[Toshi]

dewy eyed inventors throughout the decades have tried to come up with the optimal urban commuter vehicle, one that would meet all the needs of a typical commuter while using less resources to build, run, and park than a conventional automobile. these attempts have some common features despite being all over the map generally. in this post i will point out some of these commonalities that i have noticed as well as their applicability towards my current ride.

the first feature is small size and a layout with less than four wheels. this aids in parking, reduces the amount of resources required to build one, cuts down wear on roads, and allows companies to skirt regulations designed for four-wheeled automobiles (including safety regulations!). a lot of these vehicles tend to be swiss, too, for some odd reason that i can't quite fathom?

some three-wheeled examples in roughly chronological order:

CityEl

SAM

BugE

Lumeneo Smera, a rare four-wheel entrant that nevertheless has the same narrow profile of its three wheel conceptual kin

the second feature is protection from wind and rain. you'll note that all of the above vehicles are at least partially enclosed, with a full windscreen and a roof if not a fully enclosed cabin. being buffeted by 60 mph winds isn't conducive to a relaxed commute, let alone the need to change into and out of a rainproof, armored jumper suit every time one heads into work in the wet. motorcycles and scooters often are "naked" and have no windshield when seen in around-town guise, and sportbikes often have only a vestigal windscreen in the interests of aerodynamics. one will note that many if not most of the motorcycles one sees cruising long distances on the highway have windscreens of various sizes, however.

interestingly enough there seems to be a mantra among the powered two-wheeler crowd that one must never actually look through this windscreen. instead, the conventional wisdom is that the windshield should be just short enough that one is able to look over the top of it and see the road about 50 feet ahead. the rationale is that looking through a wet, blurry helmet visor as well as a wet, blurry windscreen together would make for doubly compromised vision. this is true in one sense, but what it misses is that a sufficiently large windscreen could invalidate one of the premises behind the argument, namely that one's helmet visor must become wet and blurry while riding in the rain.

how would this be possible on a scooter? the answer is with a roof and freakishly large windscreen, under and behind which the commuter could stay comparatively sheltered from the elements.

various designers' ideas over the years on how to tack on a roof to a scooter (which, aside from wind protection, is a platform actually quite well suited for urban commuting):

BMW C1. note the seatbelt (!), windshield wiper, and lack of helmet on the rider.

Benelli Adiva. the roof is a manually operated convertible top that can be folded into the "trunk" behind the backrest.

Honda Elysium, a concept commuter machine with many compelling features: a 750cc 4-cylinder engine and shaft drive like a motorcycle but with the riding position of a scooter, and a power-retractable convertible top. given all the bells and whistles it's odd to not see a windshield wiper, one of the tip offs that this concept wasn't ever close to production intent.

Peugeot Hymotion3 concept, the ungodly spawn of a BMW C1 and a Piaggio MP3 to some eyes.

a Doken "Super Roof & Wiper" mounted on a Yamaha Majesty. Doken manufacturers these as aftermarket add-ons, and incidentally showed a quite nifty commuter concept that integrated its roof design as well as its unique "retractable training wheels" "Touch-Down" product that essentially turns motorcycles into tricycles under 5 km/h and then returns them to proper, leaning form once underway.

at this point, any readers remaining might well be wondering, "ok, this is quite the freak show of roofed scooters that toshi has assembled here. what sparked him to troll google images for this particular breed of fish?" the answer lies below:

the lettering on the bike on the right reads Bowen, for the curious. it's not the dude's name but rather the name of the island he lives on. having it on the front of his vehicle allows ferry workers to send him to the correct queue more efficiently.

what is the above? it's the largest windscreen i have ever seen that doesn't have a roof. it goes up, goes up some more, and then extends backwards to the point that it almost goes over the rider's head creating a quasi-roof of its own. it almost seems that someone at Piaggio had a roof in mind when they designed this alien-looking thing?

what do ya know, i guess they DID have a roof in mind! the above image is an official press photo from Piaggio, and they demonstrated several bikes at motorcycle shows with the roof (Piaggio MP3 with Trailer shqipe style | Flickr - Photo Sharing!@@AMEPARAM@@http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2173/2000786792_d8a9571d54_m.jpg@@AMEPARAM@@2000786792@@AMEPARAM@@d8a9571d54). unfortunately the roof never made it to production for unknown reasons.

how does this relate to me? well, i have the giant windscreen from Piaggio in the mail, for a start. i'm very curious to see how i fare in seattle's rain with the big windscreen given its lack of a windshield wiper, another convenience that car drivers take for granted. and come wintertime, given enough free time, access to some waterproof canvas and proper sized metal bar stock, i might just try to fabricate a roof of my own for my MP3.

i figure when i do something weird, i might as well go all out with the weirdness, after all! besides, it's reassuring that Doken, a japanese company, continues to have a market for their own aftermarket windscreen+roof conversion. i figure that's a decent enough sign that if i'm crazy, at least i'm not alone in my insanity. (hopping in a car would be far, far too easy, you see?)

