Revolutionary "Fuel Cell" Bike 'Too Quiet'

[chlamor]

Revolutionary bike 'too quiet'




Manufacturers are working on fitting an artificial engine sound
The world's first purpose-built hydrogen-powered bike could be fitted with an artificial "vroom" because of worries its silence might be dangerous

<snip>

The problem with the "fuel cell" bike, which produces no polluting emissions, is that it is too quiet. But anti-noise campaigners said they welcomed the prospect of a motorbike without the usual excruciating roar.

For their part, manufacturers said the fake engine noise device, which could be switched off, would help alert road users.

The motorbike, known as an Emissions Neutral Vehicle (ENV), has a top speed of 50mph (80km/h), a range of at least 100 miles (160km) and can run continuously for four hours before the fuel cell needs recharging.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4353853.stm

[Elidor]

1. What happens to that pressurized hydrogen in an accident?

Does it go boom?

And why am I thinking of GTA3 all of a sudden? :D

[NNN0LHI]

5. Its safer than a tank of gasoline according to this

http://www.rmi.org/sitepages/pid536.php

[Trillo]

6. A shock- bonfire- and bullet-proof tank for hydrogen cars,

http://www.llnl.gov/str/June03/Aceves.html
not sure if they use the same type of tank on this bike, or not.

[Warpy]

15. Hydrogen's lighter than air

so it volatizes straight up, unlike gasoline, which spreads out at ground (and person) level.

[BrendaStarr]

25. For a million bucks I can fix that

Put playing cards on spokes.

Well if I was Halliburton the Bush administration would go for it.

[Trillo]

2. Excellent!

I hope I can afford one! We'll also need the ability to get hydrogen. Minor little detail, probably. It's coming, I bet!

[Deja Q]

23. What about those with equalibrium problems?

A bit difficult to drive one of those puppies.

[Trillo]

32. True, it is a motorcycle. But how far away are H-powered cars?

Manufacturers are likely going to start small, they'll be testing the market. Distribution and availability of hydrogen needs development, right now the only place I know to buy H is a welding gas supplier, and it's likely not solar hydrogen.

http://www.hionsolar.com/n-hion96.htm
http://www.unsw.edu.au/news/adv/articles/2004/aug/Solar_hydrogen.html

So if they sell some of these, and this in turn causes solar hydrogen to become more available, then perhaps we'll see some hydrogen powered cars test marketed. Then people won't need to worry about the balance and exposure issues of driving a motorcycle.

I have concerns about the 50 mph top speed though, it's not fast enough for freeway driving. 90 mph would be much better.

[KittyWampus]

3. This Looks So Freaking Cool!

[RawMaterials]

4. sign me up ill buy 2

as long as i can pay for it. but i still want a regular bike to get some exercise.

[Lisa]

7. I guess they beat the Burnaby group!

I'd heard that there was a company in the same BC town as the Ballard fuel cell people -- they were working on "small engine" fuel cell applications, including mopeds and motorcycles (with a view to the Asian market). But they didn't forsee a product until later this decade.

So -- Japan and Europe seem to be outpacing North America in this kind of thing. I'm thrilled for the designers -- but I really wish that our continent could cash in on the new technology.

[LiberalFighter]

8. Just put baseball cards in the spokes to make noise

[GoddessOfGuinness]

11. Haha!

Or those little colored-plastic tubes.

[johnfunk]

9. Noise or no, make vroom: this is the future...

Lightweight, more-enviro-friendly conveyance. I want one. Now.

[chlamor]

10. Another option-110 MPG

Here is another option. Not as sleek but hey french horn in the back. When my '91 Honda
dies I'm done with conventional auto. Stil gettin' 40 mpg.




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 http://bajajusa.com/

[MrPrax]

12. $2,699! Still Too Much...

[ConcernedCanuk]

13. $2700 - that'll getcha a nice set of rims and tires for a Hummer!

.
.
.

:bounce:



:silly:

[MrPrax]

19. Annoyed!

I am annoyed for two reasons:

1) I hate hydrogen anything because it seems like a lame excuse to 'DO Nothing' and wait for another 'product' that will make life easier.

To be honest, the existing tech lying around, like electricity (an electric bike??!!) or bio-fuels could be done right now as well as expanding urban transit.

2) I purposely set up my proxy to 'stop' animated GIFs :spank: and you have defeated that by manipulating that stupid marquee tag!!!

