Technabob » vehicle

Lit Motors C-1: Electric Scooter with a Roof?

Range — Tue, 22 May 2012 13:33:29 +0000

I’ll admit that if you live in Asia, cars aren’t very convenient, though the trend for super-minis is starting to catch on in Europe and slowly in North America. This prototype vehicle takes things a bit further by taking away a couple of wheels and using gyroscopic stabilization so that it remains upright.

The Lit C-1 is a small, single-seat electric urban vehicle, combining the size of a motorcycle with the apparent safety of something bigger. The C-1 uses electronically-controlled gyroscopes to remain upright even in the case of an accident. However, you’d best be careful if you’re driving this, because the makers have dubbed it the “Rolling Smartphone” because of its extensive connectivity to mobile devices.

It can be charged up in six hours, has a top speed of 120mph, and the battery provides enough autonomy for 150 to 220 miles. It will be available in 2014 and will sell for $12,000 to $16,000 (USD).

[via designboom]

BRD RedShift Electric Motorcycles: Eco-Friendly and Look Good Doing It

Technabob — Tue, 01 May 2012 19:00:55 +0000

Motocross bikes are notoriously horrible for the environment, with their tiny two-stroke engines, they spew forth tons of Carbon Monoxide. And while many bikes have more environmentally-friendly four-stroke engines, they still have some emissions. But now riders have a choice to be a little more green when they head to the hills, thanks to the BRD RedShift.

This new line of motorbikes not only looks great, it runs on electric power, making them green and quiet. There are two main bikes in the line, one designed for off-road action – the RedShift MX, and another designed for city streets – the RedShift SM. The 260lb. RedShift MX offers a continuous output of 25hp and a peak of 40hp, and can run for up to 2 hours on a charge. Top speed is 80mph, and it’s tuned for off-road use, with its 21″ front and 19″ rear spoked wheels.

The RedShift SM has the same bones as the MX, but is designed for a smoother ride, with 18″ spoked wheels, and a slightly heavier weight of 265lbs. It will also be available as a special police cruiser called the RedShift PD. All three bikes have durable frames designed to take a beating whether on the trail or in the city.

The RedShift MX will retail for $14,995(USD), and the RedShift SM will sell for $15,495. You can get on the pre-order list with a $100 deposit over at BRD Motorcycle’s website.

[via Gear Patrol via Werd]

Sand Flea Robot Can Jump 30 Feet in the Air

Technabob — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 03:54:52 +0000

If anyone has a shot at being the real life Cyberdyne Systems, I think it’s Boston Dynamics. Between their Big Dog, Alpha Dog, Cheetah and other walking robots, they’re building some of the most incredible robotic creatures out there. Their latest ‘bot may not be as agile as some of their walking ‘bots, but it does have a major trick up its little robot sleeves.

The diminutive Sand Flea robot is about the size and shape of an R/C car, but on command, the 11 pound robot can go from driving to leaping straight up in the air. A special onboard stabilization system ensures it stays oriented as it flies through the air to heights up to 30 feet. All the while, an on-board video system can relay images back to a remote operator. As shown in the video clip below, the Sand Flea can use this ability to rapidly leap onto the roof of a building or on top of a hill in about a second.

The Sand Flea is being developed by Boston Dynamics for the US Army’s Rapid Equipping Force, where it’s likely to be used for reconnaissance and surveillance missions.

Denver Zoo Has a Truck Powered by Poo

Shane McGlaun — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 00:00:50 +0000

If there’s one thing that a zoo has in an abundance, it’s poop. You only have to wonder to the elephant or rhinoceros enclosures to see the mass quantities of poo zoo animals can produce. The Denver Zoo has a very cool way to deal with some of the poop its animals produce. The zoo has modified a little three-wheeled motorized tuk tuk to run on animal waste.

The zoo decided that it was going to take the poo produced by its pandas and use it to power the 20-year-old vehicle. The process of turning the poop into fuel is rather complicated and actually involves the use of some human produced trash as well. The zoo puts the waste in the central chamber and turns it into gasified pellets.

Those pellets are then subjected to high heat with no oxygen to further transform them. The pellets are burned to give off something called syngas, which is burnt in a generator to produce electricity that is then used to charge the batteries for the electric motor in the little three-wheel truck. The process has a more disgusting origin. Apparently, the zoo used a smaller prototype to power a blender used to make margaritas for zoo events.

