Kettquad Pedal-Powered ATV

Posted in Toys by Conner Flynn on February 18th, 2010

Your little one deserves a quality ATV right? Why not buy your little rugrats the Kettquad from Kettler? The German company recently unveiled this four wheeler that features pneumatic tires for off-road terrain and even a protected enclosed chain drive. Looks like a ton of fun.

Expect it to hit the US sometime this year, with your kid hitting a tree soon after. It will retail for between $800 and $1000. It’s for kids 5 to 12 years of age, so don’t let your toddler ride this thing.

Art Lebedev’s Transparentius makes roads safer

Posted in Concepts by Conner Flynn on December 22nd, 2009

Transparentius is a simple and great idea. Just put a camera on the front of a large truck, then project that image onto the back of the truck. This makes the truck “transparent” for the driver behind, who now has much more information about what lies on the road ahead.

If you know what’s coming, you won’t get flattened like a pancake on the road when you try to pass. We don’t know how the rear projection is achieved or how sunlight glare factors in, but Art Lebedev usually has it all thought out. The real question is, how expensive would this be?

Air Board lets humans ride UFOs

Posted in Personal Transport by Conner Flynn on October 28th, 2009

Air Board lets humans ride UFOsThe Segway is fine if you’re a mall cop or something, but what I really want is a UFO that hovers just above ground. That I can stand on and ride. The Air Board is just that thing. A $14,000 personal hovercraft that floats 8″ above the ground and reaches a maximum speed of 15 mph.

It will give you an hour or so on just 1.3 gallons of gas. Not bad. Not bad. But can it abduct smaller lifeforms? Like ants and insects maybe? I sure hope so. This thing steers by using levers and shifting your weight.

Wilcraft amphibious ice-fishing vehicle

Posted in Automotive by Conner Flynn on August 13th, 2009

Wilcraft amphibious ice-fishing vehicleThis is the Wilcraft amphibious mobile ice-fishing cabin. It’s for serious ice fishermen. It will carry up to 600 pounds of fish, with a top speed of 20mph. The best feature is that if you are on thin ice, you won’t sink in and freeze to death as the Wilcraft will float. That not only saves you, but all of the fish you’ve caught.

The Wilcraft can also be used as a hunting or even an ice rescue vehicle. It gets about 20 miles per gallon and should you decide you need an outdoor fortress, it will cost you $10,495. This might just be the new all purpose camping/fishing/hunting type vehicle.

McDonalds to offer electric vehicle recharging at restaurants

Posted in Automotive by Conner Flynn on July 6th, 2009

McDonalds to offer electric vehicle recharging at restaurantsFirst they offered their customers WiFi, now McDonalds is installing electric vehicle charging stations for the handful of you with electric cars. They are starting in Cary North Carolina, where McDonalds will be the first to offer car recharging via the ChargePoint Networked Charging Stations.

One of the barriers to electric vehicle is the lack of charging infrastructure. So this is bigger news than it might seem like at first. and I suppose this is one way to improve things. Mickey D may not be the most ideal place to charge your car, but this will lead to better options for sure.

Rock: Nissan mystery vehicle

Posted in Concepts by Conner Flynn on June 14th, 2009

Rock: Nissan mystery vehicleThe folks over at Yanko Design came across this mysterious miniature vehicle named ROCK. Sure, it looks like Darth Helmet’s head on wheels. Very little is known about the device except the obvious: It is dark and ominous and possibly how cats will take over the world.

It was created by designer Alberico J. Camacho and sports a tiny Nissan logo. That’s Really all we know, but it seems to be some kind of music player, like a more robust Sony Rolly. The ROCK could also be a scale model prototype for a concept car that Camacho worked up for Nissan.

XR3 plug-in hybrid trike heads for production

Posted in Automotive by Conner Flynn on June 9th, 2009

XR3 plug-in hybrid trike heads for production Are you ready for a futuristic ride that actually looks futuristic? The XR3 plug-in 3-wheeled hybrid was specially constructed to be as light as possible. It’s just a bonus that it also ended up looking as cool as possible.

It’s ready to enter production phase, and we can’t wait for it to hit the streets. The XR3’s “through-the-road hybrid system” allows for 200mpg. When it reverts to its 23 hp diesel engine it will achieve 125 mpg, which is pretty good too. If you run out of fuel, the li-ion battery pack will provide 40 miles.

Dareway: A Segway Knockoff for Kids

Posted in Toys by Conner Flynn on May 6th, 2009

Dareway: A Segway Knockoff for KidsThe Dareway is a four-wheeled Segway knockoff for kids. Now kids can pretend they have way too much disposable income and Glide down the street in packs, toting briefcases. Kids 5 and up will be the talk of the playground.

The Dareway even dares you to buy it for your kid with its very name. Do you have the guts to make your little one “that kid”? The Dareway is powered by a rechargeable 12V battery and can spin 360 degrees. It only costs about $220. Sure to be dangerous. Dare you?

GildeCycle lets the handicapped run

Posted in Exercise Gadgets by Conner Flynn on March 30th, 2009

GildeCycle lets the handicapped runThose of us not handicapped take running and bike riding for granted. Sadly, handicapped individuals can not participate in either activity. But the GlideCycle might let them do what they’ve only dreamed about. Check out a video below.

The GlideCycle can be powered with just one leg, or even two disabled legs. It was developed in Oregon and is great for those who are overweight, disabled, amputees, and even non-disabled people. It’s basically a large U with wheels and a seat that lets anyone exercise outdoors.

Horse training vehicle monitors race horses

Posted in Automotive by Conner Flynn on March 4th, 2009

Horse training vehicle monitors race horsesIf you’ve been journeying far and wide across the interwebz, you may already know what this vehicle is all about. We covered it last July and it’s making the rounds again. If you haven’t seen it, here’s a refresher. This isn’t the Amish discovering Hot Rods, it trains horses.

And we still think Batman may have had something to do with it. I mean, look at the design. Bruce Wayne has his hands in everything. Why not race horses? It allows trainers to be close to the animals while training them and monitoring their vital signs. It has very precise and controlled speeds ranging from walking to 60kph.

iMo is like a tiny Apple car

Posted in Concepts by Conner Flynn on January 25th, 2009

iMo is like a tiny Apple carYou have your iPhone, iMac and your iPod, but you’re really looking forward to the next iProduct. What we have here is a car that’s based on the popular brand. The iMo. This little pod of a car consists of very few parts, making it a simple and reliable mode of geek transport.

It’s powered by electricity and charges itself through a socket at the back or by using electric induction from the floor, when available. It even boasts an artificial intelligence system, soft wheel and soft seat technology, even Segway gyroscopic technology, which is why you only see two wheels. The parts are fully recyclable as well.

Helios Off-Roader inspired by the Jurassic era

Posted in Concepts by Conner Flynn on November 6th, 2008

Helios Off-Roader inspired by the Jurassic eraHelios was clearly inspired by the Jurassic era, when dinosaurs ruled the Earth. Helios is a concept design for an off-road electric solar-powered vehicle. When you take a break from your off-roading and stop the vehicle, the car will spread its “wings” which are made of photovolatic panels, in order to capture the sun’s rays and charge up the battery.

You’ve seen the concept in nature, where some animals have stretchable skin that absorb heat and light. A lizard might stop on a rock to take a breather and as he does, he opens up his extra skin and recharges. Same thing here. The Helios Concept won the Best Use of Technology at the Interior Motives Design Awards 2008. Pretty awesome.

RD 3 Wheel Vehicle concept

Posted in Concepts by Conner Flynn on October 1st, 2008

RD 3 Wheel Vehicle conceptThis is one sweet looking single seat vehicle designed by Carlos Arturo Torres Tovar, who obviously channels the future like some crazy modern techno-shaman. I don’t know whether to drive it or just drool over it for an hour.

The idea is that the car works mainly through articulation meaning that this vehicle remains low at high speeds and it will also display helpful information during long trips through voice command by the driver. RD is convenient on busy roads as well as on long distance drives. Looks comfy too. It’s definitely a cool one to drive, but one problem. No room for a girl beside you. Check out a video below.

Blade Runner rides the rails & roads of the future

Posted in Concepts by Conner Flynn on September 23rd, 2008

Blade Runner rides the rails & roads of the futureNamed Blade Runner, this concept has nothing to do with chasing replicants. It’s a bus/train concept from British firm Silvertip Design. It will drive on roads just like other normal wheeled vehicles, but it also sports a set of retractable train-wheels that it can deploy to ride the rail lines. It looks like something that should be dueling with KITT on the open road. It’s supposed to carry 105 standing and sitting people and could well be a nice solution to long commutes. The fact that it straddles both the rails and the streets makes it very promising.

By land or by sea: The Di-Cycle

Posted in Personal Transport by Conner Flynn on September 10th, 2008

By land or by sea: The Di-CycleThe Di-Cycle, by GBO Design is an amphibious bike designed for the city of Helmond in the Netherlands, because the city has just as many watery channels as it does actual roads. Therefore, the residents all want to make like amphibians, skimming across water.

The idea is that riders would be able to skim over the water just as if they were going across the land. Somehow I just don’t see that happening. It’s more likely to flip you over and fill your lungs with water as it keeps going, eventually depositing your corpse on the road your soul never made it to. It remains a concept for the moment thankfully.





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