 

[Westy]

Zero S motorcycle review.

http://www.motorcycledaily.com/04may09_zeromotorcycles.htm

 

[Toshi]

Zero S motorcycle review.

http://www.motorcycledaily.com/04may09_zeromotorcycles.htm

so cool, yet so difficult to justify...



in other news the house is considering cash for clunkers, again. this time waxman and other house bigwigs have come to an agreement that will, in theory, let a version of this proposal be passed later on during this session of congress. (ie, nothing has passed the house, let alone the senate and barack obama's bill-signing desk, not to mention the inevitable delay prior to actual implementation.)

http://energycommerce.house.gov/Press_111/20090505/cashforclunkers.pdf + much more hand-wavy coverage in the popular media.

May 5, 2009
Fact Sheet: Cash for Clunkers
Committee on Energy and Commerce

Consumers may trade in their old, gas-guzzling vehicles and receive vouchers worth up to $4,500 to help pay for new, more fuel efficient cars and trucks. The program will be authorized for up to one year and provide for approximately one million new car or truck purchases. The agreement divides these new cars and trucks into four categories. Miles per gallon figures below refer to EPA “window sticker” values

• Passenger Cars: The old vehicle must get less than 18 mpg. New passenger cars with mileage of at least 22 mpg are eligible for vouchers. If the mileage of the new car is at least 4 mpg higher than the old vehicle, the voucher will be worth $3,500. If the mileage of the new car is at least 10 mpg higher than the old vehicle, the voucher will be worth $4,500.

• Light-Duty Trucks: The old vehicle must get less than 18 mpg. New light trucks or SUVs with mileage of at least 18 mpg are eligible for vouchers. If the mileage of the new truck or SUV is at least 2 mpg higher than the old truck, the voucher will be worth $3,500. If the mileage of the new truck or SUV is at least 5 mpg higher than the old truck, the voucher will be worth $4,500.

• Large Light-Duty Trucks: New large trucks (pick-up trucks and vans weighing between 6,000 and 8,500 pounds) with mileage of at least 15 mpg are eligible for vouchers. If the mileage of the new truck is at least 1 mpg higher than the old truck, the voucher will be worth $3,500. If the mileage of the new truck is at least 2 mpg higher than the old truck, the voucher will be worth $4,500.

• Work Trucks: Under the agreement, consumers can trade in a pre-2002 work truck (defined as a pick-up truck or cargo van weighing from 8,500-10,000 pounds) and receive a voucher worth $3,500 for a new work truck in the same or smaller weight class. There will be a finite number of these vouchers, based on this vehicle class’s market share. There are no EPA mileage measures for these trucks; however, because newer models are cleaner than older models, the age requirement ensures that the trade will improve environmental quality. Consumers can also “trade down,” receiving a $3,500 voucher for trading in an older work truck and purchasing a smaller light-duty truck weighing from 6,000 – 8,500 pounds.

my commentary: i think this is a positive thing. the program has spurred demand in germany, for instance. i also think that it is good that the "buy american" provisions in earlier drafts has been dropped, not only because it is vague and unenforceable but because the question of whether a vehicle is "american" or not doesn't have a straightforward answer (company headquarters location? assembly location? what about vehicles assembled in canada or mexico, still domestic as the technical definition would argue? percentage of "domestic" parts? percentage of "US" parts, as domestic includes canada and mexico?)

i foresee one big criticism: that the mileage improvement for trucks and SUVs is (nominally) minimal. this is true in one sense, but recall that the improvement in absolute fuel consumption, as in gallons per mile, is much greater than the mpg number might suggest. www.mpgillusion.com for the curious. personally, i would like to see a stricter standard for light-duty trucks and SUVs.

 

[jonKranked]

BMW C1. note the seatbelt (!), windshield wiper, and lack of helmet on the rider.

If I were to ride something in this image, it probably wouldn't be the scooter.

 

[Toshi]

Court documention reveals which Fiats and Alfas are destined for U.S.

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/05/court-documention-reveals-which-fiats-and-alfas-are-destined-for/

Tom LaSorda, current ChryCo Veep, suggests that Fiat has agreed to assemble a vehicle using its C-EVO platform at one of Chrysler's underutilized U.S. plants. Further, Robert Manzo, executive director of Capstone Advisory Group, has specifically named the Fiat 500, Grande Punto and Panda (tellingly, Manzo called the Panda a Jeep) along with the Mito and Milano from Alfa Romeo as models coming to the aid of Chrysler.

s.s.'s dream may come true! fiat panda as a jeep.

