[ad#post_ad]EN-V which stands for Electric Networked-Vehicle is a new personal mobility concept that was born out of the partnership between General Motors and Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp. Group (SAIC). It is a 2-person transportation pod intended for use in crowded urban landscapes.
It has two seats and runs on electricity and has evolved from the PUMA concept GM revealed last year which was built in cooperation with Segway. Though it uses the same Segway drivetrain and sits on a single axle, occupants do not have to lean to operate the vehicle which is driven totally by wire. The device continuously adjusts its balance electronically in what is known as dynamic stabilization technology.
The EN-V has two 3 kw electric motors, one for each wheel. Its small size allows it to carry two passengers and cargo in a footprint one third the size of a traditional vehicle, and it can “turn on a dime.” Fully charged, its lithium ion batteries allow up to 25 miles of range. Top speed is 25 mph.
Since it uses both GPS and vehicle to vehicle communication the device can be operated either manually or autonomously. This also would allow increased safety and reduced numbers of accidents. The vehicle is also network connected allowing occupants to work and network socially with other EN-V drivers.
“The EN-V concept represents a major breakthrough in the research that GM has been doing to bring vehicle autonomy to life,” said Alan Taub, Global Vice President of GM Research and Development. “The building blocks that enable the autonomous capabilities found on the EN-V concept such as lane departure warning, blind zone detection and adaptive cruise control are being used in some GM vehicles on the road today.”
There are three design variants of the vehicle; Xiao (Laugh), Jiao (Pride) and Miao (Magic) and is made of lightweight carbon fibre. It weighs less than 1000 pounds.
We wont be starting an EN-V want list at this time, as GM doesn’t expect the cars to hit showroom for 10 to 20 years.
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This entry was posted on Wednesday, March 24th, 2010 at 6:25 am and is filed under New Car. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
+3
Mar 24th, 2010 (6:26 am)Please tell me it isn’t so.
+3
Mar 24th, 2010 (6:34 am)This is ludicrous.
+4
Mar 24th, 2010 (6:36 am)20 or 30 years sounds like a good time frame to me. That way I’ll probably be dead and gone before they tell us we have to use one of these if we live or work downtown.
+5
Mar 24th, 2010 (6:39 am)Ah, dis better than auto ricshaw. No blue smoke, vewy quiet, no buy fuel.
EN-V have 2 seat, carry 5 pewsons, 2 goats, and lotta rice.
+11
Mar 24th, 2010 (6:42 am)Hey don’t fret – don’t laugh – This modality is perfect for city dwellers who want more freedom than riding a bus or train.
It’s another market altogether for GM to profit by. More profit for GM means they pay off their loan faster and more likely build our VOLT and VOLTEC offshoots.
RECHARGE! James
IF YOU BUILD IT THEY WILL COME.
+12
Mar 24th, 2010 (6:44 am)These should make an extremely strong and positive impact for large city areas, and revolutionize the cutting of inner city pollution.
They can triple “parking” spaces, and generally make huge cities like New York, etc, far more livable. Compacting the short-distance transportation needs for citizens in highly dense population zones, for the moving of only one or two persons at a time (which is what happens nowadays anyway with huge ICE “smokers”).
These well-thought-out transportation “pods” ought to go over extremely well in China, Japan, and all other places where it is very expensive to have a large garage, such as we typically have here in America.
Think of the increased productivity in an office if several hard-working employees can more easily go out to a not-so-close-by new restaurant at lunchtime in one of these, because they can be more easily stored in a secured back alley, or even possibly “parked” inside, driven through a double-doorway of the businesses’ shipping/receiving area. These will be an incredible moneymaker for GM. (When’s NewGMCo stock going to be available for me to buy??).
Lots and lots of terrific possibilities with these. Very forward thinking of GM.
+3
Mar 24th, 2010 (6:47 am)I soooo want one.
NOT.
+4
Mar 24th, 2010 (6:48 am)I don’t know, it sounds kind of interesting. One could say they will only catch on in China, and that is a distinct possibility, but then one day we would all wake up and be 20 years behind the times. Frankly, it is pretty practical. Think of the density if you have them lined up one behind the other and they are all on autopilot. You could nap, or read, or do whatever. I’ve tried that on the bus, but that has some distinct disadvantages, like uncomfortable air temp (and getting colds), having to be a slave to the bus schedule, having to wait a half hour because the bus is late.
And, let me throw this out. Even though the economy is still kind of iffy, the sense of innovation is making this feel more like the 1960′s (yes, I remember them).
+2
Mar 24th, 2010 (6:49 am)This will be like most concept vehicles: either never makes it to the real world or stays a very tiny niche product. It’s not a bad idea, though. I don’t see it succeeding in North America but maybe it would in Asia?
+3
Mar 24th, 2010 (6:49 am)Interesting concept. I can see the utility being one tier down from BEVs. On the one hand, it couldn’t handle mass transfer of goods from Home Depot; on the other, it could park in any number of curbside spaces that would leave SUV drivers circling the block in frustration. I live in a city. That’s important.
I’m glad to see that GM is thinking creatively. Just as it has for the Volt powertrain.
+3
Mar 24th, 2010 (6:50 am)Does anybody know (or can pretend to know) how much extra the electronic balancing draws from the battery? How much longer can a standard (at least 3-wheel) electric vehicle drive, compared to one that constantly needs to adjust its balance? Or is there no tradeoff? Surely there is a tradeoff at least when standing still?
If electronic balancing does has a “cost” in range then you could connect two (or more) of these pods into “trains” (that does not need to balance them any more) when travelling longer distances towards similiar destinations. Take advantage of that congestion…
+6
Mar 24th, 2010 (6:55 am)Some folks are being WAY too negative. Think a Volt plus one of these instead of a Volt and a Leaf.
+7
Mar 24th, 2010 (6:59 am)Are you KIDDING? There are now about a half dozen CITIES that have 30 million people each! That is a NICHE? NYC is now a small town by some standards, but even there all you see is a sea of cabs because it is just too impractical to drive a normal car and park in that city. Ask Lyle.
Mar 24th, 2010 (7:02 am)If GM is looking for a halo, they’re going to need a real car, not some over sized segway.
-6
Mar 24th, 2010 (7:02 am)And the old GM is back…wasting money on stuff like this. Makes me want to buy a Toyota.
+1
Mar 24th, 2010 (7:05 am)BTW, contrast this to the Fiat 500EV. Assuming this is half the cost, this is WAY more attractive. Now, if you can arrange for one of these to be carried inside a Volt, or maybe better on a roof rack or bike rack on the back so that you can run around when you get to a campsite or where-ever…
+3
Mar 24th, 2010 (7:06 am)I imagine that a person’s view of this car would largely be shaped by your view on how bad the effects of peak oil will have on society. If you are unaware of peak oil, the car doesn’t seemingly have much merit because of the relatively low utility (ie. 25 mile range). For peak oil doomers this is yet another example of a “too little, too late” approach that will do nothing to save society from collapse. And then there are those that hope that technology (magic bullets) and life style adaptations will allow us to maintain some semblance of what we currently enjoy.
I personally flux between doomer and magic bullet thinking and so I’m torn. But I do appreciate GM, Kamen and others thinking outside the box to envision what might be possible in a resource constrained world where people flock to large cities to escape the decaying exurbs and suburbs.
+5
Mar 24th, 2010 (7:06 am)Just curious. I wonder if Greg Liddell brought more than just financial talent to GM? If transportation hops on the Moore’s law wagon, this type of stuff could come a lot sooner than one might think. Wasn’t it one of the Microsoft billionares that invented segway? Or was it an Apple somebody?
-1
Mar 24th, 2010 (7:08 am)I think the real tradeoff is the poor aerodynamics. But if they are lined up one after the other or locked together that may be offset.
+1
Mar 24th, 2010 (7:12 am)Ugh… just, Ugh… the concept is fine, but I have no interest in driving a pool toy. Even as just a statement that “Hey, I’m futuristic” it isn’t appealing. Plexiglas bubbles ceased to be cool future-tech in like the mid-80s. If you’re going to come up with futuristic concept art you might as well make it look like the Vic Viper (http://images.google.com/images?q=vic%20viper) or something.
+4
Mar 24th, 2010 (7:13 am)Exactly, Dan. Precisely perfect for areas such as Singapore – When I was there the crowds astounded me, I thought New York was crowded! This is perfect for Asian markets like Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo or any large city where smog is a problem and freedom and mobility is key, and space is at a premium.
In Singapore,for example, people pay what equals about $60,000 U.S. for a $20,000 Honda Civic!!!! The government there built a solid train and bus centered infrastructure and taxed the bejeepers out of it’s citizens to keep them from buying personal transportation. Well, with the internet and everyone wanting to be like Westerners with all our freedoms, everyone sacrificed and worked second jobs so that they could buy a family car. It’s rediculous, 80% of the population lives in “flats” with incredibly little space for parking. They pay an “entitlement tax” , parking fees and on top of that – each new car has an electronic box mounted on the dash that automatically charges a fee for entering high traffic zones. The gridlock on roads is horrendous. – Oh, and did I mention that they cannot own said car for more than a few years or 30,000 or so miles before the government mandates that it is crushed?
