Gizmodo: green machine

Die Bike Runs on Biodiesel, Capable of 130 mph

AddyDugdale — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 04:52:20 EDT

This is Die Bike, a biodiesel motorcycle that has been built from a car engine and a bike body by an Oakland collective called The Crucible. A recent test-drive got the eco-bike up to 130 mph, but its creators are hoping that, with a bit of modification, their baby will hit 160 mph on the Bonneville Flats next month and break some records in the process. Check the video after the jump.

Creator Michael Sturtz started off with a BMW motorbike and a Beemer high-performance car engine only available in Europe (which shut down for four days after its computer thought it had been stolen, so Sturtz had to beg BMW for the security codes.) Its retro look comes from having engine and chassis wrapped in 3/4 aluminum fairing.

Die Bike cost $20,000 and took six months to build. As well as running on biodiesel, it can take both diesel and straight vegetable oil (SVO). Sturtz, who is Founder and Executive Director of The Crucible, is hoping that his creation will break the existing diesel motorcycle world record, as well as establishing new land speed classes for both bio-diesel and straight veggie oil. [Popular Science via CNN]

Eco One Sports Car Races at 150 MPH, Made from Salad

AddyDugdale — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 07:50:23 EDT

This is the Eco One, a one-seater sports car that is green in more ways that you would imagine. Not only does it run on wheat and sugar beets at 150 mph, going from 0 to 62 mph in less than four seconds, but the bill of materials looks like a salad: potatoes, cashew nut shells, rape seed oil and hemp. Check the complete recipe in the big side photo after the jump.

The $41,000 car sports car, built by student Ben King from a design by Dr Kerry Kirwan, a researcher at the Warwick Manufacturing Group, uses an engine from a Triumph Daytona motorbike. He built the Eco One in two months. "If we can build a high-performance car that can virtually be grown from seed, just imagine what is possible for the average family car," he said.

Eco One is 95 percent biodegradable or recyclable, although its steering-wheel, seat and electrics comprise conventional materials. All of the plastic components were made from plants, while the chassis is made from steel, an easily reusable metal.

The makers claim that there are people interested in developing the technology for motor racing. "We have been speaking to various-people within the motor sports industry," claimed a spokeswoman for the Warwick Manufacturing Group. "The motor sports industry knows it's got to be greener. And the concept is transferable into cars for the race track or the motorway."

If you're in London over the summer, the car will be on show at the National Science Museum from August 28-30. [Daily Mail]

Energy Bill Got You Down? You Need Penguin Power!

Wilson Rothman — Fri, 18 May 2007 11:53:55 EDT

In the universe of gadgets meant to monitor or conserve energy usage, this is the first we've seen that takes an anime approach. The Lifinity ECO is either a thermostat or a energy monitor (or both), using helpful cartoon penguins that keep tabs on your heating and AC settings, as well as the stuff plugged in around the house.

Currently only available in Japan, naturally, under Matsushita's National brand, we hope Panasonic considers bringing it to the US, where energy awareness is getting super serial. My only problem with the Lifinity ECO is this: The penguins I know like the AC cranked to the max. How's that gonna help shrink a guy's carbon footprint? – Wilson Rothman

Penguins at home [Akihabaranews]