Urban Transport

Piaggio testing 850cc scooter with radical new electronic gearbox

By Mike Hanlon

April 19, 2005 Italian scooter magazine Cyberscooter has published pictures of is believed to be the prototype of a Gilera Nexus 850 scooter undergoing pre-release testing on Italian roads. That’s 850 as in 850cc – the largest megascooter seen to date. The convergence paradigm appears to be inspiring all manner of marketplace morphing with the scooter and motorcycle industries clearly now beginning to overlap. In less than a decade the maxi scooter has grown from the once humble Italian invention, the scooter into a powerful pseudo sports motorcycle. The Nexus 850 scooter is believed to have been under development since early 2003, with a radical new electronic gearbox that was showcased in the Gilera 850 V-twin Ferro concept machine at the 2003 Milan Motorcycle Show. The new gearbox can change gears some ten times faster than mere mortals, offering a significant performance improvement, if that’s needed on an 850 scooter. Read More

The Sherpa Folding Electric Bike

By Mike Hanlon

April 15, 2005 Silent, powerful with a range far greater than could have been conceived just a few short years ago, electric bicycles look set to play a role in the future of transportation. Second generation electric bikes are beginning to appear and they are a far cry from the first generation. A prime example of just how far we have come is the second generation Sherpa from Electric Vehicles – it can be pedaled if you wish, but it goes faster than you can pedal with a top speed of 30kmh a range of 30 kilometres, and the ability to fold into the size of a small suitcase (830 x 350 x 610mm). At US$1050, it represents such an economical and convenient “second” form of transport that it is finding its way into motorhomes, boats, inner city apartments and anyone who lives within 20km of their workplace. And it doesn’t require a license! Read More

Toyot'a I-UNIT Personal Mobility Concept shown in New York

By Mike Hanlon

March 26, 2005 Toyota's i-unit concept was debuted outside Japan for the first time at the 2005 New York International Auto Show yesterday indicating the "personal mobility" is gathering momentum as a production possibility. One of the most radical automotive concepts ever publicly shown, the single passenger i-unit is a radical new form of "personal mobility" that was first shown as the PM Concept at the 2003 Tokyo Show but continues to evolve and with this concerted push towards public awareness of the concept, Toyota is clearly seeking to commercialise this exciting cross between a miniature electric car and a robot in the near future. Toyota is also showing an even more radical personal mobility "i-foot" unit at the EXPO 2005 in Aichi which is similar to the i-unit but features bipedal motive power (i.e. robotic legs). Read More

Intelligent Energy shows the ENV fuel-cell motorcycle prototype

By Mike Hanlon

March 18, 2005 A British company has released details of what it claims is the world's first purpose-built, fuel-cell motorbike. The Emissions Neutral Vehicle is dubbed ENV, pronounced "en vee" and is the creation of British energy solutions company Intelligent Energy. Powered by a 6kW 48 volt motor and with energy supplied from Intelligent Energy's 1kW hydrogen fuel cell, the ENV is currently capable of 50mph (80kmh) and is still under development - by the time the bike reaches market (no time frame yet), it can be expected it will reach most speed limits and exceed its current range of 100 miles (160 kilometres). The ENV weighs just 80 kilograms, has disc brakes and a belt drive and will face some very tough competition in the fuel cell two-wheel market as it evolves over the next few years. Read More

Mercedes-Benz fully-automatic pushbike

By Mike Hanlon

March 10, 2005 Mercedes-Benz is launching a new push bike model with an 8-speed automatic gearshift system – a high-technology pushbike with an emphasis on elegance, safety and exceptional comfort. Through its electronically controlled air suspension, a new type of 8-speed automatic gearshift system and its sensor-controlled lights, the bike adapts automatically to prevailing conditions, delivering an enjoyable riding experience under all circumstances – just as you would expect from other Mercedes product. The central on-board computer, controlled by the “flight deck” on the front section of the handlebars lies at the heart of the “Cyber Nexus” technology. Read More

New specialist Segway models with more power, options and off-road abilities

By Mike Hanlon

Segway's 2005 product line will feature three new models and lithium-ion batteries that double the range of the Human Transporter (HT). The line includes the new Segway HT i180 in Midnight Blue, Midnight Blue/Solar Yellow and Midnight Blue/Sport Red color combinations; the Segway Cross-Terrain Transporter (XT) and the Segway Golf Transporter (GT). Read More

The sideways bike

By Mike Hanlon

March 5, 2005 The bicycle took on its modern form around 150 years ago and has been the world's best selling form of transport ever since. There are nearly twice as many bicycles sold each year (more than 100 million) than automobiles (around 50 million cars, 60 million vehicles in total). So maybe there's a niche market waiting for the next major innovation in bicycle design. That's what Boston inventor, Michael Killian is hoping now that he's been granted US Patent # 6598892 for his sideways bicycle. Read More

