Tag Archives: solar transportation

8th grader builds four-passenger-plus cargo solar/human powered bicycle

If an eighth grader can do it – albeit an exceptional eighth grader – why can’t they be mass-produced at affordable prices?

8th Grader Builds Solar-Powered Bike With GPS, iPod Dock

The base vehicle used, and the priciest part of the project, was a Switzerland-built ZEM (Zero Emission Machine) 4cycle. It’s made out of an aluminum frame

and each rider can pedal at their own pace. In fact, the 4cycle took 3rd place at the human powered vehicle world championships at Interlaken, Switzerland.

And while the ZEM 4cycle is no longer produced,  they got one from a dealer in Maryland who purchased the last 3 from the US distributor. It cost them $3,900.

“[The SOHH] has replaced our cars for errands around town, and it has grown into more than we envisioned with a lot of interest from the community,” David Dixon Sr. told Wired.com

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And for the win, they documented the project on their website with all parts and schematics so that anyone can build one. They don’t plan to mass produce the vehicle but would love it if someone else does. Though David Sr. did express an interest in updating the bike with a lighter battery “such as lithium polymer, but no budget for it yet.”

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Sources: Wired.com , The SOHH Project and Gas 2.0 . 

Inhabitat: Solar Rickshaws in development

Mahesh Basantani at Inhabitat reports that SolarLab, in London, is working on a solar rickshaw

. We’ve written before about the Serpentine Shuttle – also by SolarLab – a solar ferry boat which collects enough power that it has reserves for night operation and returns power to the grid. (Thought of another way – it’s a floating, movable solar power array – with room for passengers).

More properly credited – DeZeen – via Inhabitat.

This is a proper moment to note that we don’t check Inhabitat as often as we should – they’re exceptionally on their game, and we find ourselves greatly tempted to plagiarize. Interestingly, where the Inhabitat staff see sustainability – we also see disaster risk reduction and disaster preparedness. It’s not a big jump from a solar-powered boat or rickshaw to solar-powered patient transportation in a disaster. But if you’re looking for new technology that’s sustainable in the long term, that will reduce disaster risk – and mitigate disaster effects – be reading Inhabitat regularly.