you ever tried folding any of these? Let us know in the comments!
