Filling Station of the Future
Just to keep me going on the transport issue, I was shown a glimpse of the future in Vienna. I saw in real life what I had only read about and dreamt of. The Zero Carbon Britain report mentions a future where transportation is electric, electricity is renewable, hence mobility is CO2-free and there it was, accidentally stumbled upon while I was walking around the city.
About 18 sq.m of PV cells, mounted on a platform moving on two axis to make most of the available sunlight, very much like sunflowers. The captured energy is transformed into electricity and store in a large battery (I think we are still a couple of years away from small ones), which is used to charge up 20 electric motorbikes overnight. These babes do 0 – 80 km/h in 6.8 seconds and with the stored power of the sun can go 100km before they need another drink of gold.
At the present, the stand was a demonstration only. You could take the bike for a test-drive or ride with one of the available pilots. Unfortunately, I got there too late and couldn’t do either.
I was told they will go for sale next year and bikes will be a hefty €9,000. But hey, want inexpensive zero-carbon transport? Then go for foot and pedal power!
To find out more: http://www.solonhilber.at
3 comments:
Hi. Have just discovered your blog and it looks great so far. Have added a link to you from our blog; please feel free to link back - http://uk-energy-saving.blogspot.com
Hi Ruth,
I found your blog from a friend of mine who works as a manager at a store in London. He constantly keeps me up to date with your latest initatives, behind the scenes before they go live. I have to agree there is some innovative thinking in LUSH, to which you are a great part.
The bikes are Vectrix bikes, there are a few places you can try them out in the UK too, so dont be disappointed you missed out, they reach up to 60mph and can travel 70 miles on a single charge.
http://www.vectrix.com
Hayley and myself seem to end up at the same blogs somehow. We both blog on the same topic of Energy Saving. If there are any press releases related to energy saving from LUSH you want publicised feel free to send them our way.
http://howtosaveenergy.blogspot.com
Just thought I would update you, Vectrix emailed me about a test drive and you can call them up and they will deliver one to your house to try out ... sounds great.
Email;
Test a Vectrix at your convenience at home or at work - Anywhere in the
UK
Call the direct line today: +44(0)1962 777600
Make an appointment and we'll bring a Vectrix direct to your door. Wherever you are in the UK just call us and a Vec Tech will arrive in a Vectrix delivery vehicle.
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