So be open-minded. This is a great market opportunity for GM. And *** THANK GOD WE ARE AMERICAN*** – Let’s not lose our freedoms like quasi-democracies like Singapore where one man decides what is best for an entire nation ( look out! It’s happening here now as we speak ).
he PUMA is so cool! The Renault Twizy ZE Concept is even cooler! Check out these videos on YouTube. I can see GM has further developed this people-mover and has enclosed it and worked out many issues. When you see the videos you can appreciate the gyro-balancing tech and it really is very cool with lots of applications. It balances on two wheels and can turn in it’s own footprint!
RECHARGE! James
Here’s a related ( neato! ) video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBOMdzHfMzM
GM – Segway P.U.M.A. Project: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlHhimlc2Pc
+1
Mar 24th, 2010 (7:13 am)Given a taxi-like usage plan (kind of like the Johnnie-cabs in ‘Total Recall’) these things could make sense in a big way for downtown locations.
The would also make a fairly practical grocery-getter for neighborhood runabout in a ownership usage plan.
I don’t see them as a niche product at all.
+3
Mar 24th, 2010 (7:13 am)These small EV units will be okay for use in a controlled area. Being T boned by a Dodge Ram 2500 will not only leave a mark. It will literally burst your bubble.
My suggestion: Get a Voltek truck on the road and reap steady profit for 5-10 years. Yes, an electric truck has a severe efficiency drop when under a low or when pulling a trailer. But it’s still a truck. And this is what American car buyers want to drive.
=D-Volt
+1
Mar 24th, 2010 (7:14 am)OK, I was off a bit on the high side. Tokyo is 28 million. But the tenth largest city (Buenos Aires) is over 12 million. And the 20th is over 10 million.
+6
Mar 24th, 2010 (7:19 am)This is a great vehicle for fat lazy Americans who live & work in “crowded urban landscapes.”
The EN-V will face some stiff competition as it trys to dislodge its low-tech competitor: the bicycle.
+4
Mar 24th, 2010 (7:24 am)+++ Dittos. Of course feet require an even smaller investment. And take up less parking space!
+3
Mar 24th, 2010 (7:25 am)Possibly useful in a city were no other type of vehicle is allowed. Like the set of a new Star Trek movie.
NPNS!
+6
Mar 24th, 2010 (7:28 am)How about you just walk or ride a bike?
Mar 24th, 2010 (7:42 am)Trucks may not be as bad as it seems, when you consider every pound accelerated to speed, equals more energy to recover when it slows or stops.
+5
Mar 24th, 2010 (7:47 am)Just shoot me.
+12
Mar 24th, 2010 (7:59 am)Hey I know it’s early in the AM ( here on the left coast, it’s 5:40 am ) . But hey guys, go get a cup o’ joe and return to the computer and re-rate posts #5 and #6 OK?
How is opening new markets, using clean, new technology a negative?!! If GM gets profitable we all win. Of course YOU are not going to buy a PUMA or EN-V. But hundreds of thousands would.
I can’t see ONE valid argument here – but for morning crankiness and some short-sightedness. You know many around the world criticize Americans for being self-centered and provincial. Don’t be.
Cycling and walking are great, unless it’s monsoon season in Asia. I’ve travelled just enough to know it’s alot different than my suburban American lifestyle around the globe. Space is at a premium in many places – people have different needs than I do – or you. Wow, man open up your mind and stop thinking only about your own needs….SHEEEESH!
Safety is key with vehicles like this. Think of them as electric light rail that people can own and go places on their schedule, not the train’s. Like light rail, this future mode of transport will have it’s own lanes, curbed, bordered throughways – NOT accessible by RAMpaging RAM trucks.
A personal transportation device like this may not appeal to YOU, but it sure does to women in skirts, men who wear suits and don’t want to be exposed to pouring rain. Cycling to work is fine if you have the time and place to change clothes and shower. Lots of people would rather decide when and where they want to go instead of waiting for a bus, or paying for an expensive cab ride. I’m a cyclist myself but I love my electric Go-ped scooter, and I think Segways rock – so call me gadget nut, is that so bad?
Jeez guys – pump up the tea and java this mornin’ and put on your thinking caps. THE WORLD DOES NOT REVOLVE AROUND US.
This forum is primarily about the GM Volt and an EREV future for replacing our current cars and trucks. Each day it’s fantastic that Lyle includes information that impacts General Motors and the entire EV world. Unfortunately, often there is not a new piece of Chevy Volt news to feed our voracious appetites. Can’t you see how opening new markets of clean, battery powered transport only makes affordable cars you and I can buy more of a probability?
RECHARGE! James
BUILD THEM AND THEY WILL COME.
+4
Mar 24th, 2010 (8:00 am)This mock-up picture perfectly captures what is wrong with this vehicle concept. Instead of showing these things on the road, they show them on a pedestrian mall, as if they are somehow pedestrian compatable. They are not. They are cars.
Cities like NYC, Boston, SF are already VERY livable precisely because the people living there ENJOY not driving, not finding a parking space, and they prefer using transit and the occassional taxi. In dense urban areas (<1% of our land), the answer is smart development and mass transit. In the other 99% of the country, regular cars (EREV or otherwise) suit us just fine.
Rather than trying to homogenize the country we should just all respect that country folk don't want their car use restricted, and city dwellers don't want more cars on their streets. They live in the city for a reason. If NYC folks wanted to be trapped behind the wheel they'd move across the river to Jersey.
-3
Mar 24th, 2010 (8:04 am)Where’s Tagamet when we need him?
Mar 24th, 2010 (8:20 am)Tagamet is busy writing the screen play for the sci-fi movie this little beauty will play a starring role in.
Hey, if they can make this thing popular in China it will certainly reduce their use of petroleum – so not all bad. I’m just sure that I’m not taking on an NYC taxi cab in one of these!
-2
Mar 24th, 2010 (8:25 am)I’ve honestly left this website on occasion cuz I got tired of seeing that stupid cat picture!! But not today!!!! : )
+5
Mar 24th, 2010 (8:25 am)Two word review: Hamster Ball
+4
Mar 24th, 2010 (8:33 am)Actually, USA skeptics need to check today’s NYTimes. New study of taxi gps records shows average speed on Manhattan streets below 60th hovers around 10mph–VIRTUALLY ALL DAY, EVERY DAY.
Agreed, may not work in St. Louis, but NYC isn’t such a bad American market.
That may also address part of the concern in #32. And while his concern for promoting mass transit in urban areas such as NYC is laudable….much Manhattan development is happening away from subway lines(too many blocks to walk comfortably) so that this could fill a niche.
I might add that in Jersey ‘burbs, many communities now have jitney service to get to NJ Transit rail stations, because there’s NO parking left. These could exponentially increase available parking…as well as in other cities from LA to Charlotte that have “park ‘n ride” rail systems.
Kiss the spouse and kids goodbye, hop in your ‘pod,’ and drive the mile or two to your local rail station(on residential streets-only obviously, if enlightened legislators change most states’ current ‘street vehicle’ laws).
+3
Mar 24th, 2010 (8:36 am)lol. Or stick your head on a spike.
Mar 24th, 2010 (8:41 am)*Sarcasm on* WOW, EV-V, Xiao, Piao, Miao!!! What “unique” names! I really want one now!! *Sarcasm off*
Seriously, they better have a better names than those, if they ever plan to sell them outside of China in 10-20 years. Plus, I don’t know what the heck GM is doing here, giving other countries access to good battery tech by forming partnership. It’s like shooting themselves in the foot! Again for the upteenth time.
GM, I appreciate the effort in trying to come up with designs for the future, but please keep the tech in NA, will ya? I know I know; they can buy your product rip it apart to learn the design but still. Why couldn’t you do this with, say, Ford & develop the concept for crazy grid-locked cities like NY?
In any case, I will never ever buy one of these for myself or any of my family. The concept looks like it will crush the occupant upon an accident. Since we are not in Singapore, you can’t really make everyone in urban centres stop driving cars & drive one of these. Even with automated system, once another person makes an error & crashed into you, you’d be very lucky if you don’t lose your body parts (since the design shows everyone standing, may be your legs?) & quite possibly your life.
Honestly, I think stronger push for EREV & BEV city cars would be money well spent rather than a waste of money & knowledge to foreign partnerships that would not really catch on due to safety issues. Imagine one of these crashing with one of those big F350s. The EN-V occupant will be crushed to smithereens…I’m not even gonna mention vs. big delivery trucks. *shudder*
GM please get your act together. I understand that R&D is vital, but not a crap R&D like this which will cost money, cost your advantage in knowledge (which you’ll never be able to buy back unlike other assets), all the while coming to nothing. Please focus your efforts on getting more VOLTEC vehicles out, say, a nice EREV minivan. Thank you.
+1
Mar 24th, 2010 (8:46 am)Never fear, Tagamet is here! But why am I needed? People seem to be expressing their opinions just fine and in a very civilized manner.
I’m letting my thoughts on the issue simmer, until I have a relatively reasonable opinion (about my feelings), and having other people’s thoughts to work from helps.
