Technabob » vehicle

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:

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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.

Segway Mates with a Motorcycle, the Ryno Micro-cycle is Born

Conner Flynn — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 19:00:45 +0000

Unicycles used to be strictly for clowns in the circus. Occasionally the clown would let a monkey ride one. Those were truly terrifying times. But now anyone can ride one and soon, you’ll be able to ride a unicycle that can hit breakneck speeds of up to 20mph.

The unicycle/motorcycle shown above comes from Ryno Motors. It’s an electric bike, with a single wheel, looking as if they chopped a motorcycle in half. This vehicle will give you up to 30 miles of travel on a single charge. Think of it as a more useful Segway that can go more places and get you there faster.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

The company is still working hard to produce this vehicle, and when they are ready you will be able to buy one for about $4,200. They are expected to be available next year. Who wants one? For now, you can get in on the $25,000 Limited Edition pre-production model.

[via redferret]

Necker Nymph: Rent Your Own Underwater Sea Plane from Sir Richard Branson

Shane McGlaun — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 17:49:17 +0000

It’s well established that Sir Richard Branson is both a geek and one of the richest people on Earth. He owns islands and has spent lots of money on commercializing space flight. Overall, he’s the sort of rich geek I wish I could be. He also has one of the fastest catamarans on the oceans called the Necker Belle.

That catamaran isn’t nearly as cool as the Necker Nymph. No, that isn’t some sort of porn show you can only see aboard the catamaran, it’s a submarine. The sub is sort of like an underwater airplane. It looks sort of like the Lotus Esprit that James Bond turned into a submarine to me.

You can rent the Necker Nymph for a full day along with an underwater chauffeur to drive you and a guest around under the waves for a full day if you have the loot. The sub isn’t enclosed so you will need SCUBA gear and dives can last for up to two hours at up to 30-meters deep. At $2,500 (USD) per day, the rental is surprisingly reasonable (at least if you’re Sir Richard Branson).

[via GadgetReview]

HAF X Mini Bike Casemod: Log On, then Ride Off

Technabob — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 02:18:45 +0000

I’ve seen a couple of computer mods that look like motorcycles before, and even a scooter computer, but I think this is the best combo of computer and motorized vehicle I’ve seen yet.

The HAF X Mini Bike casemod is actually both a fully-functional gaming PC and a gas-powered mini bike, capable of carrying its builder along for a ride.

Built by René Grau from CM Storm, the system is based on an CoolerMaster HAF X chassis, with an Intel Core i5 CPU, and a 4GB GeForce GTX460 graphics card, running on a Mini-ITX mobo. Storage is provided by a 300GB SSD, so the guy who built it doesn’t have to worry about bumps in the road damaging a hard drive. It also sports dual exhaust and a two-stroke engine, with a top speed of about 40MPH – unusual stats for a PC.

Looking for proof that it actually works as a PC, and as a bike? Look no further than this video clip, which shows it handling double-duty.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

What’s the last time you saw someone pouring gasoline into their computer? And before you even ask – no, you can’t use the system while riding – unless you’ve got a really long extension cord.

[via Case Mod Blog]

Army to Deploy Automated ATVs to Carry Packs and More in the Field

Shane McGlaun — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 17:22:30 +0000

The closest I have ever come to being in the military would be playing high school football and having to endure the not at all fun two-times-a-day practice in the weeks leading up to the start of school. It was 105°F here in Texas, and you were out in the sun running wind sprints while wearing 30 pounds of gear. It sucked really badly. I can’t imagine how a solider feels carrying even more gear and having to worry about attacks at the same time.

Often in the military, how far a group of soldiers can wander from base depends on the amount of gear they can carry with them like water and food. They also have to contend with getting tired from carrying heavy packs as well. The military is now sending its cool Squad Mission Support System to Afghanistan to help take a load off the soldiers.

The Lockheed Martin produced, six-wheeled ATVs can navigate on their own and are able to carry the supplies that the soldiers need when on a mission or just hiking to the next point. The SMSS is the largest unmanned vehicle to ever be deployed with the army. It can be remote controlled, tele-operated, or manual controlled. In the future, the vehicles might be armed, and provide surveillance capabilities as well.

[via CNET]

Michael Jelinek’s Vehicle Concepts: Are Pod Racers the Future of Transportation?

Range — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 12:57:10 +0000

Even though I saw Star Wars Episode I: Phantom Menace a few times, it remains my everyone’s least favorite Star Wars movie. That being said, it had some redeeming qualities, like Darth Maul and the pod racers. Check out Michael Jelinek’s vehicle designs, some of which reminds me of pod racing.

Michael Jelinek comes from the Czech Republic and he recently demonstrated his conceptual and rendering skills with these designs. He’s worked for Nike and Volkswagen, and has a knack for designing and imagining interesting vehicle concepts.

Some of these vehicles look like they’re straight out of science-fiction, while others, like the snowmobiles could feasibly already exist. I’d like to see how his pod-racers would work, because they look pretty darned dangerous. Check out the rest of Michael’s vehicle designs over at Coroflot.

[via Core77]

Turbine-Powered Batmobile Hits the Streets

Shane McGlaun — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 18:56:57 +0000

I will admit that while I have seen all of the Batman flicks they have all been crazy cheesy until Christian Bale took over in the recent Christopher Nolan-helmed films. Bale and Nolan took Batman and made it much more real and gritty. I loved The Dark Knight, and the Tumbler the Batmobile became in the film was just awesome. I never liked the cartoon-style winged Batmobile that Michael Keaton drove in the early films.

I do still have a great appreciation for the replica of that winged Batmobile that you see here. Not only does it look like the real Batmobile from the flick, but the car is actually powered by a turbine! In fact, the owner claims that it is the world’s only replica to be powered by a turbine. Watch it in action below, and just listen to that sound!

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The car’s owner is Casey Putsch, who owns Putsch Racing. He constructed the car and made it look just like the one Keaton drove in the flick from 1989. The car is massive at 20-feet long and 7-feet 5-inches long.

Look closely at the interior and you will note an iPad there for some of the gauges. The car even has IR and visible light cameras along with a fire suppression system. I would love to know how fast the car can go.

[via Autoblog via Bornrich]