6 of the oddest ways of getting to work
With the launch of Honda's new bizarre-looking electric unicycle and jetpack makers looking for a test pilot last week, we decided to have a look at some of the barmy ways boffins think we will be getting to work in the future.
1. PUMA (above) is the two-wheeled Segway car. The bizarre looking vehicle was the product of General Motors teaming up with electric scooter makers Segway to create an eco-friendly city car.
Project P.U.M.A. (Personal Urban Mobility & Accessibility), is said to offer fast, safe, inexpensive and clean transport at speeds of up to 35mph.
2. Honda U3-X. Launched last week, Honda think their electric unicycle could be the future of public mobility. Riders simply sit on the figure-of-eight shaped U3-X and lean in the direction they want to travel.
A top speed of 3.7mph could make most commutes a little too long to be practical, but then again Honda say the tech is so cutting edge it would cost too much for anyone other than those with an oil-field in their garden anyway.
3. Jetpack. Everyone wants to be James Bond and arriving to work on a jetpack brings you that little bit closer, even if you do work in a petrol station. so the jetpack is our personal favourite in this list.
Currently the world's leading jetpack manufacturer Matins Jetpack are looking for test flight pilots and expect their £100,000 device to go on sale within the next couple of years.
4. Mini penny farthing. The Yike bike is the cheapest commuter device on our list but is still around £3,000. The folding bike is modelled on the classic penny farthing with the addition of an electric motor capable of 20kmph.
5. Segway. When Dean Kamen revealed the Segway in 2001 it was expected that by now most of us would be riding the two-wheeled, self-balancing electric vehicle to work most mornings.
But costing the same as a family car and making you look like a lost sci-fi extra has limited take-up of the novelty tour guides and Segway polo players.
6. Sinclair C5. Designed by Sir Clive Sinclair the C5 was the original vision of the commuter future. The battery-assisted tricycle which was steered by handles on each side was featured heavily on TV when it was rolled out in 1985.
But a 15mph top speed, and the feeling on impending doom whenever you sat in one, made it a commercial disaster, selling only around 12,000 units in total.
Project P.U.M.A. (Personal Urban Mobility & Accessibility), is said to offer fast, safe, inexpensive and clean transport at speeds of up to 35mph.
2. Honