15 Vehicles to Change Our World

George Clooney's Electric Tango Spied


i-swing: Toyota Updates Its Personal Mobility Concept

Toyota's i-unit (which we covered here) was kind of cool, but the i-swing unveiled at the 2005 Tokyo Motor Show takes the Personal Mobility Concept one step further: It can operate in two-wheel mode like a segway in "walking" environments and in three-wheel mode when road speeds are needed. "In addition to the joystick control, the i-swing can be controlled by body weight movements with a feeling reportedly like turning as if on snow skis


E-Max Electric Scooter Arrives from Germany

The E-Max is an electric scooter from Germany, which has been used in that country for many years. It is now available in the U.S., and several people have received their bike



Yamaha's Gen-Ryu Hybrid Motorcycle

Yamaha is bringing nine motorcycles to the 39th Tokyo Motor Show coming up later this month. One of the bikes will be the Gen-Ryu hybrid motorcycle prototype which combines the YZF-R6 600cc engine with a high output, high efficiency electric motor...



Mikado Bicycles — Made in Canada

All this recent talk of new hybrid cars and suchlike could lead one to believe that there were no interesting bikes out there, taking their role as the true green transport. Not so. Take just two models from the range by Mikado. We picture the 21 speed Quetzal first, simply because it's more eye-catching. Although having a steel frame, it weighs in at a respectable 19.25kg (42.35 lb) for a cycle with a semi-recumbent position. Designed for everyday riding, it has Shimano components, a Selle seat, and like the whole Mikado range is handcrafted in Canada. But of equal interest is the very classically styled 7 speed Volta city bike (pic below). It sports a power-assisted 25w motor from Sanyo. Mikado have been making such electric bikes since 1996.



Mazda will be displaying five new vehicles for the Tokyo Auto Show, three of which will be hybrids. One of them will be the Senku hybrid car, which is based on Mazda's RX-8. It will feature "flying wing" doors and, more interestingly, it will include solar cells that are embedded in the roof, according to AutoWeek. Apparently, the solar cells will be used to help keep the hybrid batteries charged.



The World Solar Challenge 2005 Has a Winner

The Dutch have now won the World Solar Challenge 3 times in a row. They crossed the finish line today, having driven 3,021 km (1,877 miles) in a record time of 29 hours and 11 minutes, breaking their own record by 43 mins. While the cars were sometimes travelling at speeds over 110kph (68 mph) they were required by race rules to stop each day at 5pm. On the final day, the Dutch team, with their car called the Nuna 3, were amazed that they were able to keep driving even with cloud cover.



OK, so maybe it looks like something out of a kids cartoon, but that’s not the only reason to put a big cheery grin on your face. The MM 1.0 could get you up to 70mph (113 kph) during it’s 20-40 mile (32-64 km) long electrically powered journey. Come 15 October 2005, the MM 1.0 (once known as the Sparrow) is due to move from prototype to fully fledged production vehicle.



Motorcycle Engine in smart Car

Along with the Toyota Prius GT which we previously covered, the smart car (Mercedes writes the name of the car with a lower-case "s") modified by Peter Bee and Z Cars is an answer to a question that nobody had asked, but still kind of cool. The super-mini-car is not quite treehugging in itself since the modifications certainly made it less efficient than it originally was, but anything that can get the general public excited about smaller cars (especially in North-America) can only be a good thing. The specs of the modified smart are: 180 hp from a GSXR1000 Suzuki motorcycle engine (they call the car "Smartuki" because of it), a 13,000 RPM redline, 0-60 in 4.2 seconds, 1/4 mile in 12.4 seconds and it tops out at 132mph.



The Twike

No, it’s not a promo pic for a sequel of the sci-fi movie Gattaca. But it could be. Could also be an early adopter of Hypercar concepts, as long espoused by Amory Lovins of the Rocky Mountain Institute. The Twike will propel two passengers along at speeds up to 80kph (55 mph) on a charge of its rechargeable NiCd (NiMH) batteries. Range is around 80km per charge, which reaches maximum after being plugged into a household socket for 2 hours. Conceived in Switzerland and built in Germany the Twike Active model can add 30% extra range due to its hybrid pedal power adaptation.



Tango For Two

The now infamous Segway Human Transporter was touted as the next big thing in commuting for a lot of reasons, but one stuck out above the rest: Compact size. By shrinking the footprint of the vehicle, you can fit many times more people on existing roads and freeways, and since you never have empty seats, fuel is used more efficiently. Unfortunately, lack of high speed performance killed the two wheeled wonder on America's streets.



