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Legendary No. 3 Returns to Daytona with American Ethanol

When the great Dale Earnhardt died in a horrific, head-on crash at Daytona in 2001, his number 3 was informally retired by team owner Richard Childress. Now, more than a decade later, the number 3 returns to Daytona with Richard Childress’ grandson, Austin Dillon. Dillon, for his part, wasted no time in returning the number 3 to glory, scoring the pole position at the 2014 Daytona 500 race with a black and white no. 3 Chevrolet … powered, in part, by American Ethanol.

Childress and his RCR NASCAR teams have been vocal supporters of ethanol’s use in reliable, high-performance engines for years- as well as tacit supporters of the Renewable Fuels Act. Add to all of the above the fact that NASCAR racers have successfully logged more than 5 million miles on an ethanol/gasoline Sunoco fuel mix without fuel-related failures in recent years, and you can see why we’re all so interested in Dillon’s progress here at Gas 2. Go, Austin!

You can read more about Austin’s chase for Daytona glory with American Ethanol in the company’s official press release, below. Enjoy!

American Ethanol Enhances Partnership with Richard Childress Racing and Driver Austin Dillon in 2014

WELCOME, NC – American Ethanol is enhancing its partnership with Richard Childress Racing and driver Austin Dillon for the 2014 NASCAR season. Beginning with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Phoenix International Raceway on March 2, Dillon will race the No. 3 American Ethanol Chevrolet SS in select races during the 2014 season.

“American Ethanol is extremely pleased to once again partner with Austin Dillon, Richard Childress and the entire RCR team to help promote a sustainable homegrown American fuel that is better for our environment, reduces our dependence on foreign oil and creates jobs right here in the U.S., while revitalizing rural economies across America and saving consumers at the pump,” said Tom Buis, CEO of Growth Energy.

American Ethanol, launched by Growth Energy and the National Corn Growers Association along with the support of other partners, is a breakthrough brand that seeks to expand consumer awareness of the benefits of ethanol and E15. Since the program launch for the 2011 season, NASCAR drivers have run more than 5 million miles on renewable Sunoco Green E15.

“We want to show the people coast-to-coast there is a great alternative to imported oil and our association with NASCAR and RCR is doing that extremely well,” said Jon Holzfaster, a Paxton, NE farmer and chairman of the National Corn Growers Association’s NASCAR Advisory Committee. “Ethanol is also responsible for bringing a rural renaissance from Main Street to the family farm.”

American Ethanol will also serve as a major associate sponsor for Dillon’s No. 3 Chevrolet for the full 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season joining Dow, Cheerios, Realtree Outdoors, Bass Pro Shops and the University of Northwestern Ohio.

“Homegrown biofuels like American Ethanol have stepped up to help our nation’s economy,” said Dillon. “NASCAR drivers have run more than 5 million competitive miles on Sunoco Green E15 and I know we will reach even more milestones together. I am proud to wear the American Ethanol colors in NASCAR and I hope I can bring them to Victory Lane in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in 2014.”

Dillon is an official spokesperson for American Ethanol, the most commercially-viable alternative that America currently has to offset the economic impact of foreign petroleum. Corn ethanol reduces emissions by 59 percent. And by strengthening America’s energy independence, ethanol helps create American jobs – studies have shown that for every $1 sent overseas for oil, $1.55 leaves the U.S. economy.

Source | Images: American Ethanol.

February 22, 2014 1 comment

LA 2013: New 3-Cyl. 2014 Mini Cooper to Break Cover

written by Jo Borrás

The new for 2014 Mini Cooper is set to debut later this month at the LA Auto Show with a number of serious mechanical changes geared at reducing weight, improving performance, and maximizing the small car’s miles per gallon. The 2014 mini is also expected to replace its traditional center-stack instruments with a head-ups display that projects information on to a small retractable screen directly in front of the driver. This includes driving speed, navigation instructions and the current speed limit.

