Compact Dymaxion Car...

It just occured to me that the 3 wheeled electric compact car I posted on earlier (see video below) may be using the same steering technology as the Dymaxion car invented by Buckminster Fuller, the guy most famous for creating the Geodesic domes (among other things). See one of my favorite Dymaxion Car Video below. The dymaxion car uses the rear wheel as it's turning wheel. The front wheels do not have a turning axis.

BTW, check out the Buckminster Fuller Challenge 2009 and the California Green Corps

Air Powered on Youtube

Hey guys, Youtube has been exploding with hundreds and hundreds of new compressed air powered vehiles videos. Recently, I even saw a vidoe of Dr. Michio Kaku (world famous physicist from New York) touting the advantages and future of cars powered by compressed air.

One of my recent favorites is a test drive of a convertable MDI powered by compressed air.


Here is a playist of some other interesting airpowered vehicles found on Youtube



Related Links:
- Air Powered Vehicles community forum
- Cycle Santa Monica! community forum

Baker Electric Car

Finally someone posted the video of Jay Leno showing his Baker Electric car. Jay, please consider putting up all your videos on Youtube, or at least make your videos embedable, so us bloggers can be able to show what we are talking about. Thanks.



1909 Baker Electric
SEE MORE at....
http://www.jaylenosgarage.com/cars/Ba...

....
Although a crude electric carriage was originally created in Scotland in the late 1830s, the first functional electric car in the United States was produced in 1891. For the next decade, the clean, quiet electric car was the king of the road. In 1899, an electric car broke the vehicular land speed record, and by 1900, there were more electric cars than any other kind in the U.S., accounting for 38% of the nations car market.

Jay still uses his Bakers original Edison batteries.
In 1898, the same year that gasoline-powered vehicles first appeared, automotive innovator Walter C. Baker started the Baker Motor Vehicle Company in Cleveland, Ohio to produce his electric cars. His company went on to manufacture more electric vehicles than any other company in history, despite the fact that it ceased production of them in 1916. Baker presented the first ever shaft-driven automobile at the first American auto show at Madison Square Garden, and is said to have sold his first electric car to Thomas Edison, who developed its batteries. Jay still uses his 1909 Bakers original Edison batteries. He just washes them out occasionally and refills them, and they work fine.
The essentially maintenance-free Baker Electric was a high coupe with carriage styling, brass fittings and tillers instead of steering wheels. With no cranks, no fumes and no mess, the cars were very appealing to women, and were soon designed and marketed specifically to them. Stepping into a Baker was a little like stepping into a very small parlor - Jays Baker even includes a small make-up compact with mirror attached to an interior wall. Its not surprising that its his wifes favorite car, even if it is a little bit like riding in a phone booth.
One charge will take the car about 110 miles, which isnt much different from contemporary EVs. This is one car you dont want to take on the freeway, and its not so great on hills either. The top speed of Jays car is about 25 mph, which is probably a good thing, since it only has rear brakes. Back in the day, Baker became the first man to travel at 100 mph in his electric Torpedo, but a fatal accident during the trial kept him from claiming the record and making any further attempts to win it. When Charles Kettering invented the electric starter in 1912, and Henry Ford began mass producing gasoline powered cars which cost half as much as the average electric, Bakers days were numbered. Still, its difficult to believe there arent more electric cars on the road today.

Obama Visits Electric Car Factory in California

President Barack Obama visited an electric car factory in California and urged workers to help the country lead the way in building a clean energy economy. (March 19, 2009)

Buckminster Fuller Challenge

THE BUCKMINSTER FULLER CHALLENGE 2008 -You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.

Directed and Produced by Joao Amorim


Directed and Produced by Joao Amorim

Bucky had it right. "You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete."

That's why we're awarding a $100,000 prize each year for comprehensive solutions that radically advance human well-being and ecosystem health. The 2008 prize will be conferred June 23rd in NYC.

The 2009 Challenge begins this fall. Stay tuned...

If you would like to receive email updates about the 2009 Challenge, please send a request to challenge (at) bfi (dot) org with the word "subscribe" in the subject line. Directed by Joao Amorim

Folding Electric Car For Women?

This is a film clip of two females assembling, unfolding a three (3) wheel electric car. The car can be fashioned as either a convertible with side doors or as a front entrance car with full cover for the passenger compartment. The car can be folded up for storage. Presumable it is an all electric drive vehicle for ease of maintenance and to eliminate the the issue of cranking the start motor of the combustion engine of the day. Anyone know more about this vehicle, please send me a message or comment with what you know.

Another electric car similar to this has 4 wheels, is all electric, with a front entrance door. Jay Leno has one. It is called the Baker Electric.