HaveBlue – Sailing Away Clean With a Hydrogen Fuel Cell

Sailing to me is about getting away from it all; and living in Los Angeles, that usually means getting away from pollution. That's why it's very disappointing when I see smog hanging over some remote harbor, usually produced by dozens of boats 'enjoying nature'. So, I was delighted to learn that HaveBlue, a Ventura California based company, has created a system which produces propulsion and power for your boat from...water. The clever folks at HaveBlue recognized that if you are going to use an oxygen and hydrogen fuel cell for something, you might as well be floating on the fuel (H2O).


Eco Taxis for Tourists in the Streets of Spain

You remember our last week featured Velotaxi , right? Well, advertising firm Freshh Communications is providing fifty of velotaxi-like tricycles for tourists to travel through the streets of Valencia -Spain- for free. We don't know for sure if they'll be from the same firm that created them back in Berlin, but they're pretty much the same vehicles. The catch is that tricycles will have advertisements on its bodywork, which will support the program, called "Valencia Trike Project". As we previously explained, tricycles run on pedals, like a bike, but have also an electric engine.


The Windcheetah : Not Your Little Brother's Tricycle

Since their invention in the 1800's bicycles have always been a fascination to people, and often, a serious means of transportation. Recent innovations like lightweight aluminum construction, and composite materials have brought the bicycle into its present spot as a viable form of commuting, especially in more urban areas where traffic is slower paced and commutes are shorter. But if you are after a bike with a lot more oomph than you remember from your childhood Schwinn, we've got just the ticket...



MiniCat - air powered car

Can you hear the café chatter? “Your fuel cell car runs on hydrogen and emits only water? Oh, Darling, that's so 2004! See my MiniCat over the road there? Air, sweetie. Thats all it needs. And all it emits.” What she probably wouldn’t tell her fellow latté sipper is that it costs a paltry 0.75 € per 100km (or $1 USD per 62 miles) to run. Due out this year, the Minicat is powered by a revoluntary compressed air technology (CAT) engine. How it works is largely a well kept secret. But the results are a vehicle with a range of about 300km or 10 hours driving.



Barcelonian Tram Tracks Detailed with Grass

November 25, 2004 06:33 AM -

The Barcelonian Engineers that designed these tracks clearly subscribe to a similar vision to TreeHugger. What a great idea! Instead of hard, ugly, impervious asphalt we get lovely, green, air purifying, water filtering, micro-habitat creating, sigh inducing grass. Right up to the damn tracks non etheless. Good work Barcelonians! Thanks Mr. Charlie Scott for pics.


There are numerous links and extensive descriptions that go with each image. Go here to find them all under one umbrella and explore the array of eco-friendly vehicles and in-depth discussions about design concepts:
http://www.treehugger.com/files/transportation/index.php

but I need to lose about 150 lbs before I can get in one.

I have this picture of circus clowns getting out of the vw.

<img src="" alt="Image hosted by Photobucket.com">

2004 Bajaj Cheetak scooter, from India. 145cc engine, gets 100mpg, cruises upwards of 60mph. A fun bike to ride that feels nice and stable on the road. If you can afford aprox $2800.00, I highly recommend getting one of these for your daily commute. I've got a twenty six mile one way commute each day, and I'm saving loads of cash by riding my scooter. I'll be taking that money that I save and purchase an external wood stove next summer, for propane has gotten outrageous around here. Then I'll take the money I save on gas and heating and roll that all over into a 3k wind turbine here in a couple of years.

I want one of those micro cars! Too bad I can't buy one.

My second year of college I was approached by a friend who asked me why I was driving my truck to school. A light went off in my head. And I decided to ride my bike. It was only 5 miles each way. And maybe twice a day. BUT, once I started, it was like a new world opened up to me. I rode every day until I graduated, and then when I started working after school. Through the rain and snow.
And to be honest, what a fantastic world it would be if we all rode bikes. That was what I constantly thought about while riding. The benefits are a long list.
And even though I now own THE BIGGEST truck you can possibly buy, one that puts a Hummer to shame, I would much rather get on my bike. Actually, I only own the truck because I have a backhoe on a trailer.
I would rather ride my bike to the grocery store. I would gladly spend a half day or more getting groceries than drive. And I live in the mountains, 17 miles from the store.

But, it's the cars that keep this from happening. The number of times I've almost been killed. Etc.

I won't live long enough to see it happen. Plus, the Chinese are abandoning cars as quickly as possible. I belong to a bike forum, and people who have been in China are amazed each time they return to see the change.