Be well and believe,
Tagamet
Let’s Just Get The VOLTS ‘ Wheels On The Road!!****NPNS
Mar 24th, 2010 (8:46 am)I was invisioning down ramps from street level to old subway tunnels where you would join thousands of these things bussing along.
+2
Mar 24th, 2010 (8:49 am)Especially when one hits a pothole…
+4
Mar 24th, 2010 (8:50 am)In GM’s defense, Toyota “wastes” money on stuff like this too. See the Toyota PM here:
http://www.toyota.com/concept-vehicles/pm.html
Honda? See the U3-X here:
http://world.honda.com/news/2009/c090924New-Personal-Mobility-Device/
I agree that I would have rather seen GM’s development dollars going to making a better Voltec vehicle, but if your argument is that Toyota or anybody else wouldn’t do the same, that doesn’t hold up. Just saying.
Mar 24th, 2010 (8:51 am)I prefer a magic carpet which defies or uses gravity with modern cloaking invisibility. Thats more realistic then a Segway with a body cabin.
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Science/2010/03/18/13279116-ap.html
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/2010/03/20/2010-03-20_scientists_in_germany_invent_invisibility_cloak.html
http://www.janes.com/transport/news/jdw/jdw020729_1_n.shtml
+4
Mar 24th, 2010 (8:54 am)This story is Lyle’s punishment for us after all the pro BEV talk in the previous 2 threads.
+2
Mar 24th, 2010 (8:55 am)Hi all…
add a third wheel to that carbon body and electric drive and voila!, poof, you
‘ve got an aptera- the answer to high-speed and longer distance travel. And the Aptera is expected to cost around 25 thousand dollars(if it’s ever built), way less than the horribly expensive IMEV with similar range. Really wish gm would enter this hyper efficient market. I do think it would be profitable for them, especially in the sunbelt. Right- the Volt for northern climes, something similar to aptera for the south…thanks
Mar 24th, 2010 (9:05 am)This vehicle would actually increase congestion in large cities if used by large numbers of people. One of these takes up a lot more room than if the occupants were walking down the street or if a group of people used public transportation instead. In addition, these need to be stored/parked somewhere when not occupied whereas a person who walks or takes public transportation doesn’t have anything to store/park when they arrive at their destination.
Having said that, I bet these would sell very well in Asia or in any rapidly growing countries with people wanting to buy there first “car” and the government is trying to curb air pollution. I’m talking about urban areas in China, India, Japan, Korea.
Mar 24th, 2010 (9:09 am)Buzz Lightyear’s helmet with wheels!!!
“ooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooo” !
+2
Mar 24th, 2010 (9:13 am)Most here are missing the point. The interesting thing about this vehicle is NOT it’s size — it’s the AUTONOMOUS driving, by which GM means the vehicle drives itself.
So why would this matter? It matters a lot. Just last weekend an entire family was seriously injured — the husband was run over and the wife and children were thrown through the windows of their car — when an 89 year old driver hit the gas rather than the break in the Costco parking lot. Obviously this man should not have been driving. But in our society this is a tough call since your independence is closely tied to your auto. Imagine how nice it would be if people could just get into their cars and pop in the destination and viola, they’d be taken there safely.
Not a bad idea for young drivers either! Most here will understand that if for no reason other than we were young once ourselves.
And how much congestion, with it’s accompanying wasted time, would be eliminated by cars that stayed in their lanes? A lot.
And how nice would it be to eliminate all vehicle-vehicle collisions, along with all the concomitant property damages, injuries, and fatalities? Huge.
So don’t write off the benefits by missing the advancement just because you don’t like the way it’s been packaged. I think this is a great direction and I hope all the automakers keep on the path for bringing it to market.
+1
Mar 24th, 2010 (9:17 am)I doubt that Lyle would punish us for pro-EV talk (but I *do* wonder why he’s punishing us)(lol).
Be well and believe,
Tagamet
Let’s Just Get The VOLTS ‘ Wheels On The Road!!****NPNS
+1
Mar 24th, 2010 (9:20 am)Maybe if we are lucky, we’ll have until 2014 before gas prices go through the roof:
http://www.fcnp.com/commentary/national/6093-the-peak-oil-crisis-2014-the-year-of-transition.html
These days, new oil production capacity, on the scale of millions of barrels a day, does not appear overnight from the drill of a lucky wild catter. Large new oil production projects take five, six, or seven years before the first oil can be shipped and cost billions of dollars. If a major project is not already well along, we are unlikely to see any oil from it until the latter half of the decade. For the next five years we are stuck with those projects that are already underway.
This train of thought seems to say that somewhere around 2014, world oil production, which has been on a rough plateau since 2005, will start to decline, perhaps rapidly.
There are a number of forces already in motion which could interrupt this rather tidy schedule of four more good years and then “le deluge.” Believe it or not the only good news in sight could come from Iraq which seems to be the last remaining place on earth where lots of cheap and easy-to-produce oil is still available. The Iraqis recently let contracts to increase their oil production by 7 or 8 million b/d in order to become the world’s biggest and richest oil producer. However, anyone familiar with the history of Iraq over the last century has reason to be skeptical that the Iraqis, even with the help of nearly all the world’s major oil companies, can save the world by stopping the decline in oil production for very long.
On the downside, there are numerous forces in play that could send oil prices to economy-killing highs or plunge the world into the greatest depression ever within the next three years. These range from hostilities in the Middle East to the bursting of China’s economic bubble, the bankruptcy of a major country, or the collapse of a currency. Some of these developments could send oil to undreamed of prices, while others could so reduce the demand for oil that its price and availability would no longer be of much interest. The next few years are like to be seminal ones in modern history.
+2
Mar 24th, 2010 (9:25 am)But you aren’t factoring in all the deaths by suicide if this was widely implemented (or mandated). Think of all those NJ divers that streak from the far left lane to the right lane and back to gain one car length – all at 75 mph. Any drive to NYC from my area is a huge spectator sport (almost gladiatorial) that starts by checking for vehicles with NJ plates! (g). I’m very sure that they couldn’t adjust to civilized driving…
Be well and believe,
Tagamet
Let’s Just Get The VOLTS ‘ Wheels On The Road!!****NPNS
+2
Mar 24th, 2010 (9:27 am)My guess is you don’t live in the northern part of America where we have a funny thing happening in the winter called ‘snow’. Riding a bike in snow is a bit dangerous (although some courrier are pretty good at this), I’d much prefer some kind of bubble to protect me from cold wind and the elements in general.
I think this new mode of transportation is worth considering. In some places, it will become a valuable alternative.
Mar 24th, 2010 (9:29 am)Keep an open mind and be careful what you wish for
+2
Mar 24th, 2010 (9:30 am)This is my dream. I hate driving. Besides sleep it’s the biggest waste of my time. I want to get in my car, tell it where I’m going and then get back to using my laptop/phone or talking with my family/friend. I’m 30 years old right now and I hope I can do that before I die.
+3
Mar 24th, 2010 (9:32 am)The only place you will ever see them in the USA is Epcot Center. Are they really worth the development cost?
-2
Mar 24th, 2010 (9:34 am)I used a simplified version of this vehicle to get to work this morning. It’s capable of keeping up with traffic on city streets, and it’s legal to operate it on both the roadway and on sidewalks in my town.
The primary differences between the vehicle in the article and my vehicle are:
1) On my vehicle, the wheels are located fore and aft of each other, thereby eliminating the needs for advanced electronics and control systems for controlling the pitch of the vehicle. There still is need for stability in the roll direction, but the vehicle includes a simple roll/yaw control that works very well — the control is so simple that young children master it easily.
2) There is no enclosure on my vehicle. Such enclosures are available, but they often cost around 8000 dollars. A friend of mine has one of those and he likes it — but who would pay that kind of money for a small city-vehicle?
3) Since there is no need for advanced electronics/controls, my variant of this vehicle is human powered. It provides daily exercise for me over my commute, which is good for me since I’m an officer worker and my job doesn’t require much physical activity. This vehicle is currently mass produced, and I purchased it from a local store for a mere $600, and I’ve been riding it for 3 years with minimal maintenance.
My variant of the vehicle in the article does have some limitations. It’s tricky to control on ice/snow, and doesn’t protect its cargo or passengers from the rain or temperature-extremes. But, overall, it’s a winner for my particular situation. The low acquisition and running costs of this vehicle are a continuing bonus.
Yes, yes I do think that the vehicle in the article is only suitable for people who are too weak/lazy/prissy to just get on their damn bicycle. If your commute is too far to bike, then you probably actually do need a car or an enclosed motorcycle. The vehicle in the article is like the iPad — a solution looking for a problem.
+2
Mar 24th, 2010 (9:39 am)It has nothing to do with being fat or lazy as I’m neither. It has to do with being productive. Driving provides zero productivity. It is literally a complete waste of time. Some people enjoy driving and I can respect that. I’m only giving my opinion. Using a bicycle or walking would only serve as wasting even more of my time.
“Time is money!”
+1
Mar 24th, 2010 (9:46 am)He he he. But to be fair NJ is positively civilized compared to MA.