The new Mini is expected to take a page from Ford’s Ecoboost handbook and put a 1.5 liter, 3-cylinder turbo under the hoods of the base models, with a more powerful, 189 hp 2.0 liter turbo in the Cooper S models.

Finally, the 2014 Mini will reportedly get a new, much stronger passenger cell that makes use of slightly larger crumple zones front and rear, as well as a new hood that senses a collision and “pops up” to help absorb more of the impact. The larger size and increased safety of the Mini takes advantage of the weight-savings measures mentioned, above, and doesn’t carry the expected “bigger + safer” weight penalty.

We’ll have more information, pricing, and the EPA’s expected MPG rating after the car’s official debut in two weeks. Until then, you can spoil the reveal with these pics, below, part of a much larger, 22-strong image gallery over at Auto Express. Enjoy!

Source | More Photos: Auto Express UK.

November 4, 2013 1 comment

NASCAR Legend Richard Childress Endorses Ethanol

written by Jo Borrás

Richard Childress is a legend in NASCAR. While those outside the sport may not know his name, however, they know the iconic no. 3 that Childress’ driver, Dale Earnhardt, drove to NASCAR’s premier championship in 1986. And 1987. And 1990, 1991, 1993, and 1994, for that matter. Perhaps more telling is the fact that the Childress/Earnhardt partnership was so effective, it has allowed Dale’s vastly less talented son, Dale Jr., to ride its laurels to a multi-million dollar career. With such a taste for winning and history of success, then, it should come as no surprise that Childress has come out in open support of ethanol.

I know, I know. American Ethanol is an official NASCAR sponsor and NASCAR has more than 4 million miles under its belt (tires?) running on a high-octane E15 – E30, in some cases! – blend of racing fuel. Still, American Ethanol isn’t a big RCR sponsor (they do, however, sponsor Kenny Wallace’s competing entry in the Nationwide series), so for the man himself to come down from his mountain to endorse ethanol blended race fuel?

I’d say there’s a fair chance that Childress is a believer. You can read Richard Childress’ full “endorsement” of the E15 racing fuel, which originally appeared in a Lima, Ohio newspaper, below. Enjoy!

My family and I have been involved in NASCAR for more than 40 years and we’ve seen the sport go through many changes and innovations. One of the things I am most proud of is our commitment to homegrown, renewable American Ethanol.

Since 2011, the entire sport, including my team of Richard Childress Racing, jumped headfirst into the largest sport sustainability initiative, which includes a commitment to fueling up with an environmentally-friendly fuel called Sunoco Green E15. This high-performance racing fuel contains 15 percent ethanol and has proven itself lap-after-lap on the track. Drivers have gone more than 4 million miles on this renewable fuel in practice, qualifying and racing laps without any problems. In fact, drivers are seeing an increase of horsepower by up to 10+ and see their race cars are performing better and more efficiently at every turn.

The best part about the American Ethanol initiative isn’t the extra horsepower, performance and durability (although we certainly do love it) – it’s that we, as a sport, can give back and improve our country on so many critical issues.

American Ethanol is giving back to our environment by helping clean our air and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. It’s supporting nearly 400,000 U.S. jobs that can’t be outsourced. It’s contributing more than $40 billion to our gross domestic product annually; that’s key capital staying in our economy, helping drive further economic growth, job creation and investment. Not to mention it has helped establish the most robust farm economy in rural America in history.

American Ethanol is woven into every layer of our nation – our energy independence, our economy, our environment and our future. Much like NASCAR, American Ethanol is tied to communities all across the nation. None of this forward thinking and innovation would be feasible without the Renewable Fuel Standard, a critical piece of energy legislation that is helping bring our country forward to a cleaner, better future.

Next time you see a NASCAR race on TV or at the track, I hope you see a sport that is not only competitive and fun, but one that is giving back. It’s time for our friends, neighbors and local leaders to follow the precedence set by NASCAR, and step up to the plate to support American ethanol.

