10 Awesome Alternative Vehicles! (Designs, concept, & retail)
Posted on 10/14/10 by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Just recently, I gave up my car to my brother because I live so close to work. It was a great decision; as I don’t have to pay $100 a month to store my car when I need to go to my design studio in Coral Gables. The team has been welcoming with the change, opting to carpool to save on gas and the environment.
We are now in month 2 and I have found the new arrangement to be quite pleasant, though it would be great to travel with something that can be cost effective and stylish. So I compiled a list of 10 awesome alternative vehicles that would be great to commute in and around the city!
1.Super Mini Cooper Scooter Design Concept
Mini Cooper has always been up there in the car industry as having some of the most stylish, customizable, and even fuel-efficient vehicles around. Now they are thinking about going even “mini-er” with the “MINI SCOOTER E” concept.
Powered by an electric drivetrain, the scooter concept has sustainability in mind as well as style. If you are familiar with the Mini brand (You’ll see many of them on the road!), you can see that the headlamp looks like it is a headlight straight from the Mini Cooper and the saddle handlebar is reminiscent of the mini’s chrome accents. The scooter is still a concept, but may be coming to you in the near future.
2. DTV Shredder – Segways for real men
A company called BPG Werks unveiled the DTV Shredder, a treaded all terrain vehicle that looks like it’s the buff and brawny version of the Segway. With a top speed of over 30 mph and the ability to have machine guns mounted to it, it would be any guy’s favorite new ride. It can carry over 1200 pounds unmanned and 700 pounds with a driver. It looks like its geared towards military use but you can put a $250 deposit to hold a spot. Pricing and a production schedule have not yet been determined.
3. GM and Segway P.U.M.A – Looks more like a warthog
Looking at the name you might think it is a little more fearsome, but this thing might be the next best thing on two wheels! With an exterior design that looks like a stripped Smartcar, the Personal Urban Mobility & Accessibility prototype “represents the shift that’s needed for the future of transportation.”
The P.U.M.A was created by the collaboration between Segway and GM. It has a top speed of 35 mph and spends about 35¢ ¬to charge the battery. The best part is that each P.U.M.A has the ability to communicate with other P.U.M.A’s in the area, preventing congestion, accidents, etc. Look for it in 2012!
4. Ideo Aquaduct – Pedaling out water
The grand prize winner of the “Innovate or Die” challenge, where teams and soloists alike develop concepts of improving the world using the basic mechanics of a bicycle, IDEO developed the idea of a water filtration system built into a bicycle. The Aquaduct “seeks to address the two main challenges with water in the developing world: sanitation and transportation.
Water-related diseases kill thousands of people each day. Moreover, water sources in developing areas can be miles from home, requiring women to walk these distances daily carrying heavy water vessels.”It looks very well designed and has a great concept behind it. It is still in the concept phase but when Google backs the competition they won from, we may see it in developing countries soon!
5. Moov – Make it , Moov it!
This isn’t technically a vehicle for the streets but the concept behind it is great. The Moov kit is like a large-scale lego technics set. You are able to put pieces together to construct several different vehicles! It is an innovative idea and would be great for kids.
There are three sets to choose from; each one with more pieces than the last. If you purchase the street kit, you would be able to construct 10 different models. Obviously, if you are a little creative, you can come up with anything!
6. Derringer Bicycle - Keeping it old school
Hand-built, copper rivets, fuel tank, all for $3,500! It is anything but modern and is modeled after its 1920’s namesake. The bike has options like leather saddlebags for that complete vintage look.
To bring it to the present, the Derringer bike has a 1.8-gallon fuel tank that can travel over 300 miles and go over 30mph. The best part is that you can just use it as a normal bicycle if you wanted to.
7. Yikebike - Enough for you to say "Yikes"
The penny-farthing was first introduced back in the 1870’s. They were a symbol of the Victorian era with the large wheel in the front and a much smaller wheel in the back. Now let’s fast forward to the present. The yikebike is the 21st century reimagining of that bicycle design. “Yikes” would probably be the first thing you would say if you saw this cruising down the road.
You sit in an upright position and hold on tightly to the handlebars that rest near your hands. This bike has many key features that would make it worthy of many metropolitan cities. It can transform into itself to make it portable, release zero carbon emissions and can go up to 15 mph.
8. Brammo Motorcycles - Even makes the Harley riders turn heads
Brammo has created the first American made, street legal, all electric motorcycle in America. The great thing about this bike however is that it looks phenomenal. Coming in two flavors, the Empulse and Enertia are sure to turn heads. I would even argue that it might convert some Harley riders.
With the ability to travel over 60 miles in a single charge and to be able to go up to speeds of 60+ , these bikes are here to change the future of going green.
There was even a campaign for President Obama to receive one of these bikes. Go to www.shockingbarack.com for more information.
9. Transformer TX - Autobots Roll Out!
This next vehicle comes out of science fiction. I am still wishing for flying cars but DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) is looking to make it a reality with the “transformer TX.” The concept uses the basic structure of the American military’s most popular vehicle, the Humvee, and implants some sort of propulsion system into the vehicle.
The main objective of the vehicle consists “of a robust ground vehicle that is capable of configuring into a VTOL [Vertical Take Off and Landing] air vehicle with a maximum payload capability of approximately 1,000 lbs.”
10.Coke & Mentos Powered Car!
It’s not really car but it can definitely move…a whole 221 feet. Using 108 two-liter Coke Zero Bottles and 648 mentos, Fritz Grobe and Stephen Voltz of Buckfield were able to demonstrate a new viable form for fueling vehicles. At least you would never get thirsty!