A more modern 4 wheel foldable electric car is the Wike or "Wicycle" (see video clips)

Obama on Energy

In his weekly address, President Obama announced that in the coming week, he will highlight the core principles of his budget, including reform of the energy, education and health care sectors.

The following is a transcript of the president's weekly address:

Last week, I spent a few days in California, talking with ordinary Americans in town halls and in the places where they work. We talked about their struggles, and we talked about their hopes.

At the end of the day, these men and women weren't as concerned with the news of the day in Washington as they were about the very real and very serious challenges their families face every day: whether they'll have a job and a paycheck to count on; whether they'll be able to pay their medical bills or afford college tuition; whether they'll be able to leave their children a world that's safer and more prosperous than the one we have now.

Those are the concerns I heard about in California. They are the concerns I've heard about in letters from people throughout this country for the last two years. And they are the concerns addressed in the budget I sent to Congress last month.

With the magnitude of the challenges we face, I don't just view this budget as numbers on a page or a laundry list of programs. It's an economic blueprint for our future - a vision of America where growth is not based on real estate bubbles or overleveraged banks, but on a firm foundation of investments in energy, education, and health care that will lead to a real and lasting prosperity.

These investments are not a wish list of priorities that I picked out of thin air - they are a central part of a comprehensive strategy to grow this economy by attacking the very problems that have dragged it down for too long: the high cost of health care and our dependence on foreign oil; our education deficit and our fiscal deficit.

Now, as the House and the Senate take up this budget next week, the specific details and dollar amounts in this budget will undoubtedly change. That's a normal and healthy part of the process.

But when all is said and done, I expect a budget that meets four basic principles:

First, it must reduce our dependence on dangerous foreign oil and finally put this nation on a path to a clean, renewable energy future. There is no longer a doubt that the jobs and industries of tomorrow will involve harnessing renewable sources of energy. The only question is whether America will lead that future.

I believe we can and we will, and that's why we've proposed a budget that makes clean energy the profitable kind of energy, while investing in technologies like wind power and solar power; advanced biofuels, clean coal, and fuel-efficient cars and trucks that can be built right here in America.

Second, this budget must renew our nation's commitment to a complete and competitive education for every American child. In this global economy, we know the countries that out-educate us today will out-compete us tomorrow, and we know that our students are already falling behind their counterparts in places like China.

That is why we have proposed investments in childhood education programs that work; in high standards and accountability for our schools; in rewards for teachers who succeed; and in affordable college education for anyone who wants to go. It is time to demand excellence from our schools so that we can finally prepare our workforce for a 21st century economy.

Third, we need a budget that makes a serious investment in health care reform - reform that will bring down costs, ensure quality, and guarantee people their choice of doctors and hospitals. Right now, there are millions of Americans who are just one illness or medical emergency away from bankruptcy.

There are businesses that have been forced to close their doors or ship jobs overseas because they can't afford insurance. Medicare costs are consuming our federal budget. Medicaid is overwhelming our state budgets. So to those who say we have to choose between health care reform and fiscal discipline, I say that making investments now that will dramatically lower health care costs for everyone won't add to our budget deficit in the long-term - it is one of the best ways to reduce it.

Finally, this budget must reduce that deficit even further. With the fiscal mess we've inherited and the cost of this financial crisis, I've proposed a budget that cuts our deficit in half by the end of my first term. That's why we are scouring every corner of the budget and have proposed $2 trillion in deficit reductions over the next decade.

In total, our budget would bring discretionary spending for domestic programs as a share of the economy to its lowest level in nearly half a century. And we will continue making these tough choices in the months and years ahead so that as our economy recovers, we do what we must to bring this deficit down.

I will be discussing each of these principles next week, as Congress takes up the important work of debating this budget. I realize there are those who say these plans are too ambitious to enact. To that I say that the challenges we face are too large to ignore. I didn't come here to pass on our problems to the next President or the next generation - I came here to solve them.

The American people sent us here to get things done, and at this moment of great challenge, they are watching and waiting for us to lead. Let's show them that we are equal to the task before us, and let's pass a budget that puts this nation on the road to lasting prosperity.

Governor Creates California Green Corp

This could mean support for alternative transportation, such as elementary, middle, and high school courses (including materials and equipment) for bicycle safety training. That might include teaches kids that may like to use a bicycle as a source of transportation on the roads with other traffic, like cars and trucks. It may include training opportunities for installation and maintenance of electric power assist bicycles, and installation and maintenance of power supply ports/kiosks for electric bicycles and electric mopeds and scooters. It may include volunteer, foundation, and non profit organizations that are providing that support and resource. It may provide resources to support research into the area of improvements in the technology of power assist systems, and perhaps folding micro electric cars, like the Wycycle.

I welcome your comments, public or private.

