Very Clever vehicle

[citivolus]

It's a... vehicle (trike?) that runs on compressed gas and tops out at about 60 mph. Prototype only so far and it reminds me of an early 80's concept car that I think GM did.

http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_1817445.html

[Desert_Seg]

Very much like a recumbent bicycle but with a motor. However, can you imagine driving the highway, or even a busy city street, in this?

Since folks have a hard enough time seeing a motorcycle, can you imagine your survivability in this?

Steven

[Sal]

And fun!

-Sal

[pam]

I could REALLY reserve the use of my Element to long distance and heavy hauls.

It would work for everything else. And at 60mph, it would go on all the roads around here. But I wonder how difficult it is to get compressed gas - and what happens to compressed gas in an accident - if it's worse than gasoline in a regular accident. I guess I know absolutely nothing about compressed gas. Where else is it used?

I could see me buying one of these. Perfect for the nitch between the Segway and the car.

Pam

[Sal]

Pam,

Count me in as another Element owner! I LOVE it. I hardly use it (b/c of the Segway) but I love it.

-Sal

[citivolus]

But I wonder how difficult it is to get compressed gas - and what happens to compressed gas in an accident - if it's worse than gasoline in a regular accident. I guess I know absolutely nothing about compressed gas. Where else is it used?
And here I thought I had it figured out. You raise an excellent point Pam. When I read compressed gas, I assumed they were talking about something akin to a scuba bottle and using an inert gas so the safety concern would be about the same as a dive tank. Since it could easily be CNG like some fleet vehicles, the safety would compare to those but with the smaller vehicle size.

Oh, I found links to the GM prototype from '83. It was called the lean machine and lived at epcot for a while.
http://www.3wheelers.com/gmlean.html
http://www.maxmatic.com/ttw_leanmachine.htm

[GadgetmanKen]

Here is another link to the story. It shows a picture with a body on it.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/britain_green_carand a much larger picture here.
http://news.yahoo.com/photo/060425/481/nyet80104252144;_ylt=AhK0YDukMYOWYufjNHXnYRBxieAA; _ylu=X3oDMTA3bGk2OHYzBHNlYwN0bXA-

[Desert_Seg]

The more I read about it the more I'm intrigued.

The project's website is

http://www.bath.ac.uk/mech-eng/en-proj20/index.html

and it has some very interesting reading!

BTW, it is CNG and while there looks to be a 10 year (or more) wait for commerical production, there is a good chance this is only the first vehicle of this type we are going to see.

It's sponsors are pretty strong and with EU funding there is a future here.

Steven

[citivolus]

Thanks for the added info guys,
A two seater with some luggage space means it is more than I thought.
I like the tank exchange system, similar to LPG tanks on gas grills I guess. I wonder if folks with gas heat could put a filler in the house.

It would look pretty cool with a Seg carrier on the back.

[GadgetmanKen]

Here's another link and pictures about crash tests at Treehugger.
www.treehugger.com/files/2005/12/clever_car_is_h.php

[citivolus]

My biggest question about crash worthyness is what happens when it's laid over in a turn. I understand the whole lean thing when it comes to maneuverability, but I wonder how it all works when the vehicle caster is to one side.

[Desert_Seg]

My question re crash worthiness is even more basic....what happens when an SUV hits you? Bumber of your standard SUV is at head height when you are in this vehicle.

Even witha helmet decapitation is likely and that just makes my head spin (yes, pun intended!)

Steven

[citivolus]

I don't think it, when upright, would be any worse than my Insight, which, at 1.32 m tall, is 3 inches lower than the claimed height of 1.4 m for the Clever. Admittedly, I've never been hit by an SUV and there are bumper height limits in most (all?) of New England so I'd be game. Heck, I just might make one from an old riding mower. :P

I do have to say that the "Clever" acronym isn't, unless it makes more sense in some other language.

[GyroGo]

A brilliant and needed device in this age of ridiculous oil prices and economic dependency on dangerous nations we should not be dumping money into. However, it is unfortunate that it's hard to envision these safely integrating with auto traffic, although perhaps no less safe or safer than a motorcycle (that IMHO are too also risky).

I'd rather Seg on a sidewalk and get there a little later.

[mario-ramos]

The press release helps to clarify how it works.
http://www.bath.ac.uk/pr/releases/vehicle.htm
Unfortunately, the movie is not avalilable. It seems to be very safe, as is enclosed by a metal frame, and tilts in the curves automatically.

[mario-ramos]

More:
http://www.bath.ac.uk/news/articles/releases/clever-car250406.html

[mario-ramos]

In the first photo of this last link you can see the metal frame exposed.

[mario-ramos]

As the last photo says "The CLEVER Car (courtesy of BMW)" perhaps some big guys are involved.

[mario-ramos]

The whole thing, including partners:
http://www.clever-project.net/

[voiceguy]

I was able to see the animation by clicking on the "Direct link to animation on 3thirteen site" (below the embedded player)

The press release helps to clarify how it works.
http://www.bath.ac.uk/pr/releases/vehicle.htm
Unfortunately, the movie is not avalilable. It seems to be very safe, as is enclosed by a metal frame, and tilts in the curves automatically.

[mario-ramos]

I couldn't open directly, but if you save the file locally it works fine.

http://www.3thirteen.co.uk/clever/clever_car.wmv

It's a safe and covered motorcicle.

[Rockyracoon]

The article fails to mention Carver-One ( http://www.carver-europe.com/ ) which is closer to production and of similar design.

Rockyracoon

[Wallace]

Go to a real, functioning, available tilting threewheeler at www.carver.nl.

With reference to CNG as a motor vehicle fuel, U.S. Secretary of the Department of Energy Bodman (PhD in Chemical Engineering) said in a recent speech here last week, " There are so many better uses of natures miracle - natural gas - than as a fuel for over the road vehicles it doesn't make good sense to waste it in that way. It is like using single malt whiskey to wash your dishes."