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HumanCar Powered by Human Energy, Not Ethanol
Charley and Chuck Greenwood, a father-son combo, think they know the secret to the future of cars: rowing.
And they founded their company HumanCar to prove that human energy, not biofuels, is the gasoline of the future. Their Imagine_PS car seats up to four in a low-slung chassis; the passengers get to help row the lightweight car.
Think of it as an ergonomic, efficient and sneaker-saving Flintstone's car for an oil-free future. The front two 'drivers' get to steer, which is done with a talented and coordinated lean.
"Body steering comes from the hips," CEO Chuck said. "It's just like a properly performed ski turn."
But revolutionizing steering is not the point of these Oregon entrepreneurs. "It's about thinking about days per life versus miles per gallon," CEO Chuck Greenwood said.
When powered by four people rowing, the car will go about as fast as the 'drivers' would on bicycles, on average.
But, that's only if they were driving in a flat city like Chicago, where the car is currently on display for two weeks during the Wired NextFest future-tech expo in Millennium Park.
For hillier locales or higher speeds, there's electric assist motors and regenerative brakes that funnel the vehicle's momentum back into the batteries.
The Greenwoods plan to sell Imagine_PS as a Neighborhood Electric Vehicle, a state-by-state designation that frees it from requirements such as air bags and in some states, even the need for a licensed driver or insurance.
But to qualify, the top speed will have to capped at around 20 mph -- though the Greenwoods say the chassis can easily handle sports car speeds in excess of 100 mph.
Hear that, hot rodders?
Though not yet for sale, advanced models of the Imagine_PS for corporate campuses will be available soon for $35,000 to $50,000, while the consumer model is slated to be be priced at $15,500. Charley and Chuck Greenwood, a father-son combo, think they know the secret to the future of cars: rowing. ... more -
UN report says new energy creates new jobs: huh?
It says the manufacture, installation and maintenance of solar panels should add 6.3 million jobs by 2030, while wind power should add more than two million jobs.
More than a million people already work in biofuels, but the UN report says that could rise by 12 million by 2030. It says the manufacture, installation and maintenance of solar panels should add 6.3 million jobs by 2030, while wind power should add... more -
MIT figures out how to use water as a fuel-cell storage medium
So for years we've been talking about how cool it is to split hydrogen from water and burn it creating water as a byproduct.... now someone figured out how to make the process into a fuel cell! I slapped myself on the forehead... it's such a no-brainer I can't believe someone had not already thought of it.
Use the solar energy from your roof to split the hydrogen and oxygen, then when you need the power during the evening they've figured out how to combine the two back together again forming... yes, water.
If this is really true (because it seems so simple I think it must be bogus) it's going to revolutionize our ability to easily and cheaply store energy generated by the son with cheap easily accessible natural materials!
It's the elegance of a several billion year's worth of natural research (Thanks Plants!) coming to fruit for their buddies us humans. Look to nature for the answers friends.
Cheers.
Stradius So for years we've been talking about how cool it is to split hydrogen from water and burn it creating water as a byproduct.... n... more -
PIVO 2 The future is electric for Nissan and that future is around the corner
Pivo 2 takes the idea of an environmentally friendly electric urban commuter vehicle and delivers fun, functionality and a unique relationship between the car and driver. Pivo 2 is powered by advanced Compact Lithium-ion Batteries and employs 'by-wire' technologies for braking and steering.
Where the first Pivo, with its fully rotating cabin design, made reversing obsolete, the Pivo 2 takes that easy mobility concept to a new level. Each of the four wheels are powered by Nissan's advanced electric In-wheel 3D Motor and can turn through 90 degrees to allow Pivo 2 to drive sideways as well as forward.
This might be one of the first fully environmentally friendly cars to see the market, rumors says that this car will be available in USA and Japan in 2010 and will open the doors to a new market of environmental conscious customers. Pivo 2 takes the idea of an environmentally friendly electric urban commuter vehicle and delivers fun, functionality and a unique rela... more -
Renault-Nissan Partnership to Develop Electric Cars for Israel
Renault and Nissan are joining forces to develop electric cars that Project Better Place will sell throughout Israel under a government-led campaign to promote alternative fuels.
We've been following the plan by Project Better Place to bring EVs to the masses by creating a network of charging stations and battery exchange depots. The idea, according to founder Shai Agassi, is to sell EVs like cell phones, where a monthly fee gets you access to batteries and the charging infrastructure.
The Isreali government quickly lined up in support of the project, and now Renault and Nissan have signed a deal to mass-produce electric vehicles they'll begin selling in Israel in 2011.
The cars will use lithium-ion batteries and offer a range of 60 miles in the city and 100 miles on the highway. They'll offer performance similar to a 1.6 liter gasoline engine.
Project Better Place says it will install 500,000 charging stations throughout Israel, and Renault is developing battery packs that can be replaced at automated exchange depots.
