Hasta La Gadget!

A supercharged Chevrolet Corvette may have been all the hotness back in 1996, but times and tastes change and now people are all about the electric boogaloo. Today we get to witness one modern man’s transition into this brave new world, a Wayne Bickley from California, who has gutted his crow-black ’96 Corvette and replaced the messy internal combustion setup with a set of 18 XS Power XP1000 batteries, a DC electric motor, and his own clutchless six-speed transmission. The end result doesn’t really look much different, but its 20-mile “spirited driving” range and 85mph top speed will surely feel different and it does also sound very much like something from the future. Check out this modernized Chevy on video after the break.

Continue reading 1996 Corvette converted into a 2011 electric odyssey (video)

1996 Corvette converted into a 2011 electric odyssey (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Jun 2011 06:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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No matter how hard Nissan tries to convince folks that driving an EV won’t leave them stranded on the side of the road gagging for electricity, that pesky range anxiety issue continues to permeate discussions about electric cars. So, what else to do but strap an EV charger on roadside service vehicles? The Japan Automobile Federation is trialing just such a scheme, with a Nissan-built prototype service truck helping to top up electrified transporters that have ended up bereft of juice at an inopportune moment. The trial’s gotten its start in Kanagawa Prefecture this week, which, incidentally, happens to be using a Nissan Leaf as its governor’s official car. So, even if you do figure out a way to use up your Leaf’s entire battery, you get the comfort of knowing you’re riding like a governor and that the good men in orange jumpsuits will be there to take care of your problemo.

Continue reading Japan trying out roadside service vehicles capable of charging EVs, soothing range anxiety

Japan trying out roadside service vehicles capable of charging EVs, soothing range anxiety originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Jun 2011 08:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s been mere months since we introduced you to Deutschland’s PC-Aero Elektra One, and now the Germans are at it again with the maiden flight of a new electric flying machine: eGenius. The aircraft successfully completed a 20-minute flight on May 26th, followed by a two-and-a-half hour trip on Sunday. Where the Elektra one boasted cruising speeds of 160 km/h (about 99 MPH), eGenius is capable of hitting 235 km/h (146 MPH) for up to 400 kilometers (248.5 miles). It sports a 60-kilowatt motor, weighs 850 kilograms (1,874 pounds), and has some big backing from the likes of Airbus. Considering its relatively limited range and equally limited capacity — it fits two humans with a combined weight of 397 pounds — we have a feeling it’ll be a bit before we’re popping pretzels on one of these bad boys.

eGenius electric plane takes flight with Airbus backing originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Jun 2011 02:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dude, check it out! Onlookers stare slack-jawed at the awesomeness of YikeBike. Photo YikeBike

You may remember the YikeBike, the little electric Penny-Farthing that looks like it should be carrying Tom from Tom & Jerry. And if you saw the fun, foldable commuter machine being “skillfully” “maneuvered” around the Wired.com car park Gadget Lab editor Dylan Tweney, it is likely burned into your brain forever.

The Yike bike is fun. It is also expensive, at $3,800. Around $1,800 of this is thanks to the carbon fiber body, which is the main reason the bike weighs just 10.8kg, or 24 pounds, the same weight as a medium-specced Brompton folding bike.

Thankfully, Yike has come up with the Fusion, a bike identical to the Yike except for the aluminum and composite used to build its body, and its price tag of $2,000. It still has the same 450-watt motor that will take you for six miles at 14mph, the same built-in LED lights and the same anti-skid regenerative brakes. The only real tradeoff is the added weight. The Fusion weighs 14kg, or 31 pounds, or around seven pounds extra.

Given the use-case for the Yike, which is for short point-to-point journeys (commuting), this probably isn’t a big deal. And you could always keep one in the trunk of the car, fully charged and ready for the day you finally flip and go on a gun-toting rampage. Think Michael Douglas in Falling Down — only on a nerdy little clown-bike — and you’re there.

The Yike Fusion is available now.

YikeBikes product page [YikeBike]

See Also:

• Hands-On: Eccentric YikeBike Gives Segway a Run for Its Money …
• Yike Bike Electric 'Mini-Farthing', Just $3600
• YikeBike: Cute Electric Penny-Farthing

It’s been a little over two years since we first came across Scarpar’s all-terrain powerboard, and now it’s just about ready to hit the streets, or mountains, or whatever. The Australian startup is currently accepting reservations for its surprisingly powerful electric skateboards — now in two flavors. Scarpar’s Model X comes equipped with two 1.5-kilowatt DC Motors and tops out at 28MPH, while the Model S offers two 750-watt motors and hits 18MPH. You can reserve one now for $500 or $600, depending on how much power you want under your feet, but be prepared to shell out either $2,800 or $3,800 when it’s finally time to buy. Scarpar expects the things to ship sometime in December, so don’t go making any summer vacation plans for you and your new off-roader just yet.

[Thanks, Alex]

Scarpar off-road powerboard coming December 2011, just in time to replace Santa’s sleigh originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 May 2011 10:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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