But yeah, and the people doing all the lane changes are the number one cause of freeway congestion. As the volume goes up people doing exactly this kind of stuff start a wave of slowdowns that end up with cars coming to a complete stop, making everyone’s commute considerably longer.
But really, autonomous driving has so many advantages — including the elimination of vehicle-vehicle accidents — that you’d think the benefits would be apparent. My guess is that it’s too futuristic for most to get their heads around, although the technology for semi-autonomous rural and suburban driving is only a few years away. I’d love to be able to have a personal chauffeur drive me everywhere I wanted to go. Probably not such a big deal for you because you probably already have one but it’s a different story for me!
-1
Mar 24th, 2010 (9:54 am)Old GM still at work here.
Gubment Motors wasting your money away. Nothing has changed and nothing was learned. To top it off, this is the second retard venture they did. First PUMA then this, same concept garbage. They could have stopped the first time but they didn’t think they wasted enough of the tax payers money, so…..TAKE 2?, 3?, 4? Where does it end? GM Losers!
+2
Mar 24th, 2010 (9:54 am)Let’s start with security. Bullet proof glass, and suddenly you have secure transportation with GPS finder technology, onstar, the whole thing. Piece of mind for women everywhere.
Parking? I can hang it from something with a pulley and a counter-balance.
I can ship it for a two week vacation in wine country. And it can drive me to the B and B when I’m done wine-tasting.
Need a cab in DC? Not any more.
Bye-bye new light rail, and Bus Rapid Transit too. No need for cities to own and operate giant expensive rail cars and busses. The primary reason people don’t use transit is who they have to ride next to. Voilá, no more groping and “can I read your paper?”
the strong visceral reactions against it…make sense because the implications are significant.
Overwrought, but understandable.
+1
Mar 24th, 2010 (10:03 am)Electric rickshaws…
Mar 24th, 2010 (10:08 am)The costs of these design studies are peanuts compared to actually developing a vehicle, so I wouldn’t get too wound up about it. Also if they are using Chinese scientists and engineers, they probably work dirt cheap — at our minimum-wage levels. Sometimes the fruits of these studies are completely unexpected, like a new way to have a rear-view mirror, or stereo controls, or whatever, even if the overall vehicle concept was silly.
I keep waiting for the Chinese SAIC company to start using a different name or acronym, there already is a major defense contractor here called SAIC.
Does that pic remind anyone else of the Donald Fagen music video from the 90′s where people are riding around on or in strange little train-track vehicles? It was weird.
tom w>> The next few years are like to be seminal ones in modern history.
People have been saying that for hundreds of years
+1
Mar 24th, 2010 (10:12 am)For this to have a smidgen of a chance of being more than a funny idea, cars will have to be banned from city streets and 25mph speed limited thoroughfares. The roads are going to have to be cleared for these bulked-up Segways to have any chance of being safe and useful.
Mar 24th, 2010 (10:12 am)It’s called public transportation or a taxi. It’s been around for tens of thousands of years.
Mar 24th, 2010 (10:14 am)Makes sense, since the photo above is from Victoria Peak in Hong Hong. I was there. (Insert Smug Prius driver facial expression here)
The Asian market seems to love weird funky concept cars that no self-respecting American would ever be caught dead in.
+1
Mar 24th, 2010 (10:16 am)This type of transportation might (I say, might) be possible in another 50 years or so. Concepts like this have been put forth for the past 50 years without any chance of success. Maybe now with current and improving battery technology, it will have a chance. Be quite a while, though. IMO.
Mar 24th, 2010 (10:19 am)OK, now let me explain what this thing is and why autonomous driving is so important.
This vehicle is a workhorse for old public transportation dream concept.
I think you have heard about Zipcar, haven’t you? The problem with this concept is the requirement for customer to go an find the car and return it to the designated spot after use.
Now imagine a city where driving a car is mostly prohibited. To be frank there are plenty of them where driving is all but possible already. Now imagine this city has pod-based public transportation system.
So, if you want to go anywhere you need to make a call from your cell and within, say, five minutes one of EN-V pods automatically arrives to your current location. Now you can use it as much as you need and just “release” your lease in the end. Rent is by hour and you limited to drive within the city boundaries.
OK, you may ask, where is my real car? Guess what – it is on your driveway. You can go to the highway and drive whenever you want. When you arrive at the another big city with “pod-transportation” you have to park your car and make a phone call (or walk to “pod-parking”) to grab a new pod.
Of course the big question is economy. Typical fixed-route EuroShuttle for 25 passenger costs around 100k, rides for 10 years and one need to add at least another 100K annually for drivers salary and service.
This pod may cost at least 20K, with battery changed every 5 years and other services it may come to a prohibitive price tag now, like 10k annually per passenger vs standard bus 4-5K . Still, in 10 years, or may be even earlier pod-based public transportation system may become a reality.
+2
Mar 24th, 2010 (10:19 am)I wonder if they use projects like this to punish GM employees. Like how General Burckhalter was always threatening Colonel Klink with the Eastern Front.
Mar 24th, 2010 (10:34 am)Not kidding at all. Niche means not mainstream. If it is only used in those megalopolises then it’s a niche product. The majority of people don’t live in ultra-dense cities.
+5
Mar 24th, 2010 (10:37 am)In other words, you’re predicting massive success in the US market…
+1
Mar 24th, 2010 (10:39 am)I live in New York City. And I’m perfectly happy using public transit and that very old fashioned form of transportation–walking.
That said, I could see where this might be useful.
+1
Mar 24th, 2010 (10:41 am)With China having 1.3 billion population, good for them. Here in USA? With all, the trails going into a newly built communities, the time will come. The design will have to suit Americans.
Mar 24th, 2010 (10:44 am)Those are both good solutions however I would argue some people like their privacy. Reasons I don’t use public transportation are it stinks where I live and I don’t want to be assaulted/robbed. I know two people who have been robbed while using public transportation. Reasons I don’t use a taxi service are I would have to call one to my house every time I decide to go somewhere. In other words, I don’t want to schedule my life around a taxi service as I don’t live in New York or Chicago.
This concept(I’m not talking about the thing in the picture only the concept) is different in that it can be personal. Owning and customizing your own vehicle instead of sitting in the same seat that the little kid with bird flu just got out of.
Mar 24th, 2010 (10:45 am)There are lots of cars in New York. Too many. If this could replace some of them, we’d be much better off.
By the way, there is a lot of demand for living in places where you don’t need a car. Much more than the supply. It’s one of the main reasons many people put up with the ridiculous cost of living in New York City. If this could make it possible in more places, then it could be a big deal someday.
Mar 24th, 2010 (10:48 am)Not if you use a taxi-style rotation (rent not own). They’d just keep moving.
+2
Mar 24th, 2010 (10:50 am)Hey! I’ve been riding subways and buses for years and nobody’s ever groped me! Dammit…
But seriously, the number one reason people don’t use transit is because their trip isn’t on a convenient transit route without transfers. I lived in Boston for years and never heard of anyone who stopped using the T because they were getting grabbed. You must live near a bunch of pervs. I’d check the tops of their shoes for mirrors if I were you…
Mar 24th, 2010 (10:51 am)#25
Or feet, LOL. +1
Mar 24th, 2010 (10:53 am)#26
You beat me to it, LOL. +1 I should have read down one more comment before I chimed in.
+1
Mar 24th, 2010 (10:54 am)Agreed. There are lots of places that are underserved by public transit. And public transportation is prohibitively expensive to build. And it takes forever. For example, the second avenue subway line will take 15 years, and billions to build the first part. If this could function as a replacement, it would solve a lot of problems.
And, by the way, I think the demand could go well beyond NYC. Any city with a downtown could serve as a market. DC. Boston. Atlanta. Chicago. Baltimore. Seattle. San Francisco. Possibly Denver…
Mar 24th, 2010 (10:59 am)I agree. Combining tech with a Chinese automotive company is asking for trouble. But then again, everyone else seems to do it. So why not GM? After all, if they’re going to get the tech anyway, you might as well take advantage of their cheaper labor, temporary markets, etc.
Mar 24th, 2010 (11:03 am)Yeah, I actually have an armored limo from which I video the combat. My driver looks kinda cool in that gladiator outfit, but with all the oil on her body, she keeps slipping around the leather seats. If I’m in a particularly gracious mood, I let her lose the head-gear, because it limits her peripheral vision…
I know, I know, “Check your meds…”
Be well and believe,
Tagamet
Let’s Just Get The VOLTS ‘ Wheels On The Road!!****NPNS
+2
Mar 24th, 2010 (11:04 am)Not only that, but it would allow the elderly to maintain mobility well after they can no longer drive. My grandmother lives on Long Island where you have to drive to get anywhere, and she had to give up driving when she turned 91. Which was pretty traumatic. At least with this, she could still go food shopping without help.
-1
Mar 24th, 2010 (11:04 am)#56
Somebody on the last thread used the term “science project” to describe GM’s fuel cell and various other digressions. This fits right in, IMHO. I agree with those who would rather see the resources spent on Voltec/BEV development. If GM doesn’t get some very successful product to the marketplace sooner rather than later, it will not survive to see this glorious future. +1
+1
Mar 24th, 2010 (11:07 am)While I love walking, it’s not very pleasant when it’s raining or when it’s cold out. And there are places that it’s just not practical to walk to in the time allotted. And public transit doesn’t go everywhere. That’s why people take taxis.