Governor Creates California Green Corp
March 16, 2009



On March 16, 2009 Governor of California announces the creation of a Green Corps in California. The Green Corp will be at least in part funded with 10 million dollars in US Federal government stimulus money. The money will in part fun up to 20 months of training of at-risk youth in california. The training will nclude solar panel energy instalation certification, voluneering in the community. Later it may include wind turbine installation and maintenance, etc.

Santa Monica Bike Valet

SlateV.com's documentary video on the Santa Monica Farmer's Market Bicycle Valet.



See article: "How (Bike)Valet Parking Could Save The Planet"

Olbermann On Bicycling?

Kieth Olbermann made a comment regarding the Prop 8 voting results(see video below). He lays out a well thought argument regarding on why something like that proposition is wrong. It occurred to me that someone as articulare as him could do the same for the transportation bicycling community. It seems that there are parallels to these issues.

Riding a bicycle for transportation, driving a car, or perhaps those of the "bi" category whom like to ride bikes and drive cars for transport all must have the equal right do so.

And, by the way, there are cyclists attending the Prop 8 protest rallies/marches. Last night(at et the Santa Monica Pier - Colorado and Ocean, in Santa Monica, California) there were at least a couple hundred or so bicyclists. This is based on an observation of how many attending the protest that had bicycle with them

Other protests, such as the one in front of the LDS church and in West Hollywood (Santa Monica Blvd and San Vicente) had large numbers attend via bicycle. And it seems that attending these rallies via bicycle has some strategic advantages over driving to them by personal car - finding parking, cutting through traffic and road blocks, and shortcuts on a bicycle. And even for getting to rallies a bit further away, getting their by multi-modal transport of bicycling part way and taking your bicycle on the public transit buses and trains makes it possible to get there and back with most convenience.

I welcome your comments.

Creatures On Air

TED Talks have uploaded alot of new archived videos of speakers from the TED conferences. And one of those videos is a presentation by Theo Jenson and his "Living Creatures". Info about his psuedo living creatures when are powered by wind power. In the TED presentation he speaks of how he is using energy storage through the use of compressed air. The compressed air will allow the animal to continue to operate while wind is absent for periods of time



Theo Jenson info: LINK - Download video

Ebikes on Youtube

Electric bicycles (AKA ebikes and electric assist bicycles) have achieved a milestone on Youtube with one of the most popular videos depicted an electric bicycle passing the threshold of 200,000 views "News Report "Man Motors On Hybrid Bike" (200,638 views). The next few top viewed videos depicting electric assist bicycles are not far behind. See chart of top four below:

1. News Report "Man Motors On Hybrid Bike" (200,638 views)
2. nano motor electric bike kit: freewheel demonstration" (191,585 views)
3. Ultimate hybrid electric bicycle" (169,504 views)
4. Mongoose Cruiser Electric Bike Review" (167,234 views)

(see all 4 embedded below)

And the total number of video on youtube is exploding as well. For example, as of today, here are the stats on number of videos with these keywords in thier description:

• electric bicycle - 2,080 videos
• electric bike - 3,150 videos
• ebike - 839 videos
• e-bike - 805 videos

Other popular video sharing sites are also swelling with growing number of video depicting electric assist biccyles, such as Daily Motion, Veoh, and Metacafe.

What are your favorte videos of electric bicycles on the internet? Post links and info in the comments so we all may know about them. Thanks!

News Report "Man Motors On Hybrid Bike


nano motor electric bike kit: freewheel demonstration


Ultimate hybrid electric bicycle


Mongoose Cruiser Electric Bike Review



Related Posts:
- Hybrid Bike in Valley news report
- How to Install an Electric Hub Motor Kit on a Bicycle video
- Electric Bikes China news report
- Ebikes Public Parking/Charging Stations
- Touring Beijing by Electric Bicycle
- Ebikes Vietnam video news report
- Electric Bikes Vancouver video news report
- CarLess Santa Monica video news report
- G-Wiz Electric Car news report

Recommended Links:
- Cycle Santa Monica! community forum
- Power-Assist community forum
- Santa-Monica/West-L.A./Venice critical mass community forum
- Air-Power-Vehicles community forum

Santa Monica Glow

Santa Monica was a "Glow" with several thousand biycles in downtown Santa Monica for the inaugural "Glow" festival (July 19, 2008). The festival was inspired by "Nuit Blanche" which is held once a year(October) in Paris France since 2002). Nuit Blanche translates from French into English as "white night" or "all nighter"(see wiki "Nuit Blanche").

The Santa Monica Glow had a bicycle valet that parked over 1000 bicycles (see pictures). Also, there were thousands of bicycles locked to poles, railings, and in many cases locked to eachother in big bicycle piles where there was open space. There were many decorated bicycles. Bicycle riders also congregated in the Santa Monica Critical Mass meet up spot for impromptu group rides thourghout the nite.