 

[IH8Rice]

im waiting for the Abarth 500 to show up

 

[CBJ]

Or a Alfa 159 Sportwagon would be nice. I wonder if it will work as GM has not done too well with the imported Opel models. However Alfa and Fiat has more sexier models.

 

[IH8Rice]

Or a Alfa 159 Sportwagon would be nice. I wonder if it will work as GM has not done too well with the imported Opel models. However Alfa and Fiat has more sexier models.

the 159 wagon is a sick looking car....completely different than anything on the road in the States.

 

[DaveW]

dewy eyed inventors throughout the decades have tried to come up with the optimal urban commuter vehicle, one that would meet all the needs of a typical commuter while using less resources to build, run, and park than a conventional automobile. these attempts have some common features despite being all over the map generally. in this post i will point out some of these commonalities that i have noticed as well as their applicability towards my current ride.

the first feature is small size and a layout with less than four wheels. this aids in parking, reduces the amount of resources required to build one, cuts down wear on roads, and allows companies to skirt regulations designed for four-wheeled automobiles (including safety regulations!). a lot of these vehicles tend to be swiss, too, for some odd reason that i can't quite fathom…

Well having spent a month in Switzerland last year, I would say it would be due to the way that almost all towns and villages in Switzerland have vast amounts of small narrow medieval streets and bugger all parking. They also have very low speed limits (and lots of speed traps with big fines), so fast vehicles are not much use to the average Swiss driver.

 

[jonKranked]

Well having spent a month in Switzerland last year, I would say it would be due to the way that almost all towns and villages in Switzerland have vast amounts of small narrow medieval streets and bugger all parking. They also have very low speed limits (and lots of speed traps with big fines), so fast vehicles are not much use to the average Swiss driver.

But most of them have machine guns, so it kinda evens out.

 

[Toshi]

i've mentioned before in this thread that the brammo enertia will be sold at best buy. now it emerges that other, unspecified EVs will also be sold at best buy!

http://industry.bnet.com/auto/10001362/the-motorcycle-for-sale-at-best-buy/

Creating a dealer network is a big hurdle for any vehicle startup, so Craig Bramscher, CEO of electric motorcycle maker Brammo, made a smart move: He hooked up with Best Buy.

Later this spring, the first (of three) Brammo EV bikes will go on sale online, but you have other options. “We can confirm that Best Buy will be piloting electric-powered personal transportation products at some of its stores on the west coast later this spring,” the terse statement says. “This selection will include Brammo.”

The Brammo Enertia is a carbon fiber-based urban commuter bike with a 50-mph top speed and a 40-mile range. It is cool looking, because Bramscher—whose Dream Media company, which created databases for giants like Sony, Warner Brothers and Fox, was acquired in 1997—is a car guy. Before making it big in new media, he was a parts schlepper at Midnight Auto Parts in Kansas City, taking advantage of the employee discount to fix up and sell old cars.

MotorcycleUSA Brammo Enertia Review:

non-VBulletin-embeddable video of the Brammo Enertia TTR bike that they'll be entering in the TTXGP on the Isle of Man:

http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/05/07/video-brammo-shows-off-enertia-ttr-bike-for-ttxgp/

 

[IH8Rice]

how about a BMW 2, 3 or 4 wheeler?

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/08/bmw-considering-range-of-two-three-and-four-wheelers-for-proj/

 

[Toshi]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220408237744

on eBay at the moment: a custom delta trike built by a ford employee from a Ninja 250's drivetrain. he claims a Cd of 0.16, weight of 500 lbs, and mileage of 105 mpg at 65 mph with automobile tires or 125 mpg at 65 mph with motorcycle tires and a smaller rear sprocket. cool but not $15,500 cool imo.

This 2 passenger 3 wheel vehicle was professionally engineered for maximum fuel economy and good performance. It is registered as a motorcycle with a clean title and has approximately 3200 miles on it.

The chassis is made from aircraft materials and components utilizing an indy car style rocker arm double wishbone suspension. The engine is a 250cc liquid cooled, four stroke, DOHC 2 cylinder with a six speed transmission. It weighs just 505 lbs with a .16 coefficient of drag.

For safety it has 4 point seat belts, roll bar and front mounted IMPAXX crash foam as now used in NASCAR sides. The front headlight is a very bright projector HID and the rest of the lights are LED. The front turn signals are integrated into the rear view mirrors for aerodynamics.

As pictured with the car tires and full canopy, it achieves 105 mpg cruising on the highway at 65mph. When equipped with the pictured motorcycle tires (not included) and a smaller rear sprocket it achieved 125 mpg @ 65mph.