Which is the 'bike' capital of Holland... which is second in the world to a Chinese city, I believe, on bikes per capita. It's a student city so.

The whole city infrastructure is built for bikes. Even out into the country as my wife and two kids did a bike trip last summer and there were bike roads all the way to the coast (lovely small villages too) over 70 km from Groningen.

I don't own a car. We have six or seven bikes, carts (kids carts, trailor carts) for use. If I need to go to Amsterdam I catch the train.

Here's a fietskar (kid trailer)

http://www.fietskar.com/

In 1973, we had a French exchange student. When she told us about mopeds, and bike roads, I was blown away by how advanced they are. I always felt alienated in my own country. I don't belong here. All I can say is, it sounds like a lovely place to live. I envy you. As I write this, I am selling my ranch. And primarily because I can't stand the ultra-American attitude here. Bicyclists beware. I want to move to, quite simply, a more educated place.
Most of the country follows. And without leaders, the followers are nothing more than evil little drones.

Sorry. You can tell I'm really tired of this shit.


If I ever make enough money, I'll look around the world for another place to call home. Holland sounds nice. Aware people. Educated people.

Tons of safety features, lots of horse power and apparently great gas mileage too boot. The big three ran Preston Tucker off, but stole some of his ideas. Gas mileage wasn't one of them. And that car wasn't small. His use of the Franklin engine garnered great mileage apparently. No wonder they shut him down.

Area Man "Invents" Peanut Trailer



My friend Tim's explanation about his Prius trailer was: "I just couldn't see keeping my beater SUV with these high gas prices, so I traded her in on this classic Prius". Then he added: "With this little invention I can afford our 10th annual Elk Hunting trip". And, "I just hope my buddy with the El Primo Grand Escalade won't give me too hard of a time". I then told Tim that trailering was an old idea; that, before 1970, when most families had one car, a guy kept his trailer parked by the garage, hitchin' it up for a vacation or to haul wood. Tim could tell I was suspicious and he bleated "Duoooh" before admiting that he'd bought the little trailer from "off the internet". We talked awhile. Tim admitted that he'd been suckered like everyone else before he'd traded in his old SUV and got the"Peanut".


Another is possible. Another world is a must.

Tows easily behind the bike. Don't use plastic bags in Holland either. They don't even give them out at the supermarket... you have to buy them. So most people bring their own bags for shopping.

Doesn't that make sense?

in addition to the Minicat above...

the family size 6 seater



delivery van



taxi



and pickup



these little guy are running NOW overseas and I'm gonna be 1st in line when the come out over here...

than batteries.

Probably lighter, and definitely less toxic waste.

because the don't use oil you silly boy! Halliburton hasn't figured out how to make you pay for air...

I would love to have the 6 seater for the family. I wonder how well it goes in the snow?

I never had any inclination to own a motorcycle until I saw that picture. Too cool for words!

i found a bike light which doesn't use batteries on one of the links you offered here.
thanks

for groceries, goes about 30 miles before needing a charge and his high speed is 60 mph.

The cost for the recharge is negligable on my home electric bill...the cost comes out to 2-3 cents per mile to run it.

They're able to do a lot with power and size with electrics and true hybrids these days. Check out this site and the links to the nationals from there: http://www.oeva.org/

(Yes, that's a shameless plug, but hubby is an officer in the club.)

I'm down in Coquille. You wouldn't dare drive something like that here. You'd get shot at by rednecks.
With the new batteries that are about to hit the market, you'll be able to at least double your distance. Plus the recharge rate is extremely quick.
I've been into electric cars since the mid 60's. Like a lot of things, they've been suppressed and forgotten. That's all changing, finally.

We're just starting the new world of transportation. It's going to be fun.

it's my favorite too. Just love vintage cars, they just look awesome. I think Cuba has the second largest contingent of US classic cars and I think many run on bio-fuel. Check out the info on this beautiful beast at link below. Show some photos to the boys and then tell them the details. Noone likes high gas prices and they will get higher. Some of the gear heads might want to build one like this.