You should have YOUR feeding tube pulled!!!

[nolabels]

21. It sounds cheap to me

It would save me about $30 a week at todays gas prices as opposed to little 4cyl truck I am driving now. That means it would pay for its self in less than 2 years. After that I would almost be making money with it. That's if I don't get killed ridding it the 45 miles round trip back and forth to work every day. Taking the bus is not an option for me at this point. There are just none running local routes after 11:30 pm out in my area of suburbia

Get a kick out of this crazy thing :-)


http://www.scootershop.com/shopping/product.asp?product_masterid=BJ%2D3PU01%2DA&product_id=BJ%2D3PU01%2DA&dept_id=6

[Al-CIAda]

33. Much prefer this contraption-

Stylin' and profilin'

Hey ladies...



B-)

[democracy eh]

20. and Tidal Force electric bikes

www.tidalforce.com

$2800 USD
20 miles without pedaling

Maximum Speed
up to 20 mph



saving up for a sweet commuter ride

[rayofreason]

17. enviro-friendly

Fuel cells are only enviro-friendly at the point of consumption. What source of energy produced the hydrogen in the first place?

[truthisfreedom]

14. interesting stuff!

Dr Bradbury said the bike's detachable briefcase-size cell filled with high pressure hydrogen, or "core", could eventually be used as a mobile energy source, with the same cell used to power different objects.

He said the prospect of producing mobile hydrogen energy from a variety of sources, including crops such as soya or sugar cane, could benefit remote communities or developing countries, where large electric grids were not economically viable.

[RunningFromCongress]

16. As a motorcycle owner, noise is very important..."Loud pipes save lives"

It's hard enough almost being killed 10 times a day by people and their 3000 lb battering rams...

[mahatmakanejeeves]

31. another bike owner

This thing has a projected cost of $8300 and a top speed of 50 mph. Someone else can buy one.

Watch out for those cars.

[harpboy_ak]

34. as a cyclist: no noise please

all this hoopla about quiet motorcycles being unsafe is a bunch of horse pucky. those of who choose to transport ourselves without infernal combustion engines are used to being both silent and invisible. motorcyclists already know that they are invisible and behave accordingly; they should learn to behave as if they are inaudible, too.

if hydrogen powered vehicles will be quieter, i'm all for that! for heavy traffic, it's not the engines that are the noisest, it's the tire noise (especially in snow tire season!) and wind noise, especially for large vehicles.

[BeFree]

18. 20 years from now

The people who are used to using this type of transportation since 2006 will be far better to handle the rigors of $20.00 a gallon gasoline.

I'm picturing an obese American straddling a minibike as it wobbles down the road. Just ain't gonna happen, they'd die first, eh?

[LiberallyInclined]

29. if...WHEN- gas is $20.00/gallon...food will be too expensive-

to be obese.

[Dirk39]

22. Hello from Germany,

Part of our busses for public transport are already hydrogen powered. In Hamburg there are among 4 "Fuel Cell Busses", build by Daimler Benz. It's part of the "CUTE" Project (Clean Urban Transport for Europe).




These busses are used for more than two years now without any problems.

Dirk

[chlamor]

27. If you have any more info

please post a link that I can go to, print out a copy and bring to local council folks. Though we surely can't get them here in petrotopia it is worth putting the idea out there. Please, more info.

[Dirk39]

28. Hello,

most of the info is in german, but I've found lots of info on the DaimlerChrysler page and it's in english - I guess both of us know that it's kind of advertising and we have to be aware of that! On the other hand, I'm using one of these buses about 5 times a week. It's cool. They are so quiet and they run much softer after pausing than any other car.

The Bus:
http://www.daimlerchrysler.com/dccom/0,,0-5-7153-1-9433-1-0-0-0-0-0-8-7145-0-0-0-0-0-0-0,00.html



Lots of links
http://www.search.daimlerchrysler.com/jsp/query.jsp?hd=0&website=dcc_en_com&fs=0&query=fuel+cell

There are projects in the U.S.A as well.

Hi,
Dirk

[chlamor]

30. Excellent- Thanks

Spent some time in Bamberg and Nuremburg in early 90's. Had a million laughs.

[Chicago Democrat]

24. SIGN ME UP! I want one!

Can we please get on this people....


Can the US lead in anything anymore? Besides war?

[kodi]

26. what? the baseball cards clothes pinned to the spokes didn't work?

.