Parking space, on the other hand, could be a huge issue. But if the car can drive itself, people could send it home while they’re at work. Or there could be a public fleet that’s analogous to our current bus system.
-1
Mar 24th, 2010 (11:09 am)#61
With a 25 mile range and a 25 mph top speed? How does that work? DOA in SoCal, I can tell you for sure.
+3
Mar 24th, 2010 (11:10 am)It’s shaped just like the Goracles fat stupid lying head. Perfect.
Mar 24th, 2010 (11:12 am)#71
LOL +1
Mar 24th, 2010 (11:20 am)Nice point. It’d also have to get to the hair dresser. I’m not sure how a 91 year old would enter or exit the vehicle. Maybe they could have a version with a “stand you up” seat. If it was just a *little* bit smaller, it could go indoors and be made to climb stairs.
I know what you mean about folks losing their driving privileges. We had my wife’s folks with us in their declining years (about 8 years) and “losing” the license was brutal.
Be well and believe,
Tagamet
Let’s Just Get The VOLTS ‘ Wheels On The Road!!****NPNS
+1
Mar 24th, 2010 (11:25 am)Worldwide, there is a massive migration from rural areas to urban areas. And many of those cities are even denser than New York.
Even in the US, according to the 2000 census, the vast majority of people live in urban areas. And people are moving more and more to urban areas away from rural areas. Peak oil will accelerate that trend.
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/census/cps2k.htm
Not all urban areas in the US are dense enough to make something like this worthwhile. But many are. And many that currently aren’t are moving towards becoming more dense. Not less.
Mar 24th, 2010 (11:26 am)I know it looks a bit ridiculous but I definitely could see how vehicles like this could be used very effectively in city environments. In New York for example something like this would certainly work. If a vehicle like this could go 25-35 miles and cost <10,000 there would definitely be a market for it.
Mar 24th, 2010 (11:29 am)LOL.
I live in New York, and I agree. I hate rush hour, but there’s no way I’m going to stop using the train because of it. I use a taxi when I need to get somewhere relatively quickly, and there aren’t any good public transit options for my particular route.
+3
Mar 24th, 2010 (11:32 am)“Most here are missing the point….”
Plus one each to Don C at no. 49 and Dan Petit at no. 6. You guys wrote some very well thought out points there, and on reflection, maybe we shouldn’t be so quick to scoff at concepts like the EN-V. Well said, both of you. Perhaps I would do well to get over the “If it’s not for me, it’s not for anybody” kind of thinking.
Mar 24th, 2010 (11:32 am)She could definitely enter and exit. She’s not that bad yet. Although I suppose the stand you up seat might be a good idea for some people. Stairs are a problem, but most places don’t require you to climb stairs. At least not on long island. The car is a much bigger issue.
Mar 24th, 2010 (11:34 am)YES! That’s what I was trying to correlate this thingy to.
Just couldn’t seem to match it up.
/still think it’s a waste though. @25mph, I’d rather get a golf cart and pipmitout. There will at least be room for a keg.
Mar 24th, 2010 (11:35 am)God help you, LauraM! If there was a way to bottle all the energy generated by stress at rush hour in NYC, we could eliminate foreign oil – in about a week.
Be well and believe,
Tagamet
Let’s Just Get The VOLTS ‘ Wheels On The Road!!****NPNS
Mar 24th, 2010 (11:38 am)In lines of your thinking, and I dunno if she has one of those Lark’s or portable indoor transport thingies, but if they can make this thing easily adapt to those portable mobility scooters to where all she has to do is ride into this helmet looking thing above that would be cool. Just ride the scooter into it, lock it in place and start driving the thing. That, I would support for the elderly.
+3
Mar 24th, 2010 (11:38 am)
Mar 24th, 2010 (12:04 pm)To say nothing of the “civilized” NY drivers who haven’t the faintest idea of what either those curious white stripes on the road are for, or what the thing with arrows on it that sticks out of their steering column is for; who think it’s up to those whom they cut in front of to slam on their brakes if, for some unfathomable reason, they want more than two feet of buffer space between cars; who feel most comfortable when they’re two feet off of someone’s tail, trying to intimidate them into going over the speed limit even though there are lanes to their left in which they can easily pass; and, who believe when they’re merging onto the highway that it is the highway traffic that has to yield to them and not the other way around!
-1
Mar 24th, 2010 (12:05 pm)Another glorious waste of time, money and talent.
Mar 24th, 2010 (12:11 pm)She can walk. Slowly. But she can walk. And I think it’s good for her to move as much as possible. But her reflexes aren’t what they used to be. Which is why we had to get rid of the car. The major advantage of this for her is that it drives itself. Not the small and portable part.
Riding a scooter into it would be a great idea for people who need the indoor scooters. And for the otherwise disabled. I believe that they have something similar for paraplegics. But I think it would have to be bigger than this particular concept.
If this really does take off, it probably won’t be a one size fits all solution.
Mar 24th, 2010 (12:13 pm)I don’t get the strong polarization. Personally, I’m more turned off by “Smartcars” (which are neither) because they seem to pretend to be a car but are not. These things are so radically different that they really don’t compete with anything (well, maybe bicycles). I don’t think that I would personally want one except for the “networking” ability to link up and not require a driver. That is a distinct step into the future.
Mar 24th, 2010 (12:28 pm)4 wheels good, 2 wheels bad.
How is this better than a souped-up hoveround scooter?
The coolness of the Segway is the balancing. Take that away and then you have — nothing.
On the + side, it couldn’t cost too much to design.
Mar 24th, 2010 (12:34 pm)#98
Hey – where did you get my picture? +1
Mar 24th, 2010 (12:37 pm)Put some NFL & NBA logos on this thing and you have a market!!!!
/still think it’s a waste though.
Mar 24th, 2010 (12:40 pm)Does anyone remember the early Voltec “concept” that carried around its own on board Segway? Somebody has a Segway fixation for sure, LOL. The only place I ever saw them is in trailers for “Paul Blart Mall Cop” and Drabble strips.
Mar 24th, 2010 (12:41 pm)If they couldn’t adjust they might need the services of a shrink.
Mar 24th, 2010 (12:41 pm)#100
#105
My sentiments exactly. +1 to both.
Mar 24th, 2010 (12:45 pm)It just seems like people like ‘em, or they don’t. Not too many falling in the “who cares” group. That’s just what makes the world go ’round… Put me in the “Not my cup of tea” group. I suspect that a lot of us Baby Boomers are looking for something that will get us from A to B with some level of comfort (read: does not result in hospitalization from use as intended) and a minimum use of the dino-juice. JMO.
Be well and believe,
Tagamet
Let’s Just Get The VOLTS ‘ Wheels On The Road!!****NPNS
Mar 24th, 2010 (12:49 pm)Why keep spending money on this tyoe of exercise?
People like fancy cars and if electric cars are to be successful, it must be appealing, fun to drive like any other car.
Mar 24th, 2010 (12:55 pm)Put the US flag on the sides and paint it completely white with dark reflective tint on the bubble and slap a square back pack on it and sell it to NASA for field conveyance?
/still think it’s a waste though.
Mar 24th, 2010 (12:55 pm)Without a dedicated system of paths/roads/podways, these things will be dangerous for pedestrians, EN-V passengers, and automobile/truck traffic. In a word, “Infrastructure,” with a capital “I.” Yes, there is the equivalent of this some places already, in pockets here and there, but in most cases they are not contiguous.
What if you could take something like this and put it directly on a train?
What if you put a hook on top of the pods so that they could be driven onto the equivalent of a ski-lift cable?
Aside from a few controlled environments, I doubt we’ll see these in many US locations for decades. 20 years sounds optimistic, to me.
…and if you can network gawky slo-mo pods, why can’t you network real automobiles within a congested area? Lane control, degree of separation etc could be optimized to allow more conventional traffic.
Mar 24th, 2010 (12:57 pm)For those that think public transit needs attention (this is electric, solar): http://www.interstatetraveler.us/
Mar 24th, 2010 (1:00 pm)
Mar 24th, 2010 (1:04 pm)Paint the thing green and put a QWERTY keybord at the bottom and two green anttenas and its a mobile DROID…
/still think it’s a waste though.
Mar 24th, 2010 (1:06 pm)As someone who has had a close family member almost killed in what I thought was an avoidable accident I’m surprised you’re so dismissive of the technology.
Here’s how it will play out. In five years Autonomous Driving will be available for rural and suburban areas. In ten years it will be available for urban driving as well. A few cars will offer it as an option, but it will be expensive since it’s new technology, not widely adopted technology, and will need a lot of sensors to make up for the fact that other cars aren’t broadcasting. At this point Liberals and Progressives will start demanding that all new cars have the technology. Conservatives will fight this, arguing it will cut down on the freedom of choice and drive up the cost of the vehicles. At some point the Liberals and Progressives will prevail because mothers will decide that they don’t want to go to the morgue and identify their child who was driving while drunk. Car companies will be forced to put more effort into the technology, volumes will go up, and prices will come down.