Also included is a separate windshield that bolts on after removing the canopy.

 

[Toshi]

i installed the giant windscreen on my MP3 tonight. (and, yes, i am posting this after 3 AM: sleep schedule is all off thanks to being on call last night, not to mention finishing the install at 12:30 AM, going for a test ride, processing photos, uploading them…)

first impressions on a dry testride are good: it has a bit of distortion when looking through it but nothing too horrible; glare from streetlights is ok; wind noise and buffeting are drastically reduced; my grips and hands now have a pocket of still, comfortable air even at highway speeds; the windscreen itself doesn't seem to flex or shake much even at 110 kph thanks to its stout reinforcement frame. the proof will be in the pudding, namely how it performs in the rain. for now i'm psyched: i can comfortably ride about at in-town speeds with my visor all the way up even in 50 degree weather, and even at freeway speeds riding with the visor up is fine in terms of wind (if not road noise).

install thread with lots of photos inlined: http://www.modernvespa.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=624137#624137

before/after:

during installation:

 

[Toshi]

in another sign of the apocalypse, Thule has released an electric-bike-specific hitch mount rack.

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/autoexpressnews/235418/thule_europower_ebike_carrier_tested.html

Thule EuroPower e-bike carrier. 345 euros.

The EuroPower e-bike carrier is the world’s first rack designed for electric cycles. It’s lockable, and features a towbar mount design for quick and simple fitting using Thule’s patented adjustment-free coupling. A foot-activated function even allows the unit to tilt with bikes loaded, giving access to the boot.

Electric bikes tend to be heavier than conventional designs, but the newcomer can hold two, weighing up to 60kg. Lights on the rear keep it legal, and it folds for storage. Options include a ramp for easy loading, while other extras – such as a temporary number plate, third brake light and wall hanger – start from £30 each. The EuroPower comes with a five-year warranty.

with a name like "europower" i wouldn't be surprised to not see it make it to the states, but it's of note nonetheless that e-bikes are getting attention from mainstream accessory companies.

 

[Toshi]

just over a month until the TTX GP!

 

[Toshi]

1)

2) Gruber Assist.

1649 Euros (ouch). fits in any 31.6mm seatpost. 200W of assistance through the gears, which means equivalent power to a much larger ungeared hubmotor. weight of 900 grams including NiMH battery with Li-ion available as well, with a claimed runtime of "up to 1.5 hours". would make for an elegant install, surely, if not too cheap or overly endowed with battery capacity.

3) recall a few posts back where i mentioned the news that best buy would carry other EVs beyond the Brammo Enertia electric motorcycle. the scoop today from autobloggreen is that the Ultra Motor A2B and various Currie electric bikes are among the mysterious additional products. if you search in this thread you can find my review of the A2B: i quite liked it, yes indeed.

4)

 

[jimmydean]

Venture Vehicles bad ass 2 seater articulating trike.

The car, based on a steering technology invented by a Dutch company called Carver, will cost $20,000 for a hybrid version or $25,000 for a full electric version, hold two passengers, and come with optional luggage containers that strap onto the roof. The roof will also come off to turn the car into a convertible.

Called the VentureOne, Venture's car will look different than existing models from Carver, but will still have three wheels and tilt.

The company is hoping to capitalize on the growing interest in green cars with a vehicle more tailored for the urban environment. Venture's three-wheeler will only be 40 inches wide and is shorter than the average car, making it easy to park. You can put two of the 1,400-pound cars into a single standard parking space. (The passengers sit forward and rear, bobsled-style, rather than next to each other.) It will also get good gas mileage--120 miles per gallon for the hybrid. The electric version will go 120 miles before needing a charge.

 

[Toshi]

the Carver is pretty sweet, eh eh. richard hammond of top gear quite liked it when he test drove one, too:

the VentureOne has been renamed the Persu Hybrid for some reason. a much worse, name, i think, but doesn't really matter. i hope it makes it to production! an Aptera vs. Persu vs. Th!nk City vs. plug-in Prius vs. Volt comparo would be most welcome.

in other news of the weird, smalled, wheeled variety:

1) Foamy Croc Car Gets 100 MPG. And Floats [Wired]

People either love Crocs, those ubiquitous rubber clogs that come in dayglo colors, or hate them. We suspect people will feel the same way about the Croc-inspired Spira foam car said to deliver 100 mpg and a top speed of 70 mph.

Designer Lon Ballard has entered the car, which looks like a mashup of a scooter, a pickup truck topper and a big hot dog bun, in the Progressive Automotive X Prize. That contest has attracted no end of unusual ideas about sustainable transportation, but the Spira has to be the oddest. It is 90 percent foam, a material Ballard believes will change the way we build cars.

