Several Hyperloop projects are under construction, with one test site near Las Vegas that consists of a 1,640 foot-long metal tube. This is where Virgin Hyperloop is developing technology for passenger pods that will one day soon transport passengers through air-free vacuum tunnels using magnetic levitation, enabling them to travel between New York and Washington in a mere 30-minutes at speeds of up to 760 mph. Read more for two videos and additional information.
A bicycle frame is essentially what holds everything together, including the wheels and other components. The typical design for an upright bicycle is designed for safety, with two triangles – a main one and a paired rear – forming a diamond frame. These are required to be strong, stiff and light, which various bicycles do by combining different materials and shapes, depending on their use. Read more to see what happens when an engineer uses chains and spare parts to build one.
Let’s face it, most RVs just don’t compare to a real home, that is unless…you’re talking about the 2007 Prevost Featherlite H3-45. At $499,999 USD used or $2-million new, the vehicle is so large that it has a basement bedroom that can be accessed from a hatch in the floor. This isn’t a barebones sleeping area either, has it comes equipped with two displays and plenty of lighting, spanning the width of the RV. If that’s not enough, there’s two separate bathrooms as well. Read more for a video tour and additional information.
There are electric cars, planes, tractors, and now, the CAPTN Vaiaro. This fully autonomous electric ferry by the team at Kiel University, in partnership with the Muthesius University, is touted as a networked, inter- and multi-modal mobility. In addition to utilizing an electric propulsion system, the autonomous technology enables it to operate continuously, ensuring that the residents of Kiel can quickly cross the bay at any time of the day or night. Read more for a video, additional pictures and information.
The SMART Tire Company has partnered with NASA to develop the first ever consumer application of NASA’s airless shape memory alloy (SMA) tire technology. It was originally developed for use on lunar as well as Mars rover missions and it’s it’s made from advanced, lightweight materials known as NiTinol+. This results in a tire that is elastic like rubber yet strong like titanium, exhibiting perfect shape memory without ever going flat. Read more for a video, additional pictures and information.
H/t: New Atlas
At first glance, the Loef Camper looks like a normal van, but open the doors, and you’ll realize that it’s actually a high-tech expedition vehicle. In addition to two dining areas with seating for up to 10 people, complete with a five-seat dinette comprised of an L-shaped driver-side bench, swivel cab seats as well as a single passenger-side bench seat, there’s a cozy sleeping section that lets you rest on a 47″ x 69″ traverse bed. Read more for a video tour, additional pictures and information.
Joby Aviation’s electric vertical takeoff and landing prototype aims to be the future of ridesharing, as the company plans to launch commercial operations in the United States in 2024, before scaling its service globally. To date, the team has performed over 1,000 test flights in the past 10 years, while also being the first company to agree to a certification basis for an electric vertical takeoff and landing (“eVTOL”) aircraft with the Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”). Read more for two videos and additional information.
Photo credit: Motor 1
Due to travel restrictions, many people are going on road trips, and what better way to do so than in an RV with a two-story design? Introducing the Maxus Life Home V90 Villa Edition. When the side windows are extended outwards, there is a total of 215-square-feet of living space on the main level, plenty for a couple or even small family. Amenities include a kitchentte equipped with a stove / oven / fridge / sink and the upper level that can be used as a relaxation space if desired. Read more for two videos and additional information.
Let’s face it, standard bike wheels just aren’t made to ride on ice. So, how does one get around this issue? By replacing the wheels with giant circular saw blades of course, and that’s exactly what an engineer, who goes by “The Q” online, did. First, the tires and spokes from the bike wheels needed to be removed before re-engineering the chassis to handle the massive blades. Like most things you see online, we don’t recommend trying this at home. Read more to see what happened when it made it onto the ice.
The Virgin Hyperloop will change the way we travel, as this variant of the vacuum train is proposed to use a linear electric motor to accelerate and decelerate an air-bearing levitated pod through a low-pressure tube. This enables it to glide silently for miles at speeds up to 760 mph with little to no turbulence. It would be fully autonomous, quiet, direct-to-destination and on-demand. The track could be built as columns or tunneled underground, thus eliminating the dangers of at-grade crossings. Read more for a preview of what the passenger experience is going to be like.