Source: Richard Childress, via LimaOhio.com

September 18, 2013 4 comments

Ford Doubles Production of 3 Cyl. Ecoboost Engine

written by Jo Borrás

Ford’s 3-cylinder, 1 liter Ecoboost turbo engine has proven itself in road cars, racecars, and in the fast-pass lane at airport security. As such, it should come as no surprise that the blue-oval has added a second shift to the German engine plant that produces the thing. The new shift will allow the factory to churn out more than 1000 engines daily, double the 500 it can produce right now.

According to the Detroit News, the production increase is part of a plan aimed at having 300,000 European vehicles equipped with the 3-cylinder EcoBoost by 2015. The engine is currently offered in 7 models overseas, and is expected to show up in some of Ford’s American offerings in 2014, with a possible turn in the next-generation Smart cars from Daimler/Mercedes-Benz coming in the 2015 model year.

“I think it’s a sign of more to come for those engines both in Europe and in the US,” explains Mike Omotoso, senior manager of global powertrain at LMC Automotive. “There is already consumer acceptance because the engines have pretty much the same power as an entry-level four-cylinder a few years ago.”

I tend to think he means “consumer acceptance” in the “customers these days have no idea what’s under the hood, anyway” sense, but that’s besides the point. Expect to see the little 3-cylinder Ecoboost in more low-emissions, high-MPG Ford and Smart models in the coming years – and don’t be surprised if they snatch some hybrid sales along the way!

Sources | Photos: Detroit News, Motorpasion.

September 8, 2013 4 comments

Video: The World's Most Reliable Car is a 3 Million Mile Volvo

written by Jo Borrás

It might seem hard to believe, but Irv Gordon has been driving the same car for more than 3 million miles. That means Irv’s one-owner Volvo has travelled far enough to make nearly six round-trip journeys to the moon in relative comfort and safety, and has – along the way – pretty much proven that most people buy new cars because they want to, not because the have to.

Gordon, like many Americans, bought his car new in 1966, and never dreamed he’d have it this long. “It’s not about getting to the three million miles; it’s about the trips that got me to the three million miles,” Gordon explained. “I never had a goal to get to one million, [or even] to two million … I just enjoyed driving and experiencing life. I challenge everyone to go out and see as much as possible. Find your own journey and reason to believe because you only have one life to live. No matter how many roads I’ve been on, there’s always one I haven’t taken.”

Good on Irv, then, whose Volvo P1800 has the world record for “most reliable car” firmly in hand for, I’m sure, many years to come.

You can check out Volvo’s official promo video, below, and head on over to CarScoop for a more comprehensive look at what the world’s most reliable car looks like up-close, in their high-resolution photo gallery (I posted my favorite pictures, below). Enjoy!

Source | Photos: Volvo, via CarScoop.

June 29, 2013 11 comments

Bosch Offers Wireless EV Charger For $3,000

written by Nicholas Brown

Bosch, a manufacturer of automobile components, has begun selling a wireless electric vehicle charging station for $3,000. Forget plugging in; now all you’ll have to do is park to charge your EV.

This wireless Bosch charging unit is a Level – 2 charger, meaning that that it operates at 240 volts and charges an electric car, and it adds 10-20 miles of range for every hour of charging. Too rich for your wallet? Bosch also sells another Level-2 plug-in charging station that will cost you only $450, and is one of the cheapest chargers on the market.

If you can’t get into the routine of plugging your vehicle in every day though, then this wireless charging unit is for you. Unfortunately, at the moment, this charger can only wirelessly charge the Nissan Leaf and Chevy Volt.

Bosch also offers financing for any Bosch charging station. For example, you can put $0 down with no monthly payments for 12 months if repaid in full within 12 months. That will make the wireless charging unit a lot more affordable to be sure. But is the world ready to stop plugging in their plug-in cars?