[via Denver Post via Autoblog Green]

Invisible Mercedes Minivan Needs a Higher Resolution Display

Technabob — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 18:00:55 +0000

If there’s one thing that the Internet has forced companies to do is to get a little more creative with their marketing. Instead of crappy old TV commercials, vendors are vying for our attention with publicity stunts they hope will go viral online. This recent campaign from Mercedes-Benz is one of the more intriguing viral campaigns I’ve seen in a while.

To promote its zero-emission F-CELL fuel cell technology, Mercedes funded the creation of a vehicle that could be turned “invisible” – in reference to the vehicle’s limited impact on the environment. They pulled it off by wrapping their ride in flexible sheets covered with a grid of LEDs. A camera on each side of the vehicle then relays what it’s seeing to the other side of the minivan, creating the illusion of invisibility. You can see the invisible Mercedes in action in the video clip:

It’s a pretty cool concept, though you have to stand back pretty far and be viewing the vehicle at an exactly 90-degree angle for the effect to work. I’d love to see someone work out higher resolution version of this illusion, along with head tracking so it would work no matter what angle you were standing at (like Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol’s invisbility shield.) Still, Mercedes’ promo beats your average crummy ad campaign, IMHO.

To see some behind the scenes photos from the shoot, head on over to Mashable and check out their gallery.

Self-Balancing Unicycle Version 2.0 Keeps You Upright up to 12 Miles

Technabob — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 14:00:34 +0000

Self-balancing unicycles aren’t a brand new concept, but other than the Ryno motorcycle, I really haven’t seen much footage of them in action. Apparently, I even missed their appearance on Mythbusters back in 2009, which I thought I watched religiously. While I’ve presumably had my head stuck in the sand, the guys at Focus Designs are have already been selling version 2.0 of their Self-Balancing Unicycle, or SBU (which sounds like a Law and Order spin-off) for a little while now.

The latest version of this one-wheeled wonder uses a 1000-watt motor to propel a rider at speeds up to 10mph down streets and sidewalks. Much like a Segway, it uses a combination of gyroscopes and accelerometers to keep itself upright. It’s got a range of about 12 miles, and takes about 2 hours to fully recharge. It’s also been refined to provide a smoother ride than the original, along with improved turning and faster balance response – which I suppose is a good thing on a vehicle with just a single wheel.

The SBU 2.0 also packs regenerative braking, which stores the energy you normally waste when going downhill or slowing down, giving you a longer ride on a charger. The video below is from back in 2010, but shows off the SBU 2.0 in action.

Apparently, the SBU decreases the learning curve for riding a unicycle from days or weeks down to just about 20 minutes – though I can only imagine it’s not easy to stop or start. Here’s some more recent footage, which gives you a better sense of how one learns how to ride a self-balancing unicycle.

You can order the SBU 2.0 over at Focus Designs website for $1499(USD). There’s an 8-to-12 week lead time if you want one, so keep that in mind if you have dreams of cruising on one of these this Spring or Summer.

[via Gizmag]

Boxx Electric Bike is as Small as Basic Transportation Gets

Conner Flynn — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 22:00:02 +0000

City life is tough. Sure, you can walk most anywhere you want or take a cab, but having your own mode of transport gives you a bit of freedom. But cars are expensive. Bikes are good, but require a lot of energy on your part. Mopeds are an option, but not if you can’t store them – never mind the emissions from the gas-powered ones. The BOXX electric vehicle seems like the perfect solution.

Reminiscent of the design of the old Honda Motocompo, the BOXX It’s basically a small box on wheels that can go up to 80 miles in a single charge, with a top speed of up to 35mph. It measures just 36 inches-long, weighs 120 pounds, and can handle a single passenger from 90 to 300 pounds. It’s got a suprisingly rich feature set for its size, including drive-by-wire control systems, all-wheel drive, traction control, anti-lock brakes, LED lighting and an optional heated seat for cold weather.

It takes up less space than a standard bicycle, and fits just about anywhere. Sadly, you have to be rich right now to own one since it will cost you $3,995(USD). If you have the money, it seems perfect for city living. If you want one, head on over to the BOXX product configurator now.

[via Redferret]

Megacity Aviation Personal Aircraft Perfect for Flying on Pandora

Shane McGlaun — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 16:00:10 +0000

Clearly, the dude that designed this flying rotorcraft has been watching some Avatar. This helicopter style device has the duel rotors on top that are surrounded by fan-like rings that the movie’s flying machines sported. It also reminds me somewhat of a refined version of that M.A.S.K. motorcycle that turned into a helicopter I had as a kid.