BodyBoard - the lie-down electric go-kart

By Mike Hanlon

The BodyBoard rider lies head first in a harness, getting a speed sensation blast just centimeters above the tarmac. Propulsion comes via the powerful electric engines inside each wheel that are powered by a hydrogen fuel cell. The BodyBoard also has the lowest centre of gravity possible - it's below the axle line. Along with the bird's eye view and four powerful inside-the-wheel electric motors with linear power delivery are big fat sticky racing tyres, offering G-forces not possible in anything this side of a Formula One car. Read More

18 seat Hummer Stretch Limousine

By Mike Hanlon

February 3, 2005 Hummers are a rare species outside of the United States apart from, of course, in Iraq or Afghanistan. One of the defacto symbols of America's military dominance, the brand has a presence and values just like its best-known ambassador, Arnold Schwarzenneger - high-ticket, high-testosterone and a superstructure so muscular it really is bulletproof (the car, not Arnie). Naturally, the Hummer soon became a target for limousine manufacturers and stretched Hummers are not exactly rare in the United States these days - but there are few as long or spectacular as this one. Read More

Naro tilting car concept

By Mike Hanlon

January 29, 2005 Global automotive technology developer Prodrive has developed an exciting vehicle concept that can best be described as a four wheel motorcycle. The "Naro" is just 2.5 metres long, the same as a Smart car, but the width of a motorbike and the height of an MPV. Its high centre of gravity means that it must be leaned like a bike to go round corners, but unlike a bike it has four wheels and the two occupants (one driver and one passenger) sit enclosed within a body with all the comforts of a car. Read More

The Wheelsurf - calling all thrillseekers

By Mike Hanlon

February 6, 2005 The Brazilian-made Wheelsurf is one of the most distinctive vehicles on the planet -- a US$2500 single-wheeled , ride-inside conveyance that's sure to get you noticed. Riding the Wheelsurf is not for those seeking transport alone as it has no conventional steering mechanism and requires adept throttle control. The throttle and the brake are located on the rigid handlebars and steering is done by moving your centre of gravity (i.e. YOU) to the inside of the corner. Too much throttle and the inner body, with you on it, starts to rotate backwards. Back off the throttle to slow down and you need to lean backwards so you don't rotate forwards within the wheel. Grab a handful of brake and ... errr Read More

Aprilia Magnet: Hybrid three-wheeler with supercar performance

By Mike Hanlon

January 22, 2005 Take a Formula One driving position, three wheels, a high-power 550cc v-twin engine designed for motocross, put an additional electric motor into each wheel, and an ingenious tilt system. Finnish student Heikki Naulapaa designed this vehicle as the main project in his design degree at the Royal College of the Arts in London. It landed him a dream job in the design department at Aprilia and maybe, just maybe, the adventurous company might build this excitement machine. With specs like that and a low aerodynamic profile, the hybrid would match any 1000cc superbike in performance and blow a Ferrari into the weeds. Read More

Mercedes-Benz F 300 Life-Jet: the three-wheeled driving machine

By Mike Hanlon

January 22, 2005 The Mercedes-Benz F 300 Life-Jet research project never saw the light of day as a showroom model, but it remains one of the most interesting and passion-invoking concepts ever displayed by the company (competing against a stellar cast). The three-wheeler research study, equipped with intelligent technology, blended the special thrill and cornering dynamics of a motor cycle with the safety and comfort of a saloon car - a combination for unrivalled driving enjoyment. Read More

Osmos reinvents the wheel

By Gizmag Team

December 10, 2004 Contrary to folklore wisdom, French company Osmos has reinvented the wheel. Gone are the hubcaps of the past, jettisoned to make way for a revolutionary "orbital" design with a circular runner as a tyre/ road interface that offers increased safety, performance and reliability. Read More

Toyota's i-unit Personal Mobility Concept

By Gizmag Team

A further evolution of the Toyota Personal Mobility (PM-01) concept called the "i-unit" is being featured at the Toyota Group Pavilion at EXPO 2005 in Aichi, Japan. Toyota is launching the "i-unit" and other concept vehicles and helper robots with a "Mobility Performance Show" to dramatise the future of mobile technology and its potential role in society under the theme of "the dreams, pleasure and excitement of mobility in the 21st century." Read More

T-Rex three-wheeler superbike

By Gizmag Team

December 4, 2004 Despite being classified as a motorcycle, the radically styled T-Rex three-wheeler handles more like a sportscar with the help of huge, sophisticated rear suspension that significantly enhances road holding. A distant relative of the Morgan automobile, the T-Rex exploits Japanese motorbike technology to create a 1200cc superbike engine that can go from 0-97 km/h in a lightning 4.1 seconds, with a top speed of 225 km/h. Read More

