COOLEST HYBRID EVER! Seriously!

[ciderbarrel]

Originally Posted by euromodder

Am I the only one who's a bit, errr , well ... disappointed ?

Nope, I'm pretty underwhelmed as well. I think the hype was oversold a tad, or it was a very long-term prank on the board.

[Tango Charlie]

Wondering if it's too late to hear more about that segway.

Just kiddin' ya, Ben...we still love you!

[Fat Charlie]

It's actually quite remarkable. A "real" production company has shifted a real product to be more efficient- in a field where efficiency is usually measured in payload and the like, not regular vehicle operations.

They didn't quite manage cold fusion, but it's still a Very Good Thing. It wasn't Ben's hype, either. Violating NDAs at work is generally a bad thing, even if they're only because a client's marketing department is worried that a competitor will cram a multiyear project into a few months and beat them to market.

[2000neon]

Yeah I'm with Charlie, certainly not disappointed. I think the idea of increasing efficiency by using less energy is always cool, especially on something of this scale. That things is really cool, quite a few of my friends are heavy equipment operators and I have always found these (okay, never anything as big as this one) machines to be very interesting. Then with the idea of being able to store energy without having batteries seems perfect for an application like this, especially with such a long life of the machine.

[bennelson]

Originally Posted by Flakbadger

It's gotta be capacitors.

You didn't hear it from me!


"Disappointed"? I thought you would all run me out of town!

You really have to see this thing in person. It's INSANELY BIG and gets 25% better fuel use than its non-hybrid brother.

That's not peanuts when you consider how large and powerful these things are, and how much fuel they use. I find it exciting that a wide variety of industries are embracing hybrids and other appropriate uses of technology for reducing fuel use.

This thing is the first of its kind, and I'm sure we'll see more in the future.

[Daox]

Believe me, you guys wouldn't be underwhelmed if you were standing next to it.

[Fat Charlie]

Originally Posted by bennelson

You really have to see this thing in person. It's INSANELY BIG and gets 25% better fuel use than its non-hybrid brother.

Round here, you get 20% over and the system calls you a hypermiler. The factory just went and got 25%. Sure, they didn't cure cancer or anything, but for a factory to rethink things for a 25% jump is almost as hard.

[euromodder]

Originally Posted by bennelson

"Disappointed"? I thought you would all run me out of town!

We keep our options open

You really have to see this thing in person. It's INSANELY BIG and gets 25% better fuel use than its non-hybrid brother.

Given the amount of fuel these things go through, it's certainly a big thing.

I find it exciting that a wide variety of industries are embracing hybrids and other appropriate uses of technology for reducing fuel use.

As with the Prius, it's a selling point.
Don't bother, this thing will cut your fuel use for you ...
Fuel of course is directly related to operating cost.

[Ryland]

This is coming from a company that makes a wide range of other heavy equipment as well! they make engines for semi-trucks, they make loaders, back hoes and a wide range of equipment that stink up the air when you crawl by when there is road construction.

I'm impressed, partly because it's not just another consumer vehicle that will never get built.

[Cobb]

I have to admit I am kind of disappointed that it doesnt use a flywheel. You would think something that sits and swivils would be idea for something like that.

The compressor to my AC has a capaciator on it, so I got a hybrid AC system?