The idea behind Alex Jantschke’s concept called Megacity Aviation is that in crowded cities, the flying machine could fly around and reduce the congestion on the roads. The personal aircraft would be made from reinforced bio-plastic and have a hollow frame like a bird’s bones.

The dual coaxial rotors would be hydraulically operated. The designer figures the real deal would be about the size of a Mini Cooper and get you to your destination about twice as fast. Sign me up. I want one.

[via YankoDesign]

Military Humvees Go for Hybrid Power

Shane McGlaun — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 22:00:14 +0000

The world has gone hybrid crazy it seems. The hybrid makes a lot of sense in that you can reduce the amount of fuel you use and save a bit at the pump. They also make less pollution we all have to breathe as well. Hybrid tech has even found its way into some sports cars and it is now making its way to military vehicles too.

The giant vehicles that the military uses are far from fuel-efficient and the more fuel they consume, the more fuel the military has to transport to wherever they are operating from. The more transportation runs to fuel up, the more soldiers are in harm’s way. Never mind the massive fuel expenses passed onto taxpayers. Clearly, saving fuel has many benefits in the military. This is why the Hummer is gong hybrid.

The full details on the vehicle known as the Fuel Efficiency Group Vehicle Demonstrator or FED Bravo are still classified. However, it is said to be a plug-in hybrid, using technology similar to the Chevy Volt. More details are known about the FED Alpha, a lightweight model which uses a solar panel to power its electrical system, and runs on a turbo 4-cylinder diesel engine, along with special tires which have a low rolling resistance. The vehicles are said to get the same performance as current Hummers and save 70% on fuel.

[via Inhabitat via Jalopnik]

Ferrari-Powered Four-Wheeler Straps 250HP to Your Butt

Shane McGlaun — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 14:00:00 +0000

This may be the coolest four-wheeler in the history of four-wheelers. It’s Ferrari red, has a 6-speed transmission from a BMW M3, and a 250hp Ferrari 3.0L V8 engine inside the body work. It looks more like a three-wheeler, but if you look closely, you can see that the thing has two rear wheels.

The official name for the quad of death is the Lasareth Wazuma V8F. I think if a F1 car and a Yamaha Banshee had a love child, this is what it would look like. It also looks like the sort of vehicle that will kill you at any second with little hesitation.

The Ferrari V8 sits in the front between the two wheels, which appear to be Ferrari wheels with slicks. You probably need those slicks to maximize traction, but you will want some grooves in case it rains.

This thing is reserved only for the richest death-wish-having gearheads out there with a price of about $261,000 (USD).

[via Autoblog]

Rinspeed Dock + Go Makes Mini-Cars More Useful

Range — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 16:00:00 +0000

For a moment, I thought that this dock for your super mini-car would make it into a mini-pickup, but that’s not the case. Once attached, the resulting car looks kind of cool, albeit strange and wrong in so many ways.

The Dock+Go concept by Rinspeed was created by Frank Rinderknecht. It adds a third axle, which will allow you to store a lot more stuff in your sub-sub-compact car. Rinspeed suggests a variety of different configurations for the Dock + Go, including a heated box for food delivery, a segmented toolbox, a golf camping box, beach or party box. There’s also the option of adding a combustion engine in this extra space, or extra fuel cells, allowing you to go further and faster.

Rinspeed is demonstrating the Dock+Go on a tw0-seater Smart car, but the system is intended to work with any electric city-type car. The concept vehicle will be displayed at the Geneva motor show, from March 3rd to 13th, 2012.

[via designboom]

Honda Motor Compo Scooter Screams “I’m Geekier Than You, Segway Guy!”

Shane McGlaun — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 23:30:05 +0000

I am always surprised when the Tokyo Motor Show rolls around each year, as I tend to see as many things that aren’t cars than new cars themselves. Case in point – Honda is showing off a new electric scooter at the show called the Motor Compo. This folding scooter is designed to slip into the back of a small car that Honda was showing at the show as well.

It seems the idea is that the larger car can drive you from home to as close to your destination as possible. If you are the sort that doesn’t like exercise, you could then pop the Motor Compo scooter out of the car, unfold it, and cruise to your final destination. This sort of scooter is a nice last-mile option.

Once you get where you are going you can fold the scooter back up and take it with you. The downside is you will look like a Shriner in a TRON movie riding this thing. I would certainly laugh and point – especially if you wear a electroluminescent fez on your head to complete the look.

