When I saw this posted in boingboing I knew that my future would hold something like this.
I have no idea if the production hybrids of the next 5 or so years will be anywhere near as slick as this mini-cooper but everything about it appeals to me, no mechanical brakes (just torque up those wheel integrated electric motors to maximum), phenomenal gas mileage and a stylish bent.
Here is a link to the actual treehugger article if you have problems with the boingboing link above.
On a similar topic, have you seen the movie “Who killed the electiic car”?
If not, you should atleast look at it’s website…
http://www.sonyclassics.com/whokilledtheelectriccar/
I haven’t seen the movie yet, although the previews are quite enticing.
If the speculation that “big oil” is behind the overall retardation of progress in the hybrid / electric / fuel cell automobile is correct, it would be just yet another sad chapter in dinosaur-minded (pun intended) leadership unable to evolve their business models in an ever-changing world.
Similar to the sheet music –> player piano –> phonograph –> record –> radio station –> CD –> mp3 progression throughout the past couple of centuries, those businesses that clutch ahold of their models, stifle innovation and attempt to maintain the old guard status quo will be crushed out of existence by the new businesses that will eventually prevail (with or without the perversion of corrupt legislators throwing up lobbyist-mandated roadblocks in arenas that they have no business insinuating themselves). I always cheer when I see progressive companies who can read the future and prepare themselves for the next step.
To some extent the established companies can be forgiven. I was listening to a talk by one of the heads of Symantec describing how you can innovate only until you’re successful at which point your commitments, such as keeping the existing client base satisfied, keeping shareholders satisfied, eventually take up all of your resources and you are, in effect, captured by your very success… Free market forces to a good job in this regard. Now if we can just keep stultifying legislation from slowing things down too much, we may all be alive to reap the benefits of progress!