Source: Bosch

June 20, 2013 4 comments

Chicago 2013 – Ford 1.0L Ecotec Engine Exposed

written by Jo Borrás

Ford had its carry-on capable, 1.0L Ecoboost engine on display at this year’s Chicago Auto Show, along with the new high-mpg Fiesta it’s set to go into.

Ford first started talking about its new 3-cylinder turbo back in 2011, and slowly teased us with more details and videos, then a solid ‘Ring racer powered by the tiny 1.0 Liter back in September, and then – finally – a confirmation that the 49 MPG (European rating) Fiesta would be headed Stateside. Chicago, though, had the car on display for all to see and poke at – but, oddly enough, the car was locked up.

“Why is the Fiesta locked?” I asked. “It’s the only Ford here I have any interest in.”

“It’s a pre-production model,” I was told. “We don’t have any MPG figures or a final sticker for it, yet.”

That seemed odd to me, since the car has been in production and on sale in Europe for several months already, and the bigger-than-1.0 L Ecoboost Fiestas were available for poking and prodding not 10 feet away. All the same, this particular Fiesta doesn’t punish its driver by looking like a bargain-basement ride. The Aston-style grille looks right at home, and clever details like noise-cancelling airflow fins on the side mirrors and a big quarter-window up front to aid visibility are just a few of the features that help the little Fiesta look more upscale than, say, the Chevy Spark. No word on whether the interior keeps the party going, however, since – well, locked.

Expect final pricing and EPA-certified numbers in a few weeks, then. We’ll post ’em as soon as we have ’em. In the meantime, feast your eyes on the forced-induction, tiny turbine, forged connecting-rod goodness, below.

February 11, 2013 6 comments

Veeco RT is a Portuguese Powerhouse (w/ video)

written by Jo Borrás

I’ve blasted lame-o trikes like Can-Am’s Roadster in these pages before for being pretend, pseudo-motorcycles for people who want to dress like bikers but are too afraid to actually, you know, learn to ride a bike. This trike, however, is an entirely different ball of bees. It’s called the Veeco RT, and “Veeco RT” may just be Portuguese for “Jo wants one”.

Despite its 3-wheeled nature, the all-electric Veeco RT is built to drive and feel like a car from behind the wheel. With a wide rear tire providing roughly equal tire contact-patch areas front and rear, and the weight of the electric motor and batteries behind the driver, it may just … and, coupled to 330-plus lb-ft of “instant on” electric torque propelling its tiny frame, the car it feels like may just be a Kirkham Cobra. Off the line, anyway.

Check out the video, below, to see the Veeco RT in action.

As you can see in the video, the Veeco RT is a runner. With the backing of the Portuguese government and bunches of green-friendly Euro grants going around, this stylish little scissor-doored coupe may just have a real shot at production, if not a trip to the US (where, by the way, its 3-wheeled layout would classify it as a motorcycle, so it wouldn’t need to pass “regular” crash tests). Here’s hoping, then, that Veeco has better luck than Aptera did.

CLICK HERE check out Veeco’s corporate website, and let us know if you happen to get the contract to bring these things stateside. We’ll want to drive one.

Source | Photos: Motorpasion.

July 20, 2012 1 comment

Is This the Best Green Car Commercial? (w/ video)

written by Jo Borrás

This is the latest commercial spot for Mazda’s new line of Skyactiv cars and SUVs … and, with its great music, thrilling visuals, and a surprisingly non-preachy green/sustainability message, it’s pretty awesome.

I didn’t see this ad on TV, though. Or on Hulu. Instead, I caught it on Jalopnik, where Matt Hardigree said it better than I ever could:

Who cares that this ad features clips of people driving Chevys and video of the 787 that, for all we know, was pulled from Forza 4? It translates exactly what I want to feel about environmental technology.

Pretty much, Matt. Thanks for bringing this little Bo Diddley-powered ad gem to our attention. Enjoy!

