Category: Transport

The latest addition to the fleet of vehicles at Sacramento Police simply means safer and state-of-the-art machinery to maneuver with ease at large crowded events.

The new arrival features a set of four electric motorcycles sourced from the renowned Zero Motorcycle Company.  These will help Sacramento Police to easily move around big crowds without producing noise or the risk of someone getting burned when they touch the hot engine parts on the conventional police motorbike.

According to Adam Vassallo, the Traffic Sergeant at Sacramento Police, despite the fact that someone could dart in front of an officer because of the silent running motorcycle, its maneuverability is like that of an ordinary bicycle.

“On a bicycle, you can stop very quickly,” the Traffic Sergeant Vassallo states, “You can stop, you know, if somebody does jump in front of you real quick, very easy to quickly stop, and so the sound is a double-edged sword, but that’s [...]

Electric motors are becoming a more serious norm as manufacturers continue stepping up their game. Zero, Victory and Alta are a few companies that already have their electric offerings on the market, and there’s no doubt that reputable brands like Yamaha, BMW and Haley Davidson could also be having something in the offing.

High performance, charge times, battery range, build as well as the general quality of the electric motorcycle have definitely improved, as Albert Khoury of Digital Trends discovered when he received an invitation from Alta Motors to test one of their latest electric motorcycles, the RedShift SM.

The minimal maintenance expense (no gasoline, no oil change, no top ends), negligible recharging cost and next to no noisy exhaust are turning electric transportation into an increasingly viable option particularly for the commuters.
The new RedShift SM electric bike from Alta Motors is the latest exotic metal that could change how we look [...]

The BMW i8 and Tesla Model S are simply futuristic and a real game changer for the high-powered fleet. Both boast rechargeable battery packs, and come loaded with six figure price tags. They are also manufactured by the world’s technology intensive, forward looking brands.

Thought the DeLorean DMC-12 had disappeared into the past with the rest of the Back To The Future excitement and nostalgia? Think again. The DeLorean is making a comeback, and it’s all thanks to a new law passed in 2015.

The 2015 Surface Transportation Reauthorization and Reform Act exempts small volume car manufacturers from the regular safety requirements that restrict most car manufacturers. The law essentially allows cars to be manufactured without following certain modern safety regulations – but only if they are a replica of a model produced at least 25 years ago. Luckily for Back To The Future fans the Delorean passes the test.

DMC Texas VP, James Espey, said the popularity of the DeLorean is “constantly refreshing” with the majority of the model’s popularity being because of Back to the Future. “At any given moment, that movie is probably being played somewhere, and someone who has never heard of a Mustang or a Firebird or a Camaro falls [...]

According to the creators of the Elf vehicle, this interesting looking car-bike hybrid is the future of clean urban transportation.

With an outer shell similar to the shape of an egg, the Elf looks somewhat like an inverted tricycle.

The vehicle combines solar energy charging, battery power and propulsion with pedals, making it the perfect compromise for transportation.

The low carbon Elf vehicle is three-wheeled and enclosed, however when you look inside there are no floorboards or doors.

Organic Transit, and start-up launched by Rob Cotter two years ago, sells, builds and designs the “electric, light and fun” Elf vehicle, which was recently displayed at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

Craig Sparks from Organic Transit said that the company believes in “human-powered mobility”.

“This [the Elf] is a town runner. You can run your errands, go to the grocery store. You don’t need a car.”

According to Mr Sparks, the Elf is “street legal’ [...]

In the light of the 2015 Paris Climate Conference, the future of electric cars looks bright as governments are pressured to move towards zero-emission societies. Around 800 million cars will be active on the worlds today. At the rate our car industries are moving, this number is expected to rise to 2 billion.

As global consumption rates continue to rise, it seems difficult to imagine a way to stop the desire for vehicles as a mode of transport. So if you can’t stop them join them, right? Well that’s that’s exactly what electric car manufacturers are doing. Electric car adoption is a promising solution to the long term problem of carbon emissions from fossil fuel run vehicles.

As nations gather to discuss solutions to lessen carbon emissions globally, electric vehicles play a central role in solving one of the biggest sources of pollution – vehicles. At this year’s Paris Climate Conference the Renault-Nissan Alliance have pioneered the advocacy of electric [...]

The launch of a 45kW “car shade” installation in NSW coastal shire of Ballina off the southern part of Byron Bay in Australia also inaugurated the first solar-powered public electric vehicle (EV) charging station in the continent.

Set up at Knockrow tourist attraction of Macadamia Castle, the PV/EV charging station is known to be the first on the Pacific Highway. Moreover, on the Far North Coast, it is considered one of the biggest solar installations.

The 45kW solar system was built by Smart Commercial Solar and highlights 180 PV panels structured on a purpose-built car port. This solar installation will produce energy for half of Macadamia Castle and at the same time, power up electric-run vehicles of visitors.

Tony Gilding, owner of Macadamia Castle, initially thought of placing solar panels on the castle roofs, but the surrounding trees made it difficult to do so. As a substitute, Smart Commercial Solar suggested a solar car park [...]

Business Green reports London’s public transport can now boost batteries wirelessly at bus stops.

As London’s green buses receives another boost, that is, the capability to be able to charge their batteries at bus stops, is currently being tested.

Four specially designed Alexander Dennis Enviro400H E400 buses have the diesel-electric hybrid engine, which will have the capability to be able to boost their batteries while at rest at bus stops that are specially provided with charging stations…all done wirelessly.

These 4 buses will operate next year, running the route on Stagecoach-operated Route 69 between the towns of Canning and Walthamstow bus stations. Both stations will have the inductive wireless charging equipment.

While no mention of fuel cost, pollution, and projected carbon emission were mentioned, this new technology is mentioned to allow these 4 buses to be able to operate for a significant period of time while in passenger service mode.

According to TfL, Transport for [...]

The Toyota i-Road is an electric vehicle combining the best aspects of cars and motorbikes into one futuristic (and fun) model.

The idea of the vehicle was developed by combining the convenience of a motorbikes compact size, and the safety and stability of a car.

The small size makes it easy to zip around cities and to park in confined spaces, at just 870mm wide and weighing a mere 300 kg.

However unlike a motorbike, there is no fear of getting wet in the rain or being easily injured, thanks to the enclosed comfort and body construction similar to a car.

This electric vehicle has zero C02 emissions, making is extremely environmentally friendly. It is powered by lithium-ion batteries that can withstand about 50km of travel on the one charge, based on a speed of 30km per hour.

The driving experience is unique as drivers have the enjoyment of two-wheeler riding, a small turning circle [...]

San Francisco based electric motorbike startup, Mission Motors, has filed for bankruptcy following short lived success in the competitive electric car industry. The company has been developing electric motorbikes since 2007, with their most successful prototype able to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in just 3 seconds. Despite their relatively established age in the industry, Mission Motors, originally named Hum Motors, never released any motorbikes to the market.