Utah Student Building Hybrid '32 Ford

Brent Singleton, a student at a Utah technology college, is combining the old (a 1932 Ford) with the new (hybrid engine). He's put an interesting twist on the idea of the hybrid engine, though: Brent wants his power to come more from the electric side, producing something similar to the plug-in hybrid idea we've mentioned before here and here, just to name a few. Though some of the details are unclear, we admire Brent's youthful enthusiasm: "Their idea of a hybrid vehicle is that you run a gas motor to run (the) electric (motor), and then you have a little bit of battery pack to do the rest. And (mine) is a mainly electric motor so you can have any fuel system on it...it can be anything you want it to be!" Once done, he wants to build a kit to make conversions for other cars easier....

http://www.treehugger.com/files/transportation/index.php

yard sales and such. Our Sprint never fails to draw looks and questions. It's great...we hit all the sales in half of our search area, go home and plug it in while we unload and then head back out to finish the rest of our area.

Lots of people are really getting interested. The size of the OEVA is growing at a pretty good rate and more and more people show up for events.

They're want to use Portland International Raceway for next year's electric drags, and the turnout for some exhibition races this fall have been fantastic.

We will eventually foil the oil companies.

but gave up due to the difficulty in finding a suitable donor car to invest time and money into.

Here in the upper midwest, the body of Sprints/Geos wear out faster than the mechanical. Also, the summer run up in gas prices didn't help resale values of small cars (from my perspective).

Will probably resume the hunt this spring.

As you note in a subsequent post, a 30 mi. EV range is adequate for most trips. For me, a 20 mi. range would be adequate to preclude the need for firing up the gasser except for out of town trips.

This is why I am excited about the possibilities of PHEV capability. With a 20 mi. EV range, a Prius could attain 100 mpge+. For me, the IC engine would only be used when I leave town.

PHEV Prius conversion out there. The founder stopped by Portland a few weeks ago, on his trip from California to Seattle. His conversion is awesome.

Evidently, the PHEV is an option in Japan. The U.S. wouldn't allow these versions to be sold here.

Our biggest roadblock to the alternative fuel vehicles is the government and the oil lobbyists. The technical is there for the taking (and using) but the average person hasn't been allowed access.

... keep up the good work

People would start laughing, I'm sure they would. That Tango For Two vehicle is pretty ugly too.

The only one that looks even remotely cool, is the Mikado bicycle.

Just sayin'. They should design these things to look like normal cars...NOT like something that looks like something out of Flash Gordon...oh heck, Emperor Ming is revving up his engine.

On Edit: Spelling error.

But people bought it anyway.

If you have a long commute, you'll eventually get over the weird factor.

I could get in one of those things, but I would never be able to get out again. :evilgrin:

I can not see one of those making it up this mountain with all the snow we get nor do I see it being about to carry a full load of feed. Not a practical car for around here but would be in the city or warmer climate. I will have to stick with my little truck until they come out with a hybrid truck.

I've done some modifications on my vehicle and it can now carry 9 bales and a face cord of wood. More than any of the SUV's that we used when toting bales of straw for the house being built w/bales. My vehicle is tiny and scrambles up most snowy conditions. Ingenuity can solve some seemingly impossible circumstances, not saying any of this would work in yours.



Get Your Ford Mariner Hybrid Online

Ford has started selling its second hybrid, the Mercury Mariner (which is a more luxurious cousin of the Ford Escape), on July 11th. It is available almost exclusively online at MarinerHybrid.com, but in very small quantities for the 2006 model year. To give some perspective, 2,000 Mariner hybrids will be made the first year while Toyota/Lexus sold 2,869 Highlander hybrids and 2,605 RX400h in the month of June alone (stats here). Production should grow to 4,000 annually. "The Mercury Mariner Hybrid <...> delivers estimated fuel economy of 33 mpg/city and 29 mpg highway (some 7% less than the slightly lighter Escape). It also meets the stringent California Advanced Technology Partial Zero Emissions (AT-PZEV) Standard. The Mariner Hybrid can run in electric-only mode up to 25 miles per hour ." Another thing worth noting: The Sierra Club will help Ford to promote the new hybrid.



Brainy Students Build Kick-Ass Car

Forget about go-carts and soapbox derbies, a group of Arizona high-school students and their physics teacher turned a Chevy pickup into a hydrogen-generating, solar-powered, self-sustaining, pollution-free ride..

GM has a hybrid out now, and Toyota has a pretty cool concept hybrid on the board.

These are "mild" hybrids, but they're coming up with better concepts every year. There are utility trucks that are showing a decrease of 40-60% decrease in fuel consumption. Bigger vehicles can carry the larger batteries more easily.