As for why you probably haven’t (and probably won’t) catch this commercial on the tele, Mazda has been hit pretty hard, lately, with last year’s earthquake and strong yen conspiring to generate a 1.3 billion (with a “B”) dollar loss for Mazda in the past year. This, despite the company being something of an auto-media darling and having some pretty exciting green tech aboard its new small cars. Quite beyond that, parked just feet from Mitusbishi’s 30+ thousand-dollar MiEV at the 2012 Chicago Auto Show, as they were, the $15K Mazda 2 model felt like a Rolls Royce in comparison.

A bit of a puzzle, that, but it’s a hard truth many carmakers who build cars for the automotive media rather than simply “building what people want to buy” must eventually learn: most “car guys” don’t buy new cars.

Source: Mazda, via Jalopnik.

February 12, 2012 3 comments

Awesome 80's Thing: 40 mpg, 130 mph, VW Scooter

written by Jo Borrás

What you see here is the 1986 VW “Scooter” concept car, first seen at that year’s Frankfurt Auto Show. This little car – I think you’ll agree – is something really special, and (unless you share an apartment with David Hasselhoff or drive a gold Porsche 924) it is surely the most awesomely 80’s German thing you’ve seen all week!

Powered by VW’s then-new 1.4L engine, the small 2-seater offered brisk performance and acceleration, courtesy of its low weight and the engine’s solid low-end torque. The little engine could pull the Scooter to a top speed of more than 130 mph (about the same as an ’86 Mustang or Camaro), all while delivering fuel economy well in excess of 40 mpg … and this compact commuter was built twenty-five (25) years ago!

This little VW, then, is the great grand-daddy of cars like VW’s ultra-efficient, 260 mpg XL1 trike and the minimalist electric Nils (which is being marketed as more “motorcycle” than “car”), and deserves some appropriate, green-pioneer reverie, don’t you think?

VW agrees, and the car currently resides at the VW Museum in Wolfsburg, Germany, where it was recently restored to the excellent running condition you see here – which is excellent enough, apparently, to merit a photo shoot with HP Baxxter, of the German techno group Scooter (really).

Try to enjoy that, I guess?

Source: TechVehi, Photos: Tim Hoppe

October 15, 2011 0 comment

Aptera Returns Customer Deposits, Buzzards Begin to Circle

written by Jo Borrás

It looks like the dream is over for EV-community darlings Aptera. The would-be builders of the aviation-inspired 2e electric 3-wheeler announced late Friday that the company would be returning all the deposits it took for its planned 2e electric and 2h hybrid vehicles.

In a letter sent out Friday afternoon at 5:25 PM Pacific time (just after close of business), “Team Aptera” wrote “… as you know, our path to production has been longer than anticipated, which has complicated our reservation administration to the point that we have decided to return your deposit … as our production date approaches, we will use the database to direct you to your local retailer so you can be among the first to own an Aptera vehicle.”

For those of you not familiar with legalese, that translates roughly to “Here’s your money back. Now you can’t sue us.”

I don’t think I need to tell anyone reading this that things look bad for Aptera. I’ll close by saying that, despite the hype and the high hopes and the government funding, it seems as if we might never get an Aptera to call our own.

Anyone with any “insider” news is encouraged to post some positive Aptera stuff in the comments, below. Until that happens, though, let’s enjoy some pretty Aptera press images, from happier times.

Source: Green Car Reports; Photos: Aptera (various dates).

August 15, 2011 5 comments

BMW Reveals Pre-production i Car Concepts (gallery)

written by Jo Borrás

Click to Enlarge

In one fell swoop, BMW has released its new “i” sub-brand on the world, and made every other car on the road look like a relic from the horseless carriage days. The future, as they say, is now.

This is what the future will look like.

It sure has been a he(ck) of a ride for BMW’s i brand. What started out as a pair of EfficientDynamics concept cars (that may or may not have been politically motivated) got the green light to become a pair of proof-of-concept prototypes, which overcame some not insubstantial negativity from BMW’s CEO on their way to the pre-production “concepts” shown above. They’re here now, though, thinly-veiled versions of the coming production i3 and i8 cars, and (while the brand’s final success is far from certain) there is no denying that the new i cars – like the much maligned-at-the-time Chris Bangle 7 Series – may well change the way cars are designed from here on out.

