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Get your own Human Powered Fred Flintstone Car Right Here!

Industrial Design
Feb 14, 2008
4 Comments






sketches-and-mockups-of-the-human-powered-vehicle.jpg
Image collage from Ecoble

Check out this amazing and inspirational feat of engineering called The HumanCar. A human powered car that is, I am sure, inspired by the famous foot powered Flintstone mobiles.

flintstones-car.jpg

It apparently can reach speeds of 80 miles per hour (128.75 Km/h) and is designed to make driving a participatory experience. The four riders need to work together to get it going as well as steering by leaning into a turn. A rechargeable battery and motor, jumps in when you feel like taking a break.

Though it is safer than a bicycle, due to its road safe impact resistant skeleton, I do wonder about its ability to be handled by one person, its lack of seat belts (80mph come on!), and weather protection. Regardless, it is a marvel of engineering especially with the way the rowing movement is converted and transmitted to the car’s forward motion.

Check out the images from the official press release:

humancar_fm4_csg_pe.JPG
The HumanCar Inventor Charles Greenwood and his prototype


transmission.JPG
Where the magic happens, the transmission box.


driveshaft.JPG
The drive shaft that transmits the energy to the wheels.


humancar_fm4.JPG
The HumanCar’s exoskeleton prototype.



Check out the very cool video on how it works.


It can be yours for $15,000 and they are taking pre-orders at the official HumanCar website. Looks like good clean environmentally friendly but sweaty fun!

Via: Ecoble





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  • Comments

    Trend Insights
    Feb 14, 08 – 7:11 pm

    I want one too! Looks superb!

    Jacob Cass
    Feb 15, 08 – 12:20 am

    Wow, that is pretty nifty.

    justin (pusha)
    Feb 15, 08 – 9:25 am

    Wow. That is amazing. I would totally rock that car. I work from home and drive very little. I bought a new car last year and finally just hit 3,000 miles in 11 months. That’s total grandpa style I know;) Lockheed Martin was working on a prototype a long time ago that had cars working on magnets on the freeway, I don’t know if it included Gas usage though.

    Design Digest Vol.4 » Yanko Design
    Aug 28, 08 – 11:17 am

    [...] Human powered car by Charles Greenwood. Via: Design Sojourn [...]


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