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Honda's "Micro Commuter" Features Swappable Bodies
Zothecula writes "Further evidence of the coming fragmentation of personal transportation came today when Honda released details of the next iteration of its electric 'Micro Commuter' prototype which we first saw at the Tokyo Motor Show last year. The new version is close to production-ready, and concentrates the battery and functionality of the micro EV below the floor, enabling the vehicle's body to be easily changed to accommodate different functionality."
GM was working on something like that yonks ago.
rewriting history since 2109
Pure car-show fodder.
I think the "bondi-blue" '98 iMac model is the most humourous. A little late to the party, no?
"Flyin' in just a sweet place,
Never been known to fail..."
All these "commuter" cars are ugly as sin. Why can't we get "commuter" cars that aren't straight chairs with wheels? Get something sleek and futuristic looking and I'll consider buying it. (Like that Lamborghini in the icons above... a single seat, well performing low slung vehicle.)
Every time I start to have faith in humanity, I ruin it by driving to work between 7 and 8 am.
When can I freakin' get one???
3-wheeler, covered, a bit of seat heat and minimal climate control, and a cheap base price like other tiny cars.
Hello..... I've been waiting at least 5 years and seeing an endless stream of cool non-production car-show concepts and test prototypes.
"Show me the MINI !"
Where are we going and why are we in a handbasket?
And there Brave New World dystopia future with no sex, no booze, and really really crappy cars.
Its here. At least for cars.
The last body is actually a battle robot.
It is Japan, people.
FYI you can put a small block Chevy in _any_ vehicle (any pre-smog vehicle in CA).
Some take more work then others.
John McAfee 'It was like that time I hired that Bangkok prostitute; to do my taxes, while I fucked my accountant'
Honestly I would just be scared to drive one if *all* other vehicles on the road were not exactly the same. Think about what would happen if you pulled out in front of a Hummer, or a Semi. They'd have to pull out the fine toothed comb just to gather bits and pieces of you to send along to your family.
I don't think so...
Not much different than if you were driving the Hummer, and pulled out in front of the Semi.
And the same effect is illustrated by Semi's pulling out in front of freight trains.
Charles Darwin would probably have something to say about people who pull out in front of a semi. It has often been noted that as tools, equipment, and vehicles grow more idiot-proof, the world just produces better idiots.
Personally, I ride a little 1/4 ton vehicle, that gets about 53 mpg, as opposed to some two-ton hulk that gets maybe 20 mpg.
This one is almost exactly like mine: http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx50/StrayyDog/fontannacemetarypost.jpg
Or, you can browse what members are riding, to find one more to your taste:
http://cx500forum.com/index.php?/topic/96-members-bikes/
Motorcycles have a way of thinning the herd some. Fools don't last very long on two wheels. Pulling out in front of tractor trailers is one sure way of becoming a statistic, on a bike, in a car, or even in another tractor trailer.
"Windows is like the faint smell of piss in a subway: it's there, and there's nothing you can do about it." - Charlie Br
Erm, the blogger doesn't not seem to understand the words.
* Fragmentation
* Evidence
* Personal Transportation
When was the car industry ever been unified and standardised. We have umpteen number of trademarked and patented systems for Variable Valve Timing (VTEC - Honda, CVVT - Hyundai, ZETEC - Ford, VVTi - Toyota, VEL - Nissan).
Also people have demanded, from Henry Fords first mass produced car, different types of cars. Some people like big 4WD's, others like sporty Japanese coupes, medium sized sedans, small hatchbacks and so forth (I still cant understand why people want SUV's). This concept is more about increasing choice to the customer whilst reducing the number of factories to produce the car. How many factories does Honda have to produce the various types of Civic?
If anything, this is an attempt at de-fragmentation of the car industry.
Calling someone a "hater" only means you can not rationally rebut their argument.
Which version comes with the see-through side panels and LED-lit motor fan? Oh, and don't forget those cold cathode UV lights!
95% of all maintenance Saturn S series parts are the same from 1992-2004. Things like the body panels are not interchangeable between all models, but i suspect a lot of them are (92-97 front ends, and 98 and later front ends). It's really a shame saturn basically packed up in 2004-2005 when they became mostly a GM re-badger.
All of the above was encrypted with a Quad ROT-13 method. Unauthorized decryption is in violation of the DMCA.
just a quick series of questions.
How many kW in a battery pack?
What charge time would you like the filling station to need?
How many kW/h is that?
How many batteries would a "gas station" need to change out per day (assume every diver needs to swap every other day on average)?
How many kW/h is that total?
Assume that 1/2 of those batteries are swapped during the two rush hours and are charged in between, what electrical service does each "gas station" need? (hint, fsking huge).
As for charging yourself, how do you want to wait around a "gas station" while your battery charges? assuming 460/3/60 power, each cable is still huge to get the times down to under 5 minutes, even assuming you could charge modern battery tech that quickly. (sorry I did math all day at work similar to this and my second rum and coke is just not letting me do it now.)
All of the above was encrypted with a Quad ROT-13 method. Unauthorized decryption is in violation of the DMCA.
I don't know if anybody here remembers the Volkswagen Thing. Modular body for different purposes. The vehicle is probably older than most here..
Sig: I stole this sig.
As for charging yourself, how do you want to wait around a "gas station" while your battery charges?
Of course not, you'd let it recharge overnight while you sleep, just like you do with your cell phone.
Given the 60 mile range on this vehicle, you won't be making any long trips with it anyway, so I don't think that recharging will be an issue.
I don't care if it's 90,000 hectares. That lake was not my doing.
In Brave New World everybody had a social life, regular sex, drugs if they wanted them, free medicine and organised games. Huxley thought he was describing a dystopia, but for 95% of the population at the time he wrote he was describing an unattainable paradise. Who would worry about dick-extendermobiles when all the women are beautiful and forever young?
From scarped cliff or quarried stone she cries "A thousand types are gone, I care for nothing, no not one."
If you pulled out in front of a Hummer, you'd kill its occupants. You might wonder why you were suddenly facing the wrong way, surrounded by body parts and fragments of cheap crappy 4x4.
With very small cars there's always the question of safety.
Now imagine a car that, besides being small and lightweight, is also designed to be taken apart.
The problem is that the greedy fat bastards don't want you to have a cheap interchangeable replacement that you can do yourself. They want you to take all of your car problems to their "certified technician" so they can charge you an ungodly amount to change out some simple piece of plastic that is just a hair different than last year's simple piece of plastic.
--- If the bible proves the existence of God, then Superman comics prove the existence of Superman.
What's the point of the covers on the wheels? Seems really extraneous.
I for one ride a 1/100 ton vehicle that gets infinite miles/gallon and do so in all types of traffic. It can even carry cargo -- it's record towing is 3/4 of a ton (about 1500 lbs) The trick is to be well lit and predictable. Above all else, PREDICTABLE. A little planning concerning lane positioning, when I'm going to turn and actually using my signals (hands) makes riding in traffic around vehicles that can turn me into a grease stain safe.
Driving one of these little smart cars? Hell, as long as they maintain power and others can see me, I'm OK with that.
- No Bounce, No Play -