“The Spira team hopes foam will revolutionize autos and motorcycles like the Crocs and flip-flops have revolutionized shoes and sandals,” he says.

The way Ballard sees it, foam cars will increase the safety of pedestrians and passengers because, according to the Spira website, “the millions of airbags in foam offer crash protection.”

At least until an SUV creams you.

my reaction: wtf, indeed.

2) TTAC reviews the Fiat 500 1.3 Multijet (diesel). http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/review-fiat-500-13-multijet/

while we won't get this exact car we may well get something similar should Chrysler not simply dissolve in their bankruptcy.

3) the 25th Shell Eco Marathon results are in. what is the Eco Marathon? a chance for schools and companies to show off their decidedly unpractical but extremely efficient designs. how efficient?

http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/05/14/european-shell-eco-marathon-europe-2009-more-than-8000-mpg/

well, this MicroJoule from Lycée Saint Joseph la Joliverie in Nantes went 3771 km on 1 liter of gasoline. ABG claims that's over 8000 mpg...

A solar-powered car, also from a French team, traveled 665 kilometers using a single kWh of electric power. In the Urban Concept category, which more closely resemble actual cars, a Norwegian university team using a hydrogen fuel cell managed to travel 1246 kilometers using just 1 kilogram of Hydrogen. The same team also took home the award to the least CO2 produced: 2.6 g/km. The top gasoline-powered car in the Urban Concept category was entered by a Danish college team and went 589 kilometers using a single liter of gasoline (1356 mpg US).

gallery of entrants here: http://www.autobloggreen.com/photos/european-2009-shell-eco-marathon/
results here: http://www.shell.com/home/content/eco-marathon-en/europe/2009/results/app_results_2009.html

4) seattle, my home city for just about 5 more weeks, wins laudation for being all green and such:

http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/05/14/world-electric-vehicle-association-recognizes-seattle-for-sustai/

SEATTLE - On Friday, May 15, Mayor Greg Nickels will receive the "E-Visionary" award from the World Electric Vehicle Association. The international award, to be presented at the 24th International Electric Vehicle Symposium, recognizes leadership in adopting clean, efficient and sustainable modes of transportation.

"From light rail to street cars to electric vehicles, Seattle is proud to lead the way in reducing the impact of transportation on our climate," said Nickels.

...

"Seattle is an ideal choice for this award," said Brian Wynne, president of the Electric Drive Transportation Association, the North American member of the World Electric Vehicle Association. Wynne will accept the award in Stravanger, Norway, on Nickels' behalf. "Seattle has truly become a model for other cities committed to sustainable transportation."

With clean, green electric power from Seattle City Light, the only public utility in the country to have net-zero carbon emissions, the mayor is electrifying Seattle's transportation system:

* The region's first light rail line will open on July 18, 2009. Nickels is chair of Sound Transit and led the successful campaign to pass a ballot measure in November 2008 that extended the line to Lynnwood, Redmond and Federal Way.
* Seattle opened its first modern streetcar line in December 2007, attracting more than a half-million riders in its first full year of operation. There are now plans to extend the network, complementing electric trolley buses run by King County Metro.
* Seattle, in conjunction with U.S. Department of Energy, is testing plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.
* Nissan has selected the Seattle-area as one of the first regions in the U.S. to introduce a pure electric five-passenger car in 2010. As part of this effort, Seattle will work to promote the development of electric vehicles and charging infrastructure.

5) i've posted before in this thread that Tom Hanks drives an AC Propulsion eBox, a converted first-gen Scion xB. turns out he had a Toyota RAV4 EV prior to that, and it still sees use by one of his staffers.

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/tom-hanks-i-did-save-the-electric-car-gosh-darn-it/

6) everyone who likes cars knows about Formula SAE. did you know that there's a Formula Hybrid competition, too? i had no idea.

http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/05/13/mcgill-university-falls-short-in-bid-for-formula-hybrid-three-pe/

entrants this year included series and parallel hybrids as well as a (rules-ineligible) hydraulic hybrid. the McGill entry, which did not win, is nonetheless really interesting technically:

Our battery was downsized slightly last year, lopping off two cells to form an 18 cell, 45 amp-hour, 64.8V nominal pack, or about 2.9kWh - cells and battery management system care of Lithium Technology Corporation.

Our "range extender" is still a 7hp Subaru-Robin single cylinder four-stroke, 211cc. This output about half of the average driving power required during last year's endurance event, so it's definitely a "charge depleting" hybrid, so we keep it running right from the start! though we can force it into EV mode whenever we want. This year we swapped out our German Perm PMG 132 generator for a made-in-America Mars Electric ME0709, a similar DC brushed, permanent magnet motor that puts out just as much power, weighs about 16lbs more, but costs about half the price of a Perm, and seems to be much more robust in the high temperature application of being connected to an IC engine.