In Europe, where automobile producers have committed to reduce the CO2 emissions of their fleets from today's average of 200 grams/km to 140, this EU-wide project has been on the radar since the CLEVER press release in April 2004. Now, CLEVER--for Compact Low-Emission VEhicle for uRban transport--has passed its first big test. In a head-on crash test, the innovative three-wheeler demonstrated very satisfactory performance, similar to a normal small car. Side-crash tests are planned. Further novelties include a natural gas engine with fuel-cartridge concept so the car can be used where a NatGas network is not yet complete....

http://www.treehugger.com/files/transportation/index.php

link for their efforts of late....

www.zapworld.com

...which was something at the old, now completely changed, GM pavilion. It was a cool looking three-wheel vehicle, completely enclosed, that supposedly got 200 miles per gallon. There was all kinds of video shown how it protected the rider from the rain (unlike a motorcycle) and how it "cambered" into turns.

What they didn't say was that the thing's high center of gravity made an SUV look like a rock of stability. The thing turned over a lot in tests. And as for actually driving in the rain...God help anyone trying to steer it through a skid.

I would love the thought of one of these vehicles for commuting - whether it ran on gasoline, electricity, coal or running water - but they're going to have to compile some real-world stability, crash and long-term performance tests before they convince anybody to buy them.

:: Modified Hybrids Get 250 Mpg

August 15, 2005 01:34 AM - Collin Dunn, Durham, North Carolina

Hot on the heels of the news that production-model Toyota Prius's can achieve 110 miles per gallon (mpg) comes the news that with a few modifications, today's Prius's can be modified to help increase fuel efficiency without the benefit of the "pulse and glide" technique used by the test team. Take this example, built by electrical engineer Ron Gembam: it looks exactly like a typical Toyota Prius, but in the trunk sits a stack of 18 brick-sized batteries that give it an additional electrical boost that allows it to just barely sip at the gas tank...




Go-One Aerodynamic Recumbent Tricycle

November 10, 2004 08:05 PM -

Forget romantic visions of cycling with wind in your hair. Get your tangled locks inside a sleek shaped monocoque shell, made of carbon fibre. Designed by Michael Goretzky (one of the guys behind the SMART car) who reckons you can go almost forever without refuelling. OK, so you might stop for the occasional veggie burger and cleansing ale. This true "Human Powered Vehicle" (HPV) comes with front, rear and indicator lights. The 28 speed bullet weighs just 32kg, with batteries. Luggage compartments are under development as is a battery powered electric motor. Truly desperate for some fresh air? - leave the rear 'turret' off - instant cabriolet! And girls, it even has has a side view mirror so you could, at a pinch, adjust your make-up while waiting at the traffic lights.


And look at a few of the posts above or the website linked below. EPCOT and/or GM are miles behind what is out there.

http://www.treehugger.com/files/transportation/index.php

Those are all very impressive results. Unfortunately they won't mean much when you're caught in a T-bone crash, and those expensive sealed batteries are leaking their fluid all over your broken body, with the vehicle's light-weight frame inverted and crushing you.

I'm saying that those three-wheel vehicles are all really cute looking, but they have no safety data. Not simply crash-worthiness, but the way they handle on rain- or snow-covered streets, how they handle curves, how easily they can avoid a crash, whether ABS brakes provide additional safety, those kind of things.

And...think about this. If you must have special instruction to ride a motorcycle as opposed to an automobile, maybe you should be required to take special training to drive a powered tricycle. It certainly would handle differently than your four-wheeled car.

Perhaps you don't care about safety, and fuel economy is all that matters to you. Well, tell that to the lady friend I know who can barely walk after she was hit in a spine-destroying crash. Making a car safe, not simply ecological, is an important factor in selling such concepts to the public that does NOT read DU. 'Cause if you don't want to do that, you're preaching to the choir.

If you get hit on a freeway, you are dead!

Here is a car like the one I drive. Even with studs it is very scary.

But, no matter how safe I drive, some idiot in a trailer truck can smash into me. If that happens, PowerToThePeople will cease to exist.

we were part of a new, environmentally friendly, sustainable earth economy to save them from freezing in the dark

And include in that the safest way for community. The safest way for the future.

Eco-transport is more than just thinking about the vehicle that YOU drive it's the way WE drive, the way OUR transport impacts OTHERS (think War ON Iraq etc..), the damage to our psyches of how OUR transportation systems alienates and atomizes, as well as the obvious damage to our lungs and habitat.

there is smaller car, lighter car that will put a minor fender-bender in more serious physical jeopardy

Some are quite interesting, but virtually none are practical for most of America

with a 6 passenger family/van/taxi

Would be a tight fit though.

(hey the front kinda reminds me of the grey aliens ala Rosewell...COOL!)