Time will tell.

You can check out BMW’s full press release, below.

World premiere of the BMW i3 Concept and BMW i8 Concept

Reithofer: A milestone in the history of the company Sustainability across the entire value added chain
Frankfurt

Frankfurt a.M. / Munich – July 29, 2011… The BMW Group showcases its visions of future mobility in the shape of the BMW i3 Concept and BMW i8 Concept studies. Unveiled for the first time, these concept vehicles provide a glimpse of the first electrically powered production cars from the new BMW i sub-brand, due to be launched as the BMW i3 in 2013 and the BMW i8 in 2014.

“We are marking another milestone in the history of the BMW Group. As Chairman of the Board and an engineer myself, I am very proud of this project,” declared Norbert Reithofer, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG, at Friday’s premiere of the two vehicles in Frankfurt. “As the world’s leading premium car manufacturer, our aim is to offer customers purpose-built electric-drive cars as well,” he added.

With its zero-emission electric drive and a range of approximately 150 kilometres, the BMW i3 Concept has been specifically developed for use in an urban environment, its dynamic 125 kW electric motor and rear-wheel drive ensuring BMW-style dynamic handling. Thanks to its innovative LifeDrive architecture featuring a carbon passenger cell, the BMW i3 Concept combines an extremely low weight of 1,250 kilograms with optimal interior space and the highest crash safety levels. With four seats and a 200-litre luggage compartment, this vehicle is fully suited for everyday use.

Draeger: a revolution in car design
“This vehicle will mark the launch of the first volume-produced car featuring bodywork largely made of carbon. It’s a revolution in automotive design,” stressed Klaus Draeger, Member of the Board responsible for Development. The application of this new CFRP technology allows a weight reduction, compared to a conventional electric car, of between 250 and 350 kilos, and that means more dynamic handling coupled with a greater range. The BMW i3 does the 0 to 100 km/h sprint in less than eight seconds, while a high-speed charger achieves an 80% battery charge in just an hour.

Thanks to the emission-free drivetrain and a value added chain designed to be sustainable all along the line, life cycle emission figures for the BMW i3 are at least a third lower than for a highly efficient combustion-engine car. If the BMW i3 is run on electricity from renewable sources, the figures improve by well over 50%.

BMW i8 Concept: new-generation sports car
The BMW i8 Concept goes from 0 to 100 km/h in less than five seconds and boasts fuel consumption of under three litres per 100 km. Its plug-in hybrid drive with a system output of 260 kW allows a range of up to 35 kilometres in electric mode – sufficient for most everyday journeys. For more dynamic driving or out-of-town routes, a high-performance three-litre petrol engine also comes into play. The sports car has an electronically governed top speed of 250 km/h and space for up to four occupants. “The BMW i8 Concept is the sports car for a new generation – pure, emotional and sustainable,” Draeger underlined.

With BMW i, the BMW Group is corroborating its position as the most innovative and sustainable auto manufacturer in the world, as reflected in the fact that it has been the supersector leader in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes for the sixth year running. With BMW i, the BMW Group is providing answers to the mobility challenges of the future while pursuing a holistic approach. In addition to purpose-built premium vehicles with electric drive, the company is also offering intelligent mobility services.

The focus here is on solutions for improved use of parking space, intelligent navigation systems with location-based information, intermodal route planning and car-sharing schemes such as DriveNow. Following MyCityWay, ParkatmyHouse marks the second investment by the recently launched venture capital company BMW i Ventures in a company providing internet-based mobility services. Parkatmyhouse allows private individuals to use the internet or a smartphone app to rent out their private parking spaces on a short- or long-term basis.