Our drive motors are still PMG 132's though (6hp continuous, 15hp peak), coupled independently to the left and right wheels through pulley-type CVTs. What was exciting this year was that, thanks to a micro controller donated by National Instruments, we were able to control the two motors independently based on steering angle, sending more power to the outside wheel in a turn. This gave us a really sharp turning circle, and also gave us a lot of configurability for the handling characteristics of the car. We even reversed the signals in the rain, giving more power to the inside wheel, and this really gave us a lot more control and prevented spin outs. The same micro controller was also in charge of controlling our generator, monitoring motor and generator temperatures and ramping down currents if ever there's risk of overheating, recording data and storing it all on a USB key, as well as displaying useful information to the driver via a student designed Palm pilot touch-screen display program.

7) battery-electric riding zero-radius lawn mower, now on sale through home depot for $3500. enough said.

http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/05/13/amp-rider-the-zero-emissions-way-to-cut-the-green-green-grass-o/

8) configure and price out your 2010 Prius online: http://www.toyota.com/prius-hybrid/ . cars aren't cheap! even if this model is priced appropriately given its peers...

 

[DaveW]

Oh man I'd love one of those Carvers! that looks so much fun.

 

[Toshi]

i wonder what gas mileage this gets…

in other words i'm considering putting a fairing on my e-bike after i move to new york. i must be addicted to ridicule

and, for jimmydean: http://www.motoczysz.com/videos/e1_dyno.html . yeah, that's an electric superbike. whoa.

 

[Westy]

in other words i'm considering putting a fairing on my e-bike after i move to new york. i must be addicted to ridicule
QUOTE]

Sounds like a nightmare on a windy day.

 

[Toshi]

Sounds like a nightmare on a windy day.

hmm, would it be? it wouldn't be a full F-40-style fairing but rather something more like a big windscreen + half fairing on a motorcycle:

either that or i want a faceshield for my bike helmet. i'm tired of wind noise in my ears and driving rain against my face on my commute.

 

[jimmydean]

and, for jimmydean: http://www.motoczysz.com/videos/e1_dyno.html . yeah, that's an electric superbike. whoa.

I want to know what it pulled! Looks hawt.

 

[stevew]

evidently in nc those 3 wheeled type pick ups with the enclosed cabs that you see in third world countries are street legal.

and i saw a three wheeled type motorcycle, two wheels up front/one in the back, hauling ass on the highway in the opposite direction wednesday afternoon on my way to concert in carrboro.

i wonder what gas mileage this gets…

How the fvck would that thing pass MOT in Britain?

 

[Toshi]

evidently in nc those 3 wheeled type pick ups with the enclosed cabs that you see in third world countries are street legal.

and i saw a three wheeled type motorcycle, two wheels up front/one in the back, hauling ass on the highway in the opposite direction wednesday afternoon on my way to concert in carrboro.

How the fvck would that thing pass MOT in Britain?

he said he slapped some lights and such on it and passed MOT. go figure.

was the three wheeler like my MP3 or more like a Can-Am Spyder? the Spyder doesn't lean, gets 25-35 mpg, and costs $15k+, for reference. in most if not all states 3-wheelers count as motorcycles, and in california it's explicitly stated that even enclosed 3-wheelers such as the Aptera are still motorcycles. this is why Aptera is going the 3-wheel route, in part: motorcycle safety regs are much more lax than those for cars, clearly. the solo "rider" in HOV lane benefit is also nice.

MP3:

Spyder:

in other news, san jose hippies hold an annual race between bicycles and cars, to see which drivers/riders can complete a set of tasks the quickest.

http://www.mercurynews.com/centralcoast/ci_12358768?nclick_check=1&forced=true

Bike to Work hosted its sixth annual Commuter Race on Tuesday.

During which, I and my borrowed hybrid bicycle competed against a Toyota Prius hybrid, a Zenn all electric car, a regular bicycle and a tandem bike duo.

All the bikes beat the cars by a good 10-20 minutes during the treasure hunt-style race that began at the intersection of Front and Cooper streets, made stops at The Buttery on Soquel and Branciforte avenues and again at New Leaf Market on 41st Avenue before crossing the finish line at the tiki on the Capitola Esplanade.

With a time of 36 minutes, I came in third place behind the first-place tandem team, which finished in 22 minutes. The regular cyclist beat me by four minutes. Meanwhile, the Zenn came in fourth place at 42 minutes, followed two minutes later by the Prius.

While there have been a couple of years where cars came in first place, the race was meant to show how efficient bike commuting can be, as well as to promote a cycling as a healthy commute solution both for people's bodies and the environment, race organizers said. The cyclists were able to maneuver around cars and traffic, while the two cars were stuck.