The two-wheel scooter is front-wheel drive, and has a built-in smartphone dock, which would also provide information on the bike’s speed and battery levels. At this point, Honda gives no indication of the driving range or charge time for the Motor Compo, or if it will ever come to market.

[via designboom]

Bigtrak XTR R/C Truck to Get iPhone, Android Remote Control and More

Technabob — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 13:15:33 +0000

A while back, you might recall that I told you guys about the return of the Bigtrak programmable vehicle from the 1980s. Well, the guys from Zeon Tech who made the revamped Bigtrak and Bigtrak Jr. have just revealed the upcoming top-of-the-line Bigtrak XTR, loaded with additional capabilities. The guys at Zeon were kind enough to share these early renders of the Bigtrak XTR with us, and it’s looking pretty awesome.

Probably the coolest thing is that the new Bigtrak XTR can even be controlled using your iPad, iPhone or Android device. It can also be controlled from your PC or Mac over Bluetooth. Surprisingly, the iPhone app is already available, long before the actual Bigtrak XTR can be yours.

The XTR has a spacious loading bay which conceals the programming keypad, letting you use it to carry objects around, and deliver them to your friends. It can even detect when a load is added or removed. While the render above shows the XTR carrying a can of Coke, this think will be the perfect beer-bot. It would be really cool if you could control it with Siri, but I don’t know if that’ll be possible.

In addition, the Bigtrak XTR offers several add-ons, including an IR gun, adjustable wireless camera and even a missile launcher you can fire remotely.

There’s no word yet on pricing for the Bigtrak XTR, but Zeon Tech expects to release it sometime in 2012. For more info, be sure to sign up on the Bigtrakisback website to be notified once it’s available. I’m hoping I’ll get a chance to play with one once it’s released. If nothing else, I want to mount a laser pointer on it so I can mess with my cat.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

Remote Controlled Steam Trike Runs on Vapors, Driven by Teddy Bear

Technabob — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 03:09:55 +0000

Think you’ve got a bad-ass remote-control car? Well despite being painted pink, this three-wheeled R/C monster looks like it could eat most cheap plastic cars for lunch.

As its name might tell you, the Steam Trike doesn’t run on electricity or gas. Nope, it runs on good, old-fashioned steam. It’s got a pair of large boilers, and rides along on a metal frame and large off-road wheels, and a spring suspension system. This 19 pound bad boy was made by a guy going by the name prallplatte (which translates to “full plate”), in his “Secret Ural Russian Laboratorys(sic),” whatever that means, especially since his name is German. Check it out in action in the video below:

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

I just love the sound of the motor and watching all those pistons and mechanical components in action. I also love how the driver is a teddy bear – with goggles on. But don’t you go thinking he’s all cute and cuddly. He might just burn you with a scalding hot blast of steam.

And in case you’re wondering why it’s pink, the color scheme of prallplatte’s vehicles are inspired by the SAS Pink Panther, including this hammer-wielding beast:

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

Jet-Powered Harley Sold on eBay: Hell Yeah!

Shane McGlaun — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 22:39:20 +0000

This is the ultimate motorcycle if you ask me. I have wanted a jet bike since I was a kid when that Battlestar Galactica TV Movie had Starbuck and Apollo flying around on jet bikes. This jet bike doesn’t fly, but it is something special – a 1929 style Harley with two jet engines.

I can only imagine it’s a flaming death trap waiting to kill anyone that sits on it. I can also imagine it will cook your legs all the way through before it blows up and kills you. The special bike was created by Robert Maddox with the goal of hitting 200mph.

I can’t imagine going on a motorcycle at 200mph, much less on a bike with a pair of jet engines under your butt. Still, death on wheels never looked so cool. This is one serious cool bit of kit and it just sold to one lucky buyer on eBay for a whopping $25,000 (USD).

[via Autoblog & The Kneeslider via Bornrich]

Bionic Bopper Robot Cars: Real Steel Gets Real

Conner Flynn — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 18:00:49 +0000

If you are rich enough to afford your own battling robots, these Bionic Bopper Cars will be your next purchase. You and a friend can battle with these motorized robots. They allow you to stand inside the protective cage and throw punches like a large game of Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots.

When you connect, the robot’s head flips back. Bumper cars and robots! Why didn’t I think about that? They can hold drivers up to 300 pounds and they have some power since they are powered by Honda gas engines that will give you a max speed of 3 mph.

The controls are in the cockpit. You get some buttons on two joysticks that activate the arms to land all of those punches. They are good for up to 5 hours of fighting and driving thanks to rechargeable 12-volt batteries built-in. If you have a spare $17,000(USD) you can buy them from Hammacher Schlemmer.