You already drive a sacred vehicle, to find it, close your eyes.
In the subsequent expectation, for something to "happen", accept
that something has already happened, and the clock on the body is
running down day by day. Every day, no matter the brilliance of
your enlightenment, stopping is dependent on a vehicle, and the
vehcile of the enlightened, like jesus christ, was his body itself.

What the omen of a sacred body. What was the real reason it was born,
what profound truth did it incarnate to discover and what is the
nature of that soul, read from the carbon copy reflections of their
akashik record. And without the sacred vehicle of conscious life,
are we pissants and mall rat assholes wishing for a new world in
corporatopia, maybe with the latest mobile phone and wheels rig.

Captured Nazi Rocket Golf Cart, 1945

Yeah, like I'm gonna drive this. I may have loved Steve Urkel as a kid, but I'll be damned if I have to drive a car that looks just like his VW Isetta. F



This is very interesting, and I might actually like using this on occasion to move around my campus, but then I realized that I have a little thing called LEGS, and the ability to do a little something called WALKING. Just a Segway knockoff. B- as a mobility vehicle, F as a "car"



I really like this scooter, and if I had the money, I'd buy one of these to use in the summertime. Very classy. A-



This scooter looks very spiffy, but I like the first one more. Still, no complaints here. C+



I'm not into riding bikes, and this one looks like the front wheel system is detatching from the gears. D-



Now we're talking HOT SHIT here. THIS is my winter car. Put some 4-wheel drive and de-icing windshield wipers on it, and you got yourself a deal, my friend. A



You have got to be fucking kidding me. F



I remember seeing these things when I used to work as a preschool teacher. The kids would always fight over who would get to use one of these first during gym playtime. I might actually be interested in something like this if I was less than 4 feet tall and 55 pounds. F



Mr. Smart Car, meet Mr. Wind. Mr. Wind, PLEASE try to go easy on Mr. Smart Car and spare the driver his life. F



Has every human on Earth quickly become a contortionist over the past week and not informed me about it?? How the fuck is ANY adult supposed to fit into most of these god-awful things?? Jesus. F



Didn't I say on the very first one that I DIDN'T want an Isetta?? F



Oh now, HERE'S something I need to be fuel conscious and STILL make it to work every morning through the rush hour traffic, a SAILBOAT!!! Well slap my penis and call me a yellow-bellied fart sniffer!! Why didn't I think of using a SAILBOAT before?? And you just KNOW I'll look sharp driving to work in one of THESE puppies. "Hey Bob, did you see SmileyBoy drive into work this morning in that SHARP new SAILBOAT he's got??", "Yeah, he's a motherfucking PIMP!!! I bet he gets all kinds of tail with that thing." Pure genoius. F----------------------------------- and on and on and on



Do you think maybe THIS is the reason why lots of people make fun of liberals and environmentalists?? J



You can forget about ever having sex for the rest of your life if you drive one of these things. Your penis will be VERRRRRY lonely, but your eco-consciousness will feel GREAT!!! Who wants to ever have sex again when you won't ever have to worry about gas prices for the rest of your life?? P



You're beating this thing to death, people. No one wants to drive a car shaped like a dinosaur turd. Z-



This is actually a damn good idea for mass transit, as long as it makes feasible sense. Good for Barcelona. A much needed A



And that's it.

would be more than adequate for most car trips, and healthier too.

But to capture the imagination of the Asphalt Nation which is psycho-logically? betrothed to the rubber-wheeled metal encasement killing machines one must attempt to appeal to their already entrenched belief system and hopefully wean them off this disease.

My primary mode of transportation is a Schwinn 12 speed from the 80's. My auto is a beat up old honda that still gets 40mph.

As witnessed in some posts in this thread it is difficult to break through the American car culture mentality

First, a quick look out my window to reveal why two-wheelers are not a practical solution for regions with a rigorous four-season environment.

One piece fiberglass/composite bodies. Why? Hate to see the repair bill from the inevitable fender bender on these. My preference is the Twike approach, lightweight aluminum frame with a plastic skin. Or the Smart Car, conventional unibody with body panels.

‘Futuristic’ three-wheelers. Again, Why?

Of all the above, my research of the last couple of years leads me to conclude that only the Twike and Smart Car concepts are viable, with modifications.

First, the Twike.

I have always admired the design goals of the Twike from afar. That is, use bicycle design/components to create a lightweight/aerodynamic/easily maintained/low cost people mover for commuting/errands in the hypertrophic suburban sprawl with which we are going to have to make due in the future.