The rules were to follow road laws and be safe. I would like to think I would have come in before or around the same time as the regular cyclist had I not waited in line to pick up a pastry at The Buttery and an apple at New Leaf. The other participants said they told the cashier they were part of a race, gave them enough money to cover the item and split.

Wish I had thought of that. It was fun though. And Tuesday's weather made for a great ride. My chariot was a Twist Express by Giant, on loan from The Bicycle Trip on Soquel Avenue in Santa Cruz.

It's not an electric bike, or e-bike, which is basically a motorcycle, explained Aaron Jacobs, store manager.

"All you have to do is hit the throttle and take off," he said, noting that no pedalling is needed.

In contrast, hybrid bikes, which have been on the market since last year, provide the best of both worlds, he said. The rider benefits from a cycling-style workout, but with little boost. Its motor activates only when the cyclist pumps the pedals.

While I felt the difference, I could have used a little bit more help up the hills.

also, a company called eRev (formerly Fuel Vapor, whoops) claims that Simon Fraser University has verified its claim of 275 MPGe (mpg equivalent) for its X-Prize entry, the eVaro:

http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/05/15/x-prize-entry-exhibits-erev-at-epic-expo-earns-275-mpge/

the 3-wheeler displayed in Vancouver featured a series hybrid drivetrain where once a simple gas set-up once sat.

The new configuration blows the old away in environmental performance, yet retains a similar motive performance. It is said to skedaddle from a stop to 60 mph in 5 seconds and can hit speeds of 135 mph. Environmental-wise, it can travel between 65 and 90 miles on electricity alone and attain 275 MPGe in city driving (15-40 mph) and 165 MPGe at highway speeds (45-75 mph). Lots of mileage claims are tossed about nowadays, but FVT has third-party verification of their numbers from Simon Fraser University.

I attended a test session of the FVT eVaro on February 23, 2009. A series of test runs were conducted near Agassiz, BC on BC Highway #7, immediately east of Chowat Road.

All test runs were conducted between 1430 and 1730 local time. Each test run consisted of a 1km outbound leg, a 180 degree turn, and a 1km return. Battery voltage and current was acquired and logged during each run through the use of transducers and software provided by Motec Engine Management and Data Acquisition Systems.

Meteorlogical conditions for the test period reported at Aggasiz by Environment Canada show a temperature range from 10.0 to 10.8 degrees Celsius, winds were from the North between 6 and 11km/h, light rain though not reported by Environment Canada, was evident toward the end of the test session.

The section of highway used for the test session is a busily traveled portion of public highway, it is reasonably flat and the exact grade of the highway should be a matter of public record if it is required.

The accuracy of the onboard data acquisition system was verified both prior to the test runs and then at random intervals throughout the test session by comparison reading obtained using a Fluke 190 Series Scopemeter. The margin of error between the measuring instruments was very small, and the repeatability of the results was good.

The eVaro achieved an average of 275 mpge for city driving (20-60k) and an average of 165 mpge for highway driving (70-120k).

Randy Kelley
Electronics Instructor
University of the Fraser Valley
5579 Tyson Road
Chilliwack, BC
V2R 0H9

i'm psyched for the Automotive X-Prize! it's drawing all sorts of weirdness out of the woodwork.

 

[jimmydean]

Wow, I always thought the Spyder leaned, that sucks.

 

[Westy]

hmm, would it be? it wouldn't be a full F-40-style fairing but rather something more like a big windscreen + half fairing on a motorcycle:

either that or i want a faceshield for my bike helmet. i'm tired of wind noise in my ears and driving rain against my face on my commute.

We get get some very strong winds. Gusts that make any forward progress difficult and bike handling a challenge. I'm guessing Long Island would be even worse. That just looks like a big sail to me.

 

[Toshi]

We get get some very strong winds. Gusts that make any forward progress difficult and bike handling a challenge. I'm guessing Long Island would be even worse. That just looks like a big sail to me.

the front of me with my hands out at the ends of my ProTapers and legs exposed to the wind is pretty much a big sail, too...

 

[Westy]

the front of me with my hands out at the ends of my ProTapers and legs exposed to the wind is pretty much a big sail, too...

It would probably help with a direct headwind, a nice 45 degree crosswind would be unruly. But hell, try it and report back.

 

[IH8Rice]

and, for jimmydean: http://www.motoczysz.com/videos/e1_dyno.html . yeah, that's an electric superbike. whoa.

they cant even release their C1 bike in a timely manner, now theyre working on a electric bike...their gas bike is siickk tho

 

[stevew]

more like the spyder.

