by Benjamin Jones on June 30, 2009
Recently we have been seeing a lot more 3-wheelers than we used to. The Automotive X-Prize competition is full of them, with teams hoping to take advantage of the improved aerodynamics and reduced rolling resistance of 3-wheeled vehicles. While many of these vehicles end up looking like space-age ships (ahem, Aptera) or land rockets, the design principles are sound, and can even be cool.
Just take a look at this recent article by Popular Mechanics that looks at some of the historically cool 3-wheelers out there. Despite being around since the beginnings of the car and motorcycle, these vehicles never really took off. I can see 3 good reasons why that is about to change:
- Fuel efficiency: 3-wheeled designs have greater possibility for fuel efficiency, which is going to be a must as we transition away from gasoline and toward alternatives like batteries or hydrogen.
- Speed: 3-wheelers tend to be fast, very fast. Like motorcycles, often much faster than cars. However, they are safer than motorcycles and offer a more conventional drive for the everyday driver/commuter.
- Fun: For most drivers, the biggest difference in a vehicle’s “fun factor” is how well it handles. While the suspension on the average land boat may be getting better, they will likely never rival the sporty feeling you get behind the wheel of a trike.
I, for one, welcome our 3-wheeled friends to share the streets with us any time!
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by Benjamin Jones on June 29, 2009
Though they would have us believe otherwise, in truth the team has been kicked out for failing to completely fill out the registration. The HP2G team is claiming that they left in the latest phases in order to bring their technology to the public in a time of need.
However, that doesn’t jive with the official report from the X-Prize foundation. Nor does it make sense that they would wait all these years to be discredited in the public sphere before rushing to make things public.
Here is the official word from the X-Prize Foundation:
HP2g put out a release last night claiming withdrawal from the Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE as well as making some unsubstantiated allegations. I’d like an opportunity to set the record straight:
As you recall, HP2g was one of over 120 teams that entered the Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE non-binding Letter of Intent program. While Mr. Pelmear states in his release that HP2G voluntarily withdrew from the competition, HP2g actually did not complete the full Registration Application prior to the deadline and was therefore rejected as a Registered Team.
Hopefully this will end some of the chatter around the car, which has nothing but the false claim of 110+ MPG, which is arrived at if you only count the gasoline portion of E85 and not all the ethanol that the car burns.
What would you say about using “cooked” chicken feathers to store hydrogen very efficiently? How about using chicken feathers as carbon fiber reinforcement in things like wind turbine blades?
The answer to both questions is — yes you can!
Science Friday: “Hydrogen Storage in Chicken Feathers?”
Researchers say they’ve come up with a new material for storing hydrogen fuel — carbonized chicken feathers. Speaking this week at at the 13th Annual Green Chemistry & Engineering Conference in College Park, MD, researchers said that carbonized chicken feathers could absorb as much or perhaps more hydrogen than other materials for hydrogen storage, including carbon nanotubes or metal hydrides, at a much lower cost.
Link to podcast
Here’s another source: Happy News
While I’m on the subject of Science Friday, the second segment in today’s show was also very interesting; talking about the enormous potential for wind power to far exceed all our needs.
Science Friday: Wind Energy Potential
Link to podcast
Image source: Just chaos
by Benjamin Jones on June 28, 2009
Everyone knows the Smart Fortwo as the tiny, fuel-efficient car you see around cities and parked the wrong direction on crowded streets. However, a lot of people have always felt the car’s Achilles heal was the price tag. With the new “Cash for Clunkers” rebate program, anyone able to trade in will be able to get $4,500 towards the purchase of a new Smart Fortwo, which will put the car within the reach of many people.
However, smart USA has decided to sweeten the pot by offering payments as low as $99/month for recipients of a “cash for clunkers” rebate, which may be the perfect opportunity for interested buyers to get behind the wheel of a Smart. If you are on the bubble because of fuel economy, check out our review where the Smart Fortwo got 45.9 mpg.
As more details come out, we will keep you posted.
by Benjamin Jones on June 27, 2009
For those of us that bought fuel efficient vehicles in the first place, it can sting a little bit to know that the people who made bad vehicle choices in the past are getting $4,500 dollars for a new car while we get nothing.
Well, worry not. This may be of little consolation, but you can now decorate your beautifully used, fuel-efficient clunker with a bumper sticker showing off how great your mileage is.
Personally, I can sport the “My Clunker Gets 60 MPG” sticker. What about you?