Ten years later, auto accidents will be extremely rare, everyone will love the technology, except for the owners of autobody shops since most of those will have gone out of business. Progressives and Liberals will hail Autonomous Driving as an example of how government mandates can benefit society. Conservatives will dismiss these claims, arguing that the mandates didn’t matter because the market would have delivered the same solution, only faster.
Seat belts. Air bags. We’ve seen this movie before.
+1
Mar 24th, 2010 (1:09 pm)And you guys think the people who picked up smart cars and threw them in a ditch had fun? I wonder what they can do with this thingy…..lol
+1
Mar 24th, 2010 (1:12 pm)Weebles wobble but they don’t fall down.
(you learn a lot when you watch tv with your kids.)
Mar 24th, 2010 (1:15 pm)That is, until the weight inside them comes loose. Always a sad occasion. It’s like they’re permanently drunk, after that.
+2
Mar 24th, 2010 (1:22 pm)Add….
Then hackers from the underground come up and scramble all wireless telecom of each autonomous thingies disabling their sensors or spoofing the perimeter sensors causing major crashes everywhere as these hackers take control of each thingy and drive them into pedestrians and lakes, rivers and streams. Meanwhile another set of hackers take control of others forcing them to rotate rapidly till the occupants blow chunks of their lunch inside the globular cabin creating a cocktail of regurgitation.
All the while the hackers stand atop the roofs of building high 5ing each other with their highly modified laptop driven aileron RC controllers.
/is it possible? lol…. Why do you think the big Cellular carriers went from Analog to Digital?
Mar 24th, 2010 (1:26 pm)Minus your unnecessary political rant, there is a much simpler (and much more likely) scenario for achieving universal auto-drive: Just as soon as it proves itself safe and capable, the insurance companies will force it’s adoption as a cost-saving measure. They like paying funds to auto body shops even less than we do, as individuals. Eventually, they’ll be the ones pushing for a mandate to remove steering wheels and other manual controls. Any grass roots sympathies such as you describe will be carefully cultivated to help achieve this end, but won’t actually be crucial. Follow the money.
Brave New World: let me show you it.
Mar 24th, 2010 (1:37 pm)The possibility of terrorism will haunt any technological advance which removes people from direct control of their own fates. What concerns me more is this idea that accidents will become a thing of the past: the causes of (and liabilities for) life-threatening crashes will simply move up a couple of notches:
“Your vehicle guidance system encountered a problem, and had to close. Please save any valuable body parts by curling up into a fetal position. Have a nice day.” — CRUNCH.. Who will be at fault for these accidents? Not the ‘drivers.’
Accidents may become more rare, but could involve many more injuries/deaths when they do, due to global software glitches which could affect many vehicles at once. No automatic system is foolproof.
Mar 24th, 2010 (1:41 pm)#109
True that. I really kind of like the Smart, although the mileage isn’t good enough for me to make a big issue of it, and it’s not a GM product, LOL. My wife cannot stand it, as “too small and thus too dangerous.”
+2
Mar 24th, 2010 (1:42 pm)I didn’t interpret Tag’s post as dismissive. I thought he was serious. Maybe he wasn’t, but personally, I think mobility for the elderly is very important from a social point of view. It could vastly improve the quality of life for many many people. The elderly and their adult children alike. And from an economic point of view–it could ultimately save us billions in home attendant and even nursing home costs.
There are also numerous disabled people who are limited by their inability to drive. Epileptics. People who are on certain medications that make it inadvisable to drive. Advanced MS. Etc. Autonomous driving could make a huge difference in a lot of people’s lives even aside from the safety aspect. And I think that’s valuable in and of itself.
Mar 24th, 2010 (1:48 pm)FWIW, the same photo Dr. Dennis displayed above is currently part of the sort of rotating photo window at the top of the MSN web portal.
+1
Mar 24th, 2010 (2:18 pm)When you live somewhere where the primary mode of transportation is a smoky little 2-stroke moped (Vietnam, Thailand, etc), then these things probably seem pretty luxurious.
Hey, and look how popular Segways are (j/k).
Mar 24th, 2010 (2:28 pm)On reflection, if you can make up a rendering, issue a press release, and get your name up to the top of the MSN web portal as a cutting edge technology leader, maybe that’s pretty effective PR. Never mind all of the comments on the mighty GM-Volt.com blog!
Maybe it just takes some of us longer than others to get the big picture, LOL.
-1
Mar 24th, 2010 (2:29 pm)Yes, I’m far from dismissive on the subject. And I’ll never point a finger at my daughter and say “you could have ‘largely’ avoided that accident”. Seems some people would though. I guess that they just don’t have loved ones.
And yes, there is a huge population of individuals who could benefit from autonomous driving. I don’t see us arriving there anytime soon, but that’s the point of CONCEPT cars. At least some vehicles are already on the road that take small measures to avoid collisions.
As an aside, Joy’s folks moved in with us as a result of a “largely avoidable” car accident. No one was hurt in the incident and by phone afterwords Joy’s dad described it as a “little” accident. “I got a little too close to another car, and pulled the mirror off my car”. He didn’t mention that he also “lost” the half of the car that it was attached to. Since it was “totaled”, we told him that the insurance company wouldn’t sell him insurance anymore. He made it though WWII and the Depression, and was very independent. *Very* tough on all involved.
Be well and believe,
Tagamet
Let’s Just Get The VOLTS ‘ Wheels On The Road!!****NPNS
Mar 24th, 2010 (2:42 pm)Neither. The inventor of the Segway is Dean Kamen a prolific inventor and entrepreneur that got his start inventing medical devices. I think the Segway was a spinoff of work he was doing to make a better wheelchair.
+2
Mar 24th, 2010 (2:48 pm)Somewhat OT, but related to your reference to the “mighty GM-Volt.com blog,” I still check on other EV sites and saw a reference to ClipperCreek, Inc. http://www.clippercreek.net/ They make EV charging “infrastructure.”
Anyway, when you check out that site, they say their products are compatible with BMW Mini and Tesla Roadster, and the coming to market soon Chevy Volt and Nissan Cube Minicar. The interesting thing is where the hotlinks direct you. The Mini link takes you to http://www.miniusa.com, the Tesla link takes you to http://www.teslamotors.com, the Chevy Volt link takes you to ……………………. wait for it ………………….. http://www.gm-volt.com!
Very interesting!
Mar 24th, 2010 (2:58 pm)As an automated vehicle on it’s own track it reminds me of the little electric transporters that Disney dreamed up for the “Progress City” model in 1970′s Tomorrowland at Disneyland.
Owning a Segway PT/i2 for the last 7 years has given me one perspective on this vehicle. An enclosed two person vehicle will be more sellable to the public than a single person open air Segway. Both have advantages, but weather protection and being together is what makes this concept work with controlled, safe roadway conditions.
Having choices is what it’s all about. As a single rider, the Segway i2 is perfect for my downtown adventures in OKC. I am looking forward to using it after the move to California. But there is no question that the VOLT would get 99% of the usage for my travel in Orange County!
Mar 24th, 2010 (3:03 pm)I wonder if there are any plans for a manual driver operated version of this? Seems something like that could be brought to market pretty quick, not for road use, of course.
Mar 24th, 2010 (3:03 pm)I’m sorry, but what’s your point? Of course it points here. It should point somewhere else? (I know, I know, I get it)(lol). Good catch!
Be well and believe,
Tagamet
Let’s Just Get The VOLTS ‘ Wheels On The Road!!****NPNS
Mar 24th, 2010 (3:12 pm)This has the balancing of a Segway. Or did you mean the technique of leaning for motion control? I assume these things would have… dunno, a joystick I guess. Or if it’s an Xbox-type controller the kids would love it.
GM had all those turbine cars in the 50s, doesn’t mean that any of them saw the light of day. It’s just a way to get people interested and talking. They probably learn just as much from the criticism as from the compliments.
Mar 24th, 2010 (3:16 pm)Of course it points here, but I wonder if GM might have a different idea, like: http://www.chevrolet.com/volt?
At least ClipperCreek knows where.
+1
Mar 24th, 2010 (3:29 pm)Not true, what you get back is always less than what you put in, accelerating the mass.
So for electrics, weight = bad. Bad for gasoline cars as well, if you care at all about MPG.
OK, if you lived in the mountains and worked in the valley you could load your truck up with rocks then take them out at work each day. You would get the “free energy” provided by the potential energy of the rocks, captured by your regen. However your boss might get upset about the growing pile of rocks in the parking lot. That’s about the only case where having extra mass would be a good thing. If you haul the rocks back home up the hill then it’s a net loss.
This reminds me of Alamogordo (White Sands) / Cloudcroft, in New Mexico. Amazing change in altitude and climate but not all that far away from each other. Spent a month there. Would be an interesting place to test the Volt’s regen systems (I’ll volunteer, if GM provides the car!).
Mar 24th, 2010 (3:36 pm)…and you could skip going to the gym for a workout after loading all those rocks onto and off of the truck.