Renault boss Carols Ghosn told Reuters that Israel is perfect for EVs because 90 percent of Israelis drive less than 45 miles a day. He wants to sell as many as 20,000 EVs a year in Israel. Renault and Nissan are joining forces to develop electric cars that Project Better Place will sell throughout Israel under a governmen... more -
Renault to develop electric cars for Israel
The Renault-Nissan alliance on Monday signed a deal to begin mass producing electric cars as part of an Israeli-led project to develop alternative energy sources and slash oil dependency.
Renault-Nissan Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn said the cars, with a range of about 100 km in city driving and up to 160 km on the highway, will accelerate from zero to 100 kph in 13 seconds and have a top speed of 110 kph -- similar to many gasoline-powered cars.
Ghosn said a key reason why the company chose Israel to launch the project is because 90 percent of Israelis drive less than 70 km a day and all major urban centers are within 150 km of each other. For Israel the cars would mean less dependency on oil imports, mostly coming from Russia.
The cars, to be made in Europe, will run on a battery developed by Nissan and Japan's NEC and will be available in 2011. A prototype is already on the road in Israel and various models will be sold by Renault and Nissan.
"It will be the most environmentally friendly mass-produced car on the market," Ghosn said at a Fuel Free Transportation ceremony at the office of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, adding the main appeal of the cars is that they were as "normal as possible" while operating quietly.
He said the car would cost the same or less than comparable gasoline engine autos and would have a lifetime warranty.
Ghosn said Renault-Nissan will also market the cars in yet to be determined European countries and Asia and later to the United States.
"We expect this car to be successful," Ghosn told reporters. "We want to make sure we mass market 10,000 to 20,000 cars a year in Israel ... We are determined to make it a success." The Renault-Nissan alliance on Monday signed a deal to begin mass producing electric cars as part of an Israeli-led project to develop... more -
Nissan-Renault to mass-market electric vehicles in Portugal
The Nissan-Renault auto alliance, charged up lately to promote electric vehicles, has formed a partnership with the Portuguese government that includes plans to sell its electric vehicles in Portugal in 2011.
The deal includes studying ways to create a nationwide network of charging stations and raising awareness about electric vehicles, Carlos Ghosn, chief executive of the French and Japanese automakers, and Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Socrates said Wednesday in making a joint announcement in Lisbon, according to Nissan.
The move is the latest in Nissan's aggressive forging of deals with cities and governments on electric vehicles as soaring gas prices and worries about global warming make the green technology more appealing.
Tokyo-based Nissan Motor Co. and alliance partner Renault SA have previously announced deals with Project Better Place, based in Palo Alto, California, which promotes electric vehicles, to mass market electric vehicles in Israel and Denmark in 2011.
While other car manufacturers are concentrating on fuel cells and hybrids, Nissan is going all out on electric vehicles, promising to sell the emissions-free cars globally in 2012, with the first models arriving in Japan and the U.S. in 2010. The Nissan-Renault auto alliance, charged up lately to promote electric vehicles, has formed a partnership with the Portuguese governm... more -
Nissan set to become an Eco First company
The Japanese Minister of the Environment, Ichiro Kamoshita, has endorsed Nissan’s environmental commitments and will award a special certificate to the car manufacturer at a ceremony held at the Ministry of Environment today (1st July 2008).
Nissan will now be known as an Eco First company. The Eco First Program serves to recognise and promote the environmental actions of companies that are compliant with the Kyoto Protocol.
The Nissan Green Program 2010 has pledged to reduce CO2 emissions while also reducing other emissions to protect water, air and oil resources. Nissan’s commitment does not stop there, the motor company aims to achieve a 100% recycling record for its rate of resource recovery in Japan. Nissan has, as a business, reduced its environmental impact by reducing harmful emissions from its operations and has sought to raise environmental awareness within the local community.
Nissan will systematically report on the advance of its environmental commitments to the Ministry of Environment. Nissan will now be permitted to use the Eco First Logo in all its communications to further promote environmental awareness. The Japanese Minister of the Environment, Ichiro Kamoshita, has endorsed Nissan’s environmental commitments and will award a special c... more -
Nissan to Introduce Electric Car in 2010, Mass-Production in 2012
The Slow Green Conversion of Carlos Ghosn
About 2 years ago, Nissan and Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn wasn't too impressed with hybrid cars, saying that they are "a nice story, but they’re not a a good business". Then a few months later, he announced that Nissan would license technology from Toyota for its Altima hybrid, and then develop its own hybrid technology. Now this year, Ghosn was heard saying that we needed "zero emission vehicles" to "prevent the world from exploding" (!), and that his preference was for electric cars.
Nissan Shareholder Meeting
The latest stage of Mr. Ghosn's conversion happened at Nissan's shareholder meeting. Ghosn said that Nissan, along with Renault, "has an opportunity to be a world leader in mass-marketing [zero-emission vehicles].” Ghosn said that he hopes to sell 1 million of electric cars a year globally, although without specifying a date. If this was American politics, he would be called a flip-flopper. Thankfully, in the real-world it's a good thing to be able to change your mind. The Slow Green Conversion of Carlos Ghosn ... more
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