Honda/Plug Power test home hydrogen refuelling unit

By Gizmag Team

November 24, 2004 Honda R&D Americas and Plug Power have announced the successful operation of the second-generation Home Energy Station (HES II), a home-based hydrogen refueling solution for fuel cell vehicles that furthers the development of a hydrogen infrastructure, and in turn, a sustainable energy future. HES II is the further evolution of a joint development effort by Honda and Plug Power to produce a home refuelling unit that provides hydrogen from natural gas for vehicle refuelling, heat for domestic hot water use and electricity for the home. Testing of the HES II system will be done in conjunction with demonstration of Honda's 2005 FCX fuel cell car on public roads in the Northeastern U.S. Read More

Segway's Centaur Concept

By Mike Hanlon

January 10, 2005 Segway's Concept Centaur took centre stage today when Michelin announced its new TWEEL combination tyre-wheel. The Tweel was shown fitted to a Segway, an iBOT and Project Centaur, indicating for the first time from the company that the machine dubbed "The Wheelie Machine" has a commercial future. The Centaur is a lightweight, four-wheel concept vehicle combining the company's proprietary gyroscope-based dynamic stabilization technology with advanced propulsion and suspension systems, and an intuitive user interface to create a unique four-wheel device that is easily controllable on two or four wheels. That's right, you'll be able to wheelstand out of sight the first time you ride it. Read More

Segway Distributor for Australia

By Mike Hanlon

October 16, 2004 Segway has appointed an exclusive Australian distributor, SegwaySouthernCross which will distribute and market Segway machines in Australia.

The Segway Human Transporter was released in April 2002 amid much fanfare and hype generated by the secrecy surrounding the project (aka Project Ginger), the presence of serial entrepreneur and inventor Dean Kamen and the number of high profile luminaries who had invested in the project during the early round private funding. It was seen by many as the future of human transport, a difficult claim to live up to and one which some parts of the media seemed to delight in negatively assessing it against. Read More

French Designer ETUD previews Scooto

By Mike Hanlon

French design and engineering studio ETUD Intégral will be displaying its Scooto at the 2004 Paris Motor Show. A mix between a scooter and a car, this vehicle is a realistic vision of a new alternative transport. Powered by clean energy, it is the ideal answer to 'intermodality."

This 'micro urb... Read More

Quark fuel-cell roadgoing QUAD

By Mike Hanlon

Peugeot's futuristic prototype two-seater, 4WD Quark was built to showcase the company's fuel cell technology. The Quark has a removable interactive interface, which appears to be a PDA on steroids. The unit serves the same purpose as an ignition key and is used in conjunction with an instrument panel. Positioned in its housing, it provides information concerning the traction system and the fuel cell, speed, SATNAV, etc ... protected by a small transparent and waterproof cover, it allows the vehicle to be started when in place and immobilises it when removed. Far more than just a show floor dummy, the Quark competed successfully at the recent Michelin Bibendum Challenge. Read More

Snowboarding on the street

By Mike Hanlon

Snowboarding and skateboarding are very different, mainly because a skateboard doesn't have that sharp edge for carving and the same degree of drift or controlled sliding behaviour. Until now! Two innovative Californian companies have designed skateboards offering the ride of a snowboard on tarmac. Read More

Hydrogen-powered zero-emission Scooter

By Mike Hanlon

It acts like a 50cc two-stroke scooter in every respect but that of emissions - instead of producing mass hydrocarbons, it produces water. One of the most interesting new transportion initiatives in years, the German Aqwon is not what you'd expect - instead of being powered by electricity derived from a hydrogen fuel cell, the Aqwon burns hydrogen as its fuel. Read More

EasyGlider

By Mike Hanlon

One of the more interesting personal transportation devices we have seen in recent times is the German-made EasyGlider - an electrically-powered wheel with a handle that offers a quite unique motive experience, exhilarating speed and a range of 35km on each charge. Read More

Skateboard folds to the size of a laptop

By Mike Hanlon

Skateboarding isn't new, and there's a whole generation of twenty and thirty-something year olds who have lost many a square inch of skin while honing remarkable skills on these devices once seen as a solely juvenile pastime. But as much fun as they may be, they are still fairly rudimentary devices which are a pain to carry due to their size and weight, which doesn't sit all that well with a suit. Enter the StowBoard - use it to get from point A to point much faster than you'd ever do walking and then fold its generous 31" length to just under 11" for stowage. In fact, the stowed board is probably smaller than your notebook. Read More