If you have more info, post in the comments. Thanks!

Al Gore July 2008

Al Gore spoke in Washington, DC July 17, 2008. He spoke of a plan to end our reliance on carbon based fuels within 10 years. See a clip from the speech below.

Obama On Bikes

There has been some recent rumblings about a picture circulating on the internet of Barack Obama riding a bicycle. (see picture on right). And most recently there was a video clip posted on Youtube of Barak talking positively about the benefits of having more bicycle lanes, while speaking at a rally in Portland Oregon. See video below

Love Metrolink

This is one of the most awesome videos I have seen. The bicyclist in this video gives a high five to the metrolink conductor as the metrolink train pulls away. Awesome!

Big Blue Bus Free

There has been rumors that the Big Blue Bus and Santa Monica College Board will be negotiating a contract to allow all Santa Monica College Students and staff to ride all the Big Blue Buses for FREE! Apparently, the details of the contract and the date it will be implemented are unclear. However, according to a SurfSantaMonica.com report, and some bus operators, it is due to start for the beginning of the Fall 2008 semester.

That program will save folks thousands of dollars in transportation costs. For folks who drive their cars to the campus, they may save several hundred dollars per semester in gas and maintenance costs, parking fees at the campus, and on the cost of bus fare. For those that already are taking the bus to campus, they could also save a few hundred dollars in bus fares. This will also allow students and staff to more liberally travel to campus, if they do not buy the monthly pass. And these folks may end up taking the bus for work, and recreation throughout the service area of the Big Blue Bus. And of course for those that like to bring thier bicycle with them to campus or the beach, they will continue to enjoy that opportunity.

I suppose the next move is to provide FREE bus fare to all Santa Monica High School Students and staff. Now that is a nice little fringe benefit! (smile)

What is unclear is if that free fare will extend to the number 10 line. That line requires a premium on top of the ordinary fare. Also, unclear if the program will also extend to MTA bus lines connected to the various SMC campuses.

If any of you know more info on this post in the comments, so we all may know. Thanks.

Bicycle Train Zurich

This is a video of a bicycle train in Zurich Switzerland.

"Swiss trains are the best"

BicycleTrain Amsterdam

In my previous post I spoke of policies and facilities of commuter trains in California regarding bringing bicycles. Here is an interesting video posted on Youtube of what it is like to ride a train in Amsterdam (Netherlands Holland) with your bicycle.

Metrolink Bicycles

(click on image to enlarge.)

In the May 2008 issue of the Metrolink newsletter "Metrolink Matters"(PDF), there is question and answer bit about bicycles in a section called "Four Questions for Gray Crary - Assistant Executive Officer, Operations and Engineering"
The question is:

"Any plans for a car with fewer seats but more bike
and luggage storage?"

The answer is:

"Not at this time. I ride the trains myself, and I am seeing more bicycles and more people with luggage—I suspect due to people’s using the FlyAway bus at Union Station and to our direct access to the Burbank Airport. But our passengers are still mainly commuters who, for the most part, do not travel with luggage as Amtrak passengers tend to do. Seats are a very valuable commodity with the demand for Metrolink service so high, and we are ordering more cars to add seats and reduce passenger crowding."

IMHO, regarding bicycle commuters using Metrolink trains, this response is absurd! And by not providing adequate/appropriate accommodations for the bicycle commuters is a self fulfilling action.




(videos to the right of bicyclists boarding Caltrain with their bicycles)
The Caltrain, a commuter train that runs from San Francisco, through Menlo Park, Palo Alto, San Jose, and Gilroy, has two "bike cars" per train which can accommodate up to thirty two(32) bicycles each. And from reports I have reviewed, even with that, there are still times when bicyclist commuters are left at stations because there is no more room left for their bicycle on board the train.

Mr. Crary, there are many bicycling commuters out there that would love to use the metro link train. The problem is that they no longer can be a bicycle commuter on the metro link train if there is no room for their bicycle. Please have a look at the good work being done on CalTrain. See the "Caltrain's Bicycle Access" web page for more info on Caltrain's policy and facilities for accommodating bicycles. Picture to the right is the inside of a Caltrain bike car.

Picture below is of a bicycle strapped into one of the two places for holding bicycles on the Metrolink train cars. Only some cars on the Metrolink trains have these spaces. And from what I understand bicycles are not allowed on the cars with out these bicycle parking sections.

However, I think it is important to note that I have occasionally seen three bicycles leaned and strapped down with bungee cords to the other two bicycles.

If you are a bicycle commuter that would like to write a letter to Mr. Crary, the email for responding to this column is posted in the PDF file. I believe the contact instructions are: send email to: metrolinkmatters@scrra.net , subject line “4 Questions”. And if you do email him, let me know, and send me a copy too.