Mar 24th, 2010 (3:47 pm)FOUL! I cry FOUL! “Someone” mentioned the site that shall remain un-named! HIDE THE CHILDREN!
And I thought that this was a family-oriented site. (Huge sigh).
Be responsible,
Tagamet
Let’s Just Get The VOLTS ‘ Wheels On The Road!!****NPNS
Mar 24th, 2010 (3:48 pm)It looks kind of like a Fuchikoma. (albeit with wheels instead of legs) It should play Yoko Kanno music to alert people that you are passing by.
Mar 24th, 2010 (3:49 pm)#130
Very interesting indeed. As I was bringing up this website just now I was recalling how I used to follow the so-called “Bob Lutz Blog” GMfastlane.com, or whatever it was. I found this site there. I haven’t looked at the GM site for months, as this one is about 1000 times more informative and objective. Plus with much more erudite participants, ahem, ahem. So I would say that they (ClipperCreek) know whereof they speak, LOL.
Mar 24th, 2010 (3:52 pm)#136
Thank you! +1
Mar 24th, 2010 (3:59 pm)Well at least that “someone” didn’t mention the “other site,”
)
XXXAge.com. (Is that X-rated?
Mar 24th, 2010 (4:04 pm)There’s a 4 part mini series airing on the rather obscure “Smithsonian Channel” on TV called “System Crash”. While the show itself is a little over dramatic it has some fascinating stories of various failures of modern systems caused by oversights in the networking/programming of the control computers. It’s kind of fascinating, really. I’ve only seen a couple segments. One was about an air traffic control center that lost all communications with planes for hours because somebody forgot to reboot the communications computer 2 weeks earlier. It was written into the software that if the computer it was running on wasn’t rebooted every 30 days per the maintenance schedule, the software would just stop running inexplicably after 45 days. After decades of use the maintainers started to forget that behavior even existed in the system. The net result was uncontrolled aircraft in a busy corridor (north of LA, as I recall) for hours.
Mar 24th, 2010 (4:06 pm)I figure it will only take a few of these injuries / deaths and the designers, builders and operators will get really serious and pretty good at safety issues. Even for the lowest cost bidders. But Toyota showed us that when you believe both your own press releases and the kool aid drinking reviewers, while at the same time the complexity of what you do rises, there could be new and unexpected bumps in the road.
Mar 24th, 2010 (4:06 pm)I’ll turbo charge mine !
Mar 24th, 2010 (4:09 pm)Instead, your boss might pay you for your reliable rock deliveries, which have value.
http://www.earthproducts.net/products/stone.html
Mar 24th, 2010 (4:21 pm)I tried twice to get that wonderful site up and it wouldn’t even load. Sorry Volt marketers no offense meant…really, none at all!!!!
Mar 24th, 2010 (4:36 pm)I stand corrected I thought the Chrysler EV was the ugliest design I’ve ever seen. But this goofy GM personal transport takes the cake so I must now vote for the ugliest vehicle award or the ugly duckling award to GM and its award-winning design team.
Mar 24th, 2010 (4:44 pm)OK, Jeffhre, which unnamed site wouldn’t load? I mentioned several. If you mean the last one, you need to make sure that the “?” isn’t included in the URL it was supposed to be just punctuation in the sentence,
If that’s the case, try this:
http://www.chevrolet.com/volt
Mar 24th, 2010 (4:44 pm)What the fck?? +10 for that shit? I might have just lost all respect for the posters at this site.
Mar 24th, 2010 (4:46 pm)No not at all, it’s like the iPad in that the infrastructure and ecology provided by the manufacturer will be the only element that gives it any value for the buyer…Where Steve Jobs want too lock you into the walled garden, GM has made it very clear that they do not want to do infrastructure.
+1
Mar 24th, 2010 (4:51 pm)I’m pretty sure it was meant as a joke. The +9 or 10 is probably just the people who got a laugh out of it. Lighten up a bit, or not. Ever see one of those pictures going around the internet where it shows an old bus or truck with a gazzilion people and animals on it?
Mar 24th, 2010 (4:54 pm)Yeah, I’ve watched that series and it *is* engaging. I found it interesting that the flight controllers – who could see the planes on their screens, but not contact them – Whipped out their cell phones and *called* until the comm link could be restored. Great “work-around”!
Be well and believe,
Tagamet
Let’s Just Get The VOLTS ‘ Wheels On The Road!!****NPNS
Mar 24th, 2010 (5:03 pm)We’re supposed to believe that you ever had any?!!
Mar 24th, 2010 (5:16 pm)#152
Yeah, I was #10, I’m proud to say, LOL. I just checked back and it’s back down to +7 now, alas. Political correctness is alive and well. Oh well, I guess it’s all for the best.
+1
Mar 24th, 2010 (5:22 pm)IMO it’s sad people find that garbage laughable. I figure if I try not to say a joke in a way that I wouldn’t want to say it to someone’s face, then I’m better off.
Mar 24th, 2010 (5:28 pm)Spoken like a skilled and seasoned spouse.
Be well and believe,
Tagamet
Let’s Just Get The VOLTS ‘ Wheels On The Road!!****NPNS
Mar 24th, 2010 (5:43 pm)I have ridden a Segway, and took a several mile tour on hilly trails at the coast. I really enjoyed it, and at my age would not have wanted to struggle up those hills on foot or bicycle. I only had one real gripe – having to stand up all the time.
So the EN-V sounds very interesting to me. The only puzzling part is why they won’t be available for ten or twenty years. Segways do work, and they’ve already been out for years.
Let’s see, fifteen years from now I’ll be in my late eighties. I’ll probably need the wheelchair version.
Mar 24th, 2010 (6:18 pm)Segway redo GM style is not smart. Everyone knows the Segway was a huge failure. Avoid going down this path at all costs.
+1
Mar 24th, 2010 (6:28 pm)Well I think the EN-Vy is pretty cool. No it would not work for me. However I think it would be totally cool on a Golf course, Disneyland or some other controlled environment. I could picture it in many places. Priced right I think they could sell a whole lot of them in a complex urban environment.
Peace
The Beauty of a Volt…
+2
Mar 24th, 2010 (6:51 pm)Hi Laura,
I really like the way you think about this.
I had been thinking in my post #6 about international investment only. (1.3 billion in China, 1 billion approx. in India, combined for about thirty percent of the planet).
But your thoughtful post addresses America. You are absolutely right with our aging populace, that this mode of transportation is just the ticket.
Many posters are concerned about automated driving, and, will this go off the side of the road?
When I was in the USAF Security Service (counterintel) Intel School at Goodfellow AFB in Texas (circa1973), we were taught about the then current USAF satellite navigation system that America had in place at that time. The Staff Sgt. technical instructor (a “TI”) who told us all about the various high tech stuff (at that time) described a story about how we plotted the position of a Russian leaders’ aircraft landing position to within a yard of longitude and latitude with our then-available GPS technology.
About a month after that, the US was sent a Russian GPS satellite location of the landing position of our Presidents’ aircraft, but it was within six inches of the correct longitude and latitude.
That was prior to 1973, over 38 years ago. (The military is always 20 to 25 years ahead of commercial industry, by the way).
The accuracy of today’s GPS to apply toward automated transportation is easily within reach of commercial industry, but the software to do it with all the co-variables is what has to be developed.
Laura has pointed out an extremely valuable asset to the aging American populace (including me in about 25 more years), where good mental health for our moms and dads to “get out of the house on their own” in a reliable autonomous manner would be of excellent social value to us all.
By then, there will be many small and highly efficient types of communities, whereupon smaller self-contained and zero-net-energy-use residences powered entirely by solar to include a sufficient solar surplus for the recharging of these very interesting little mobility pods will certainly be part of an overall solution for not only our moms and dads, but happily, for us too for when it is our time, and we still want to be on our own.
Great points presented, Laura!
Mar 24th, 2010 (6:54 pm)The only way I can envision the EN-V catching hold in NA is if it, with its inter-vehicle and net-capable com systems, replaced completely subway systems. People could lease or buy their own and then have access to subway routes like BART in SF bay, the El in Chicago, and of course the NYC subway. And municipalities, regional authorities and state governments would not have to purchase, maintain, and defend from attack of the public (i.e. the teenagers and the arrested development teen-minded) the cars and vehicles of public transit… win-win? Could be.
Otherwise, you don’t have to wait 50 years to get an electric vehicle with a 1/3 footprint of a normal car and a 40 mile range, not just 25 miles… Here are two companies — with a very American idea — that will offer you one today at a very reasonable price!
brammo.com
zeromotorcycles.com
And they already have this incredibly complex and exquisite intelligent balance managing system: the *inner ear*. Shhhh… very cutting edge… don’t want French and Chinese industrial spies milling about.
Mar 24th, 2010 (7:05 pm)I also like the two wheels in that configuration (one behind the other for speed), but as we keep saying, no one solution fits everyone. I’ll just bet LauraM’s mom is not too good on a motorcycle.
And like the bicycle, you still get wet when it rains.