Both the BMW i3 and the BMW i8 will be built at BMW’s Leipzig plant in Germany. Some 400 million euros are earmarked for investment in new buildings and facilities by 2013, while 800 new jobs are to be created. Vehicle production will be CO2 neutral and will draw on renewable resources. The company is currently investigating the possibility of erecting its own wind turbines on the plant site.

Source | Photos: BMW.

July 30, 2011 2 comments

Ford's 3 cyl. Fiesta Coming Stateside

written by Jo Borrás

With consumers turning away from traditionally popular vehicles like full-size pickups and SUVs in the face of $4 per gallon gas prices, it’s not surprising to learn that Ford has plans to bring its newest (and smallest) engine family to the US.

Automotive News is reporting that Ford brass has unofficially confirmed the presence of a new, 3 cyl. Fiesta making its way to the US in the next few years, citing the following logic:

Production of the 1.0-liter engine starts in Europe in the spring of 2012.
The three-cylinder engine will be offered in the United States, Ford powertrain executive Greg Johnson said last week.
Ford says it fits only in its three global small cars: The Ka, Figo and Fiesta.
Ford will not sell the Ka or Figo in the United States. The Ka, made at Fiat’s Tychy, Poland, plant, is too small; and the India-built Figo is a Fiesta derivative aimed at developing markets.

I’m not entirely convinced that confirms a US-bound 3 cyl. Fiesta (especially considering the possibility of more new models like the hybrid-only C-Max), but Automotive News seems pretty confident, and you can bet that a 3-cyl. Ecoboost offered up in a popular model like the Fiesta would go a long, long way towards helping Ford meet America’s increasingly stringent CAFE standards.

We’ll keep a close eye on this story’s development, as (if?) it happens.

Source: Automotive News; Photos: Ford.

July 23, 2011 4 comments

Uno 3, the Transforming Scooter, Available for Pre-Order

written by Frankie Berti

They had me at “Transformer.”

BPG Motors has just announced that the Uno 3, their wicked little 3-wheeled transformer, is finally available for pre-order. Just $250 USD will get you on the pre-order list for this compact, city-perfect vehicle. Is your inner nerd yelping yet, Jo?

Why you should care:

It’s a zero emissions dicycle that transforms into a motorcycle while you ride it. So, not only is it “green”, but you also look cool while being environmentally-conscientious. Of course, you’re only as cool as how well you ride, and falling ain’t no fun. Trust in Newton’s First Law of Motion- the Uno 3 is quite stable in its “Uno” or scooter mode, using 2 parallel wheels with a gyroscopic control system to give you nimbleness and a tight turning radius. You’ll be able to go forward, backward, and turn in tight circles without putting your feet down. At higher speeds, a middle wheel deploys forward at the push of a button, and the two wheels shift back to create a street bike, rendering the Uno 3 even more stable, more nimble, and affording better acceleration.

The UNO 3: Better than a hoverboard!

The practical stuff:

The Uno 3 is designed to be licensed as a scooter-class vehicle, and indeed, in Uno (or scooter) mode, the Uno 3 has a city-suitable topspeed of about 15mph. Once in motorcycle mode, riders can reach a breezy 30mph. Breathe a sigh of relief- the company hopes to increase the performance of the bike.

The Uno transforms between a rider’s legs, and has a futurrrific look to it, but it still features conventional motorcycle controls, such as handle bars, traditional foot accelerator, and a hand brake for both modes. There will be no further interfering with muscle memory in that respect, making the transition from bike to UNO that much smoother.

The details:

Price: $5,000-7,000 (similar to a high-end scooter)

Deposit: refundable deposit for now is $250 (USD). BPG Motors will later will want a $1000 (USD) non-refundable deposit.

Charge: 3-4 hours charge time

Range: projected to get 30-35 miles on a single charge

Emissions: Zero

License: Classified as a scooter, so check with your state for licensing requirements

Bonus: Transformer!

Source: Inhabitat

May 6, 2011 5 comments