The problem is, the Twike falls flat on low cost at $20,000 w/ batteries. Also, consider the following post from the Twikeworld forums:

The day to day operating of a Twike costs about $.007 per Km; but when you factor in the battery replacement cost the operating expenses go up dramatically. Currently a NiCad battery block for the Twike consisting of 2 batteries costs $4990.00. It will last for 35,000 km before it needs to be replaced and you can go 40km per full charge for a cost of 28 cents per fill up. The total cost per Km is about $.14 after the battery module price is factored in. Therefore the daily operating costs if you factor in battery replacement is close to running a Hummer H2.

TWIKE $.14 per Km
HUMMER H2 $.15 per Km
SMART CAR $.03 per Km

Fuel prices will rise and hopefully batteries will become cheaper but the goal here is to get the daily operating costs under that of the Smart car.

Ouch. Also, I would redesign the Twike to have a more of a raindrop shape with a 2 front, 1 rear wheel configuration for greater stability.

This said, I still think the Twike concept has a future. What about a small alcohol powered motor? Maybe an alcohol/electric hybrid, thus reducing the size/weight (and replacement cost) of the battery? What about a compressed air motor, which has always seemed a motor more appropriate for an ultra-lightweight?

That brings us to the Smart Car, a platform ahead of it’s time. Four wheels, small, lightweight, safe, conventional (repairable) body design. And in it’s current configuration, overpowered for it’s market niche and overpriced considering it’s compromises over a conventional ‘gasser’ (Civic, Corolla, etc.).

The power plant for the Smart Car needs to be reduced in size. Is there really going to be a demand for cars with lots of acceleration that go over 55 mph when gas is $20/gal five years from now? What about a 25 HP alcohol powered motor? How about a small Toyota HSD (alcohol) with a PHEV 15 mi. EV capability?

As for small personal transporter fuel, for a long time I have thought battery powered EV was the future. As I learn more about biofuels and the problems inherent with battery storage, I am beginning to think that alcohol IC may be the answer for low-end systems. The fuel can be locally produced and the vehicle mechanical equipment maintained by Average Joes Garage indefinitely. With the new high-tech batteries, you will always be tied somewhat to MegaCorp Battery, Ltd. when time to replace comes.

For the more traditional ‘car’ of the future, for needs beyond the short-trip personal transporter, we are there already with the Prius HSD. We just need to convince Toyota to integrate PHEV capability along with flex-fuel capability (alcohol to E85 to 100% dino).

As for safety that I see many bemoaning in this thread, ask our troopers how safe they feel in Iraq as pawns in the final petro-grab Great Game. The Smart Car has been crash tested and has done fairly well. The Twike concept, as I envision it, is intended for cheap/efficient all-weather suburban transport of the future where regulations have been enacted to limit the size/speed of vehicles in certain areas to permit the uses of small personal transporters.

1. "On the final day, the Dutch team, with their car called the Nuna 3, were amazed that they were able to keep driving even with cloud cover."
I call BS. No way they could win and not know what their charge curves and performance was. Total author BS

2. 132mph in a smart car is insane!

http://www.treehugger.com/files/crowded-bus-01.jp

Popularity of Public Transportation Increasing in US

October 4, 2005 05:43 AM - Michael G. Richard, Ottawa

The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) reports that the ridership of public transportation has increased in the US. "Increased use of public transportation is the single most effective way to reduce America's energy consumption, and it does not require any new taxes, government mandates or regulations," said PTA president William W. Millar. "With today's growing concern about energy security, transit is emerging as a critical part of the solution.



Italian Trains Get Solar Boost

October 24, 2005 12:47 PM - Michael G. Richard, Ottawa

The first solar-power-assisted trains in Europe are from Italy. "The PVTRAIN project, partly funded by the EU, has been under development since 2003, and involves 10 prototype units: 5 carriages, 3 cargo wagons and 2 locomotives." The solar panels on the roof do no help power the wheels, but they provide energy for air-conditioning, lighting and safety systems, which helps make the trains more efficient by freeing the engine from having to create power for that electrical load. "The panels on a rail car can deliver approximately 1.36 kW of peak power. In the development and testing from July 2003 to May 2005, the solar panel system generated a total of 1,017.41 kWh." If the experiment is successful, solar-assisted trains could be produced on an industrial scale.