Mar 24th, 2010 (7:25 pm)#163
And fall down if you aren’t VERY careful. The first time I ever got caught in the rain on my first bike, I left high school, rode one block, came to a stop sign, put on the rear brake a tad too hard, and ended up lying in about 3″ of water in the cross gutter, much to the amusement of my charming classmates. I never tried to ride one in snow or ice, but I can only imagine. Of course that might be true of one of these things too. The Segway technology might be smart, but I have a hard time believing it’s that smart.
Mar 24th, 2010 (7:29 pm)Well, I tried to be humorous, and yet include a touch of realism as well.
I have been to Mumbai, India, and the driving experience (although I never drove), is definitely unique compared to anything you might see in the US.
I think the EN-V would fit in real well here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPLMGsxnpZM
Mar 24th, 2010 (8:14 pm)Isn’t this a golfcart with a bubble?
Mar 24th, 2010 (8:19 pm)So, one day, many years ago, I was riding my bicycle to work in Chicago. It was snowing, not heavily, but enough that the streets were slushy and it was hard to see with no windshield. As I started down the slope of a railway underpass I realized with horror that the traffic was stopped directly under the tracks. I skidded, frantically trying to balance, and I didn’t fall over, but I didn’t stop, either. Until, that is, I slammed into the rear bumper of a police car. The patrolman looked in his mirror and saw that I was OK except for my embarrassed expression, then shook his head and didn’t even get out of the car.
I doubt seriously that having wheels side by side would help in a situation like that, no matter how smart the on-board computer was, but I do know that I have never seen a bicycle (as opposed to tricycle) that could hold two people sitting side by side. That’s an intriguing idea.
Mar 24th, 2010 (9:07 pm)Listen now as Dr. GM administers hypnosis to the masses:
” You are dreaming of a future, a future where big government motors will take care of all your needs, a dreamy distant future with no polution, no noisy highways, no smog, no oil wars, no wallet busting piston engine repairs and gasoline bills, dreaming. . . dreaming . . . . .
And now on the count of three you will wake up and go buy a big thirsty Tahoe . .. .
one, two, THREE!!!!!!!
Mar 24th, 2010 (9:29 pm)No truck, but I do kinda feel like buying a Big Gulp….
Be well and believe,
Tagamet
Let’s Just Get The VOLTS ‘ Wheels On The Road!!****NPNS
Mar 24th, 2010 (9:58 pm)Another article about it:
http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/03/24/inside-gms-en-v-concept-car/?test=latestnews
“The two-wheel, two-seater EN-V, which looks something like an oversized vacuum cleaner,” “880 pounds including the passengers” and “We’re looking at solutions for 2030.”
And there is more than one model:
http://www.foxnews.com/slideshow/scitech/2010/03/24/gms-en-v-concept-car/
“In theory, EN-Vs could be hitched together to allow drivers to commute to work while finishing up shaving, phone calls or whatever else without endangering fellow road warriors.”
“It’s not quite as foldable as the space vehicle that cartoon figure George Jetson pops into his briefcase, but GM’s futuristic concept just might fit in your foyer.”
Mar 24th, 2010 (11:41 pm)Wow! As weird as this day started on GM-Volt.com, it seemed the discourse was really diverse and interesting to follow. Talk of autonomous transportation systems and infrastructures, examining needs of huge population centers in Asia and India, and the needs of seniors, and senior communities. Nice day guys! I enjoyed alot of the posts and rolled my eyeballs at some.
I think we all know it’s about getting people of all ilks, ages and cultures from point A to B – and finding new markets and ways to fill needs around the world.
The EN-V looks like some sci fi writer’s vision of what “Futureland” will look like, and yes, it’s over-the-top in it’s bubble-ator look – but we know the folks in Japan, Korea and China love that sort of styling excercise and every company over there seems to spend millions designing those future-whacko people mover thingies.
In reality though – people do find incredibly creative ways to move about in tough times when gas prices go up and up. My house is on a major road and during the gas crunch of 2008 with prices here the third highest in the nation per gallon at near $5.00 per – I was so surprised by what I saw going past my door, a lady in a little Vespa with a trailer towing her dog and groceries….a man who rode the bike trail to work on his Segway – people, tons of them – getting their bikes out of their garages and dusting off the cobwebs…it was truly amazing.
I love gadgets and I purchased an electric Go-ped scooter. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-NRLfzXgP4
I don’t think anybody addressed FUN here. We use alot of gasoline going for drives – running recreational vehicles and such – so why not choose an electric or human-powered vehicle…like a kayak, bike or electric scooter? Thing is, there are so many reasons us humans like to go, and feel the wind in our faces. Not all have to cost as much as an EN-V but each has it’s own place. Wouldn’t you agree?
Segways aint just for mall cops anymore: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x56VHd5NDpo
I lust after a Segway with fat tires, but it’s expensive and not as versatile as the Go-ped. The Go-ped is clean, goes 20 miles on a charge and 20 mph and is legal on Seattle’s many “rails to trails” bike trails with stellar views and fun things to go see and do. The Go-ped isn’t expensive (OK, the lithium ion version gets pricey but goes 28 miles ) and it folds up quick ( I don’t use the seat at all and prefer to stand ). This is a sidewalk machine and bike trails work great and it’s legal. Lots of people use these as a way to the train or subway, bus or park n’ ride.
Thanks for this article – it’s a way to open up a dialogue re: the many ways people can use electric to get around and have fun at the same time!
RECHARGE! James
IF YOU BUILD THEM THEY WILL COME
Mar 24th, 2010 (11:55 pm)My grand mothers home in Berkeley has a BART station across the street. For every one else who must seek mobility at a point below rail car scale which is conveniently located footsteps away, this has some promise, somewhere, sometime in the future.
Mar 25th, 2010 (12:11 am)Great for Disneyland operation or for use in the up & coming reboot of Fantasy Island TV show.
Will there be extended range engines included as well. I suffer from really bad range anxiety!
GO EV !!!
Mar 25th, 2010 (12:36 am)You must have missed my post at #49 where I laid out the benefits of autonomous driving for, among other groups, those whose age should prevent them from driving. But other groups would also benefit, including teenagers and (especially) drunks.
But, as mentioned there, the bigger savings would be the elimination of accidents. You just wouldn’t have any.
But only if you had the technology in all cars. My car won’t let me run into someone or something. Using sensors it will automatically stop the car before impact (but it doesn’t work for a pedestrian unfortunately but my car is already a few years old). But that doesn’t address the entire problem — it doesn’t help if someone runs into me.
Given that my neighbors in the houses to the left, right, and across the street, have all had at least one member of the family rear ended, it’s not hard to figure out making sure you stop doesn’t really prevent you from getting killed.
+1
Mar 25th, 2010 (12:48 am)You’re losing your sense of humor.
I don’t see insurance companies liking this technology at all. They like technologies that drop the expected claims rate to just below what was projected. That kind of technology keeps the demand up and their profits high. This kind of killer drop isn’t very good for them because, if you don’t have any accidents, what would they insure? It would put them in the same position as the auto body shops — out of business.
Mar 25th, 2010 (10:23 am)I did read your original post. And I agree with you about auto accident prevention. I just focused on a different potential benefit that happens to matter a great deal to me personally. Increased mobility for the elderly and otherwise disabled.
My point was mainly that Tag’s post about the possibilities wasn’t dimissive.
The benefits on both points go well beyond costs savings. Which is important. But it’s not everything. We’re talking about two major social benefits.
However, I think you’re underestimating how much, the US, and society in general spends on taking care of the elderly. And those costs are only going to go up as the population ages. If we can keep people independent longer, not only can we raise their quality of life, we’ll also save a lot of money. And I personally believe that maintaining mobility is a huge part of that.
Mar 25th, 2010 (12:26 pm)I just love when white heterosexual males hear a bigoted joke once or twice in their life and laugh, and wonder why nobody else have their great sense of humor. How about when you’ve been hearing it your whole life?
Mar 25th, 2010 (2:37 pm)I think BillR’s major point was that it is much more comfortable than a Rickshaw. And we shouldn’t judge everything by North American (or actually US and Canada) standards. Consumers in different countries have different needs. As numerous Europeans have repeatedly said on this site. I certainly don’t think he meant anything by it. Or even thinks any less of people from different countries. I don’t think anyone on this site does. We’re worried about America’s future because of what it means to us personally. But that has nothing to do with thinking we’re superior in any way. And, given the ethnic diversity in the US and Canada, it wouldn’t even make sense to think that.
For whatever it’s worth, you speak perfect English. Or at least type it. Much better than my Spanish (which is the only other language that I speak.) If you’re not a native speaker, I never would have guessed. And as the only other woman poster on this site (except for my namesake who shows up every once in a while), I’d be sorry if you left.
Mar 25th, 2010 (6:23 pm)Once GM repays the Fed loans in June and issues its IPO shares – I strongly recommend that GM reduce its exposure to China-made products. Especially to looney ideas like this. Additionally, China’s worse than terrible human rights record presents a serious liability to any western nation doing business there. Until these people improve their human rights efforts – they should be rejected.
Mar 28th, 2010 (5:27 pm)this is THE second car for me, at this time, in 20 years it will be my primary car.
This is so smart to get GM into markets they can not crack now. Later they will all buy Volts bigger brother.
JLC