[via Random Good Stuff via Gizmodo via Geeky-Gadgets]

Moto Undone: Has Anybody Seen My Motorcycle?

Hazel Chua — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 13:15:48 +0000

I used to think that motorcycles were like bicycles that were made for lazy people. They certainly weren’t as roomy or comfortable as a car, that much was obvious, and they definitely require less effort on the part of the rider to keep things moving than a bicycle. I wouldn’t say motorcycles are a cross between cars and bicycles, although some models I’ve seen lately are making me reconsider that thought.

And then here comes Joey Ruiter, a designer who decided to render his vision of a stripped-down electric motorcycle by taking away all the macho-looking frills and design elements to come up with Moto Undone.

Ruiter explains: “[We wanted to] re-set the definition of a motorbike by stripping away historical attributes that make them so great. Moto Undone is pure generic transportation and by motorbike category definition, it isn’t very cool. The motorbike references are small and when someone is riding, they are all you see.”

While the Moto Undone is definitely stripped-down in terms of design, its other specs aren’t really very shabby. The motorcycle is actually powered by a 1000w 48v electric hub motor and has a range of 90 miles. Other riding information and gauges are can be accessed through a smartphone–which is something you can’t do while you’re riding on it because, you know, it’s not very safe to fish the device out of your pocket and steer yourself on the road at the same time.

The Moto Undone was put on display recently at the Grand Rapids Art Museum.

[Toxel via TechEBlog]

LANDBEARSHARK Motorized Skateboard with Treads: Another Way to Die?

Range — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 15:00:41 +0000

Ever since I first saw motorized skateboards, I always thought that there were a really great way to get around. Now that I’m older and saner, I know for a fact that these contraptions can’t be too safe, especially when you don’t have many ways of slowing down. This particular motorized skateboard was created by The Miters from MIT, and it premiered at the World Maker Faire in New York.

Charles Guan is the one who rides this thing (designed, created, and built it as well), and it gets around on a pair of treads, which makes it different than wheeled boards, and lets its passenger ride off-road. The skateboard boasts a custom drivetrain, 500-watt hours of lithium batteries inside of it, and a 1HP motor to tug you around. Top speed is 15 to 20mph, which isn’t bad.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

The LANDBEARSHARK tread skateboard still needs a remote control to function for now, but Charles thinks that once this thing is perfected, it will do without.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

[via Make:]

Panzer Soundtank Declares War on Ears Everywhere

Conner Flynn — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 02:35:18 +0000

There are sound systems, and then there are monstrous sound systems. This one definitely falls into the latter category. In the words of immortal loud band AC/DC: If you see the SoundTank rolling into your neighborhood, “lock up your daughter, lock up your wife, lock up your back door and run for your life”. And for the love of God, cover your ears.

Nik Nowak’s concept sound vehicle, dubbed the Panzer Soundtank combines an army tank-looking machine, some speakers and drum machines for a vehicle that will rock you like a hurricane. Inside of this beast you’ll find a seat and all the DJ equipment necessary to rock a party.

So apparently we will soon be seeing DJ wars fought in our streets as other DJs build their own tanks and unleash them. We can expect a lot of collateral ear damage, but what the hell.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

And in case you were wondering, yes it really can drive:

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

[via Thinng]

Electric TRON Lightcycle Outed by Parker Brothers

Technabob — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 22:45:13 +0000

Do you guys remember those awesome TRON lightcycle motorcycles from Parker Brothers bike customizers? Well they’re back, and this time they’ve done away with the old gas-and-oil-guzzler and replaced it with something much more likely to exist in the world of TRON – an all-electric drive-train.

The new all-electric TRON lightcycle is driven by a 96-volt electric motor, powered by a bunch of lithium-ion battery cells. The bike is able to hit a top speed over 100mph, and can go for about 100 miles per charge (and a charge only takes 15 to 35 minutes). Of course, it also features authentic TRON illumination with the flick of a switch. Check out some footage of the electric lightcycle tooling around a shopping mall parking lot, as well as a brief glimpse at the bike’s internals in the video below:

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

Parker Brothers says they are intent on making the bike street-legal, but it’s not designed for heavy duty use – so don’t expect to get in a light bike race with evil CLU and expect to beat him if he’s still on a petroleum-powered bike. For more info on the electric TRON bike, head on over to parkerbrotherschoppers.com or give them a buzz at 321-215-5116.