Biogas-Powered Train in Sweden

July 3, 2005 07:49 AM - Michael G. Richard, Ottawa

The city of Linkoeping in Sweden (south of Stockholm) will be linked to the city of Västervik 80 kilometers away (50 miles) by the first train to run entirely on biogas that comes from organic waste. A small one-carriage train that can carry 54 passengers has been converted: its diesel engines have been replaced by two Volvo gas engines. "The train is equipped with eleven canisters containing enough gas to run for 600 kilometers (375 miles) before needing a refill, and can reach a maximum speed of 130 kilometers (80 miles) per hour".



Curitiba: City with a Soul

June 23, 2005 05:57 AM - Warren McLaren, Sydney

"There is little in the architecture of a city that is more beautifully designed than a tree”. With a site name like ours, how could we not admire the author of such words. Jaime Lerner was a young architect in the 60’s, who agitated against the malls and highways being built in the city of Curitiba, Brazil. In 1971 he became Mayor (and later a Governor) and made such radical and progressive urban planning changes that the world is making tracks to his city to learn from the lessons. Not only does he hug trees (giving away 1.5 million for the citizens to plant) but he embraces transport reform with a fervour, having approved over 150 km of bike paths. And his bus system soon became so popular that commuters left their cars at home and boarded the buses in droves. How's about a 50 fold increase over the past 20 years.



NYC Opens Solar Subway Station

June 20, 2005 07:01 AM - Michael G. Richard, Ottawa

The Stillwell Avenue subway station in Brooklyn has been reconstructed and all its non-traction electrical needs will be powered by a 76,000-square foot solar roof (expected to produce "250,000 kilowatt hours a year"). The roof is build by RWE SCHOTT Solar and it will make the station "one of the most environmentally responsible mass transportation sites built in the U.S." The Stillwell design was chosen both for integration with the structure, aesthetic quality - I'll have to take their word on it, I haven't seen a photo yet - and durability (it had to pass a hurricane test)



Toyota Eco Buses (Z-Capsule & FCHV-BUS2)

January 21, 2005 04:35 AM -

All roads seem to lead to Toyota, when it comes to innovative transport. Personal vehicle use, as in a car, is obviously not as eco-effective as sharing the journey, such as with public transport. Even here Toyota are breaking the mould. Their Z-Capsule bus runs on a low-emission, Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) engine, with a people friendly no-step low floor. But not prepared to stop there, they teamed it with their IMTS project. Intelligent Multimode Transport Systems adjust to changes in demand for services, combining the advantages of dedicated rail lines, with the flexibilty of buses. On dedicated roadways, multiple Z-Capsules can travel unmanned and convoy-like (Toyota call them ‘platoons’) but then be human controlled on a standard street, The driverless trick is possible through magnet markers imbedded in the road



Mexican Metrobus Project

Here's an interesting approach to public transport. Mexico DF is very advanced on a project called Metrobus, a combination between buses and metros. Its main advantage is a 'cleaner' organization of the traffic, causing reduction of need for cars and a better service of buses.
The vehicles look like buses, but the difference lays in the stops, which are set in determined points of the city, like metro stations. Undefined stops cause traffic disorder, and this would guarantee a better fluid of passengers and more efficient service, with corresponding decrease of the number of public vehicles needed. It's assumed that this will lead to lowering the levels of gas emissions. It works with a pre-payed card, so that the driver doesn't have to worry about anything else but driving, and front door is only used for entering and back doors only for exiting, so transition time is greatly reduced. People involved in the project include Treehugger featured Emiliano Godoy, who is working on the visual signs for the stations.
Brazilian state Curitiba's former Mayor Jaime Lerner succeeded in a similar project called Ligeirinho (Quickly) Auto Bus System, which came into use in 1991 and became so efficient that it's now utilized by 75% of the citizens.



Hopefully all of these vehicles are only a brief interregnum 'til the day we realize the wisdom of above poster "sweetheart", if I may I quote his/her words:

"You already drive a sacred vehicle, to find it, close your eyes.
In the subsequent expectation, for something to "happen", accept
that something has already happened, and the clock on the body is
running down day by day. Every day, no matter the brilliance of
your enlightenment, stopping is dependent on a vehicle, and the
vehcile of the enlightened, like jesus christ, was his body itself.

What the omen of a sacred body. What was the real reason it was born,
what profound truth did it incarnate to discover and what is the
nature of that soul, read from the carbon copy reflections of their
akashik record. And without the sacred vehicle of conscious life,
are we pissants and mall rat assholes wishing for a new world in
corporatopia, maybe with the latest mobile phone and wheels rig."



http://www.treehugger.com/files/transportation/index.php