 

[IH8Rice]

Jeremy Clarkson on the new Honda Insight:

It’s terrible. Biblically terrible. Possibly the worst new car money can buy. It’s the first car I’ve ever considered crashing into a tree, on purpose, so I didn’t have to drive it any more

The Honda’s petrol engine is a much-shaved, built-for-economy, low-friction 1.3 that, at full chat, makes a noise worse than someone else’s crying baby on an airliner. It’s worse than the sound of your parachute failing to open. Really, to get an idea of how awful it is, you’d have to sit a dog on a ham slicer

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/driving/jeremy_clarkson/article6294116.ece?token=null&offset=0&page=1

 

[Toshi]

clarkson is all about the theatrics, eh. too bad his views on hydrogen (he likes, ignoring the enormous practical obstacles to its adoption) and electricity (he dislikes to the point of fibbing in his tesla "review") are all wacky.

 

[Toshi]

in japan even truck drivers have less-consuming alternatives. (these gold wings are used for rapid removal of disabled cars from congested freeways.)

they are amazing.

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=187245

(towing a VW Quantum. how appropriate.)

 

[jimmydean]

Towtruck bike, that's insane.

 

[IH8Rice]

clarkson is all about the theatrics, eh. too bad his views on hydrogen (he likes, ignoring the enormous practical obstacles to its adoption) and electricity (he dislikes to the point of fibbing in his tesla "review") are all wacky.

he does mention the enormous effort needed to make a hydrogen car sound and practical.

and although his review on the Tesla did some untruthful, the way he said it was true....about obviously draining the battery faster driving it hard.

although he does tend to be over-dramatic sometimes, the man knows cars and his reviews, although comical, are great

 

[Toshi]

the obama administration announced a new, unified/national CAFE standard through 2016. no longer will it be california + 14 other states with one standard and the remainder with the lower federal standard.

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/19/obama-cafe-increase-an-historic-agreement-to-help-america-brea/

- Currently, the DOT manages fuel economy, the EPA deals with emissions, and CA can use the Clean Air Act to come up with even more stringent rules. This could create a situation where car makers have to deal with rules from three agencies. The new rule is a national standard that CA will support and the DOT and EPA will both adopt.
- The CAFE standard will increase by five percent each year, building on the 2011 standard, until we get to 2016. This means an Industry standard of 35.5 mpg by 2016, an average increase of eight mpg per vehicle.
- Drivers will recoup the additional cost to buy one of these more-efficient vehicles in three years. Drivers will, over the life of the vehicle, save $2,800, on average, he said.

Obama said the new rule will save 1.8 billion barrels of oil over the next five years, and is the projected equivalent of taking 58 million vehicles off the road.

Despite previous disagreements between environmental and industry groups, the national policy has been agreed on and a series of "major lawsuits" will be dropped.

bravo. for the curious the pdf of the 2011 standards is available here: http://www.nhtsa.gov/staticfiles/DOT/NHTSA/Rulemaking/Rules/Associated Files/CAFE_Updated_Final_Rule_MY2011.pdf (recall again that the standards increase by 5% per year until 2016 under the new agreement.)

how in the world are the automakers going to meet these new standards? well, Mercedes-Benz saw the writing on the wall and announced this morning that they're taking a 10% stake in Tesla, and will collaborate with them on future models. the first such model will be a production variant of the Smart ED, a Tesla-powertrained Smart fortwo. it's to be released in 2012...

http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/05/19/live-blog-daimler-announces-new-strategic-partnership-for-evs/

Starting off the Q&A, Daimler reveals it paid a double digit million dollar sum for a 10 percent stake in Tesla with future options for more.

Daimler and Tesla will collaborate on future models including possibly the Model S which may get some Mercedes parts.

Weber and Musk both emphasize that weight reduction is a major emphasis for the future. Weber says its time to reinvent the automobile.

The next step for Mercedes is an electrified Smart to widen that lineup. Musk says it definitely possible to have a Smart that goes "like a bat out of hell." Deal includes both companies sharing knowledge on future oriented vehicles.

Priority with Tesla is to speed up processes to bring EVs to market, Weber believes small cars like Smart are the place to start while Tesla has shown it can be done with sporty cars

Musk says Daimler provides engineering expertise for mass production while Tesla provides expertise in batteries and electric drive

Weber says that the electric drive systems will be applied to all types of vehicles including urban commercial vehicles.

finally, this photo was run from autoblog's coverage of the M-B/Tesla press conference. what is this one eyed beast in the background?!

 

[IH8Rice]

damn, i was just gonna post that.


thankfully they came up with something more realistic than the original plan for 27.5mpg for cars

 

[Barbaton]

Y'all see this commute carbon footprint calculator on MSNBC?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29975486/