Gadgets for Transportation

The 120-M.P.H. Electric Car

It doesn't look like much, but this little car hits 60 mph in 4 seconds, and has a top speed of 120 mph! With over 1000 lb-ft of torque, and not much wider than a motorcycle, this electric car can carry two people (one behind the other) up to 80 miles on a charge.

Is it safe? You bet. The center of gravity is low thanks to 1100 lbs of batteries all being in the floor, so it has an extremely low rollover threshold.

The Push-Free Skateboard

What if you could ride a skateboard without having to push? Here's one that is propelled forward by the principle of leverage from Newton's laws of motion, in which a fulcrum point underneath the skateboard allows you to raise and lower the board in a seesaw motion, causing the spring-loaded gearbox to rotate the wheels.

Airboard Hover Scooter

Hailed by the The New York Times as a "...miniature flying saucer with handlebars," the hover scooter provides an unprecedented experience in personal transportation, levitating inches above the ground and speeding a single rider across land on a cushion of air. Gentle lift from an engine-powered fan elevates the scooter off the ground, and a stream of air exiting a vent in the back provides light forward thrust. Learning to ride the scooter takes less than five minutes, and no previous skateboarding, surfing, snowboarding, or other experience is required. Easy and intuitive to control, the rider simply leans left or right to perform smooth turns. The scooter deftly glides over level, solid ground such as concrete, asphalt, or well-groomed grass free of debris, sand, stones, and other obstacles. (We know what you are thinking and the answer is "Yes:" Red, Blue, Green, or Yellow.)

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