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Build Your Own Solar-Powered Scooter

Posted by michael on from the soapbox-racer dept.

An anonymous reader writes "CBC is reporting that the Biomod company in Montreal has released plans for building your own solar scooter for only $1600 (in Canadian funds, no less!) Hopefully the engineering community will take an interest, and add brakes to the blueprints..."

5 of 181 comments (clear)

  1. No methane? by jarich · · Score: 4, Insightful
    I just assumed that whoever built a reall cool self-powered scooter would have a little methane in their somewhere... you know, for rainy days!

    ;)

    --
    Agile Artisans
  2. Why not just bike? by Dzimas · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Instead of a huge rickshaw-like contraption, perhaps a standard bicycle might be the answer? There are many available for less than $1600. This looks like a solution looking for a problem to solve. :)

  3. Interesting Diversion but Totally Impractical by reporter · · Score: 2, Insightful
    The reality is that solar-powered transportation is totally impractical. Its sole purpose is to provide interesting material for the basis of a graduate disseration at the university.

    If you really want to change the world, devise an efficient hydrogen-powered fuel cell. That would be practical and would change the automotive industrial and the dynamics of geopolitics. In one fell sweep, the hydogren cell would (1) clean the environment, (2) end American dependence on the Middle East, and (3) spark a renaissance in automotive engineering.

    The Arabs could kill each other, and we could sit idly by, feeling smug in the fact that our economy is no longer based on oil.

    1. Re:Interesting Diversion but Totally Impractical by 10101001+10101001 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      How would an efficient hydrogen-powered fuel cell solve all our problems? Do you believe that an even more efficient (approaching 100%) internal combustion engine would solve all our problems? Yes, it'd mean we'd be using 1/4th as much gas as we do now which would head-off our dependency on Middle East oil for some time (possibly rather short, given we'd probably just expand our power desires with that increase efficiency).

      But the truth of the matter is, oil isn't a renewable resource. Hydrogen isn't either (do you see any natural generators lying around?). Sun-based mechanisms might be the answer (a la the pig fart/methane of Mad Max). But, that's where the real "solution" begins. Even a rather utterly inefficient engine with a limitless fuel source (well, reasonably limitless) is better than very efficient engine with a limited fuel source, in the long run.

      It sounds like you're just focusing on the short-term solution to get people interested in finding a long-term energy source. The thing is, without a cheap long-term energy source, the current inefficient engines and their cheap short-term source will continue to look more attractive. I think this counts as the cart before the horse.

      --
      Eurohacker European paranoia, gun rights, and h
  4. Re:What I want by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    There are no "little" devices that would accomplish what you want. There are a variety of electric and gas kits that would help out. However, the added weight and cost of these devices makes them somewhat impractical. You would be better off getting yourself into better shape to climb hills.

    http://www.electric-bikes.com/others.htm