Fancy an Inflatable Car?
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 10.28.07
You'd certainly be hard-pressed to find a more lightweight car than XP Vehicle Systems' Whisper this year - or one that could also withstand a 25-foot fall. Yes, while some of their lofty claims may seem dubious (safest car "ever"?) and some of their technologies untested - at best - the engineers at XP have built one of the most unique EVs we've ever seen.
Built almost entirely out of inflated airbags - to provide "superior" protection - on top of an electric motor chassis, the Whisper will be fully configurable online and be shipped directly to buyers - in two neat cardboard boxes - when it (supposedly) becomes available within the next few months. Company officials claim the car could double as a flotation device in case of an emergency and that its lightness will allow it to far outpace other vehicles using a similar battery pack technology.
The Whisper's engineers are hoping to ride their little inflatable EV all the way to the Automotive X-Prize title. We'll leave it up to you to decide just how viable their technologies and vehicles are. Also be sure to check out their (hilarious) FAQ page to get answers to your most burning questions (what happens if somebody stabs the car, for example).
Via ::New Scientist Technology: Inflatable car will treat you like a Martian probe (news website)
See also: ::Inflatable Roof Rack, ::Flybo Arrives on U.S. Shores (UPDATED), ::Automotive X Prize: Preliminary Guidelines Released
Yes! I'm taking that sh!t to the demolition derby!
External Airbags
I am presently working with Jeff Cannon, New Project Director at Invent-Tech on licensing external air bags for vehicles. The air bags would be made of kevlar type material and deployment would be controlled by Doppler electronics (the type used for police speed guns). Its purpose would be to reduce car damage, protect pedestrian and passenger life and ultimately to reduce insurance rates. I think acceptance of the design may take up to 2 decades.
adrianakau@aol.com
I would be worried i'd get blown away.
Karen, you read my mind. What does one do in strong winds, rain, etc? Can you fold it back up and park it inside, or do I now have to add a garage onto the house, the workplace, even the coffee shop and then worry about heating, cooling, and lighting that?
Somewhat Related -
I just read on Drudge a blurb headline (9:30pm Eastern 10/28/07) about plans to install EV charging stations in Europe and the US. It was listed as 'developing'.
vsk
I guess it redefines 'getting a flat' !
As I see houses adding large inflatable holdiay decoartions to their yards, some of them are so enormous that I though, "The next step is an inflatable house." Well, I guess I was wrong. The car came first.
This'll be great for towing an inflatable boat.
I think acceptance of its design may take more than 2 decades :)
Huh? No one yet commented about the obvious safety factors?
Road accidents is the biggest killer. If accepted, this would dramatically lower car accident rates. I don't think their claims of safest car ever are overstated. Why did it take someone so long to think of this.
"Huh? No one yet commented about the obvious safety factors?
Road accidents is the biggest killer. If accepted, this would dramatically lower car accident rates. I don't think their claims of safest car ever are overstated. Why did it take someone so long to think of this."
Manu Sharma
Yea but no one thinks about the obvious safety factor of not having cars either. I think most people are to worried about thier image.
The most obvious safety issue to consider in a collision is mass. Little inflatable plastic car vs Giant Metal SUV. I'll stick with my little SUV for now until something better comes along.
"The most obvious safety issue to consider in a collision is mass. Little inflatable plastic car vs Giant Metal SUV. I'll stick with my little SUV for now until something better comes along."
The damage even in a metal vs. inflatable car scenario would be considerably less. One might go flying in the air for a bit but would probably set back down on the ground without too much of an issue.
So you would take getting mangled by twisting metal into a bloody gutty mess over bouncing around harmlessly in a balloon?
I'd take being able to spend the equivalent of 10 cents a gallon for gas any day over driving those wasteful SUVs. If you want to spend 30 cents a mile so that you can think you look like a macho man, then I guess no one will stop you.
On the other hand if the consequences of accidents are much less life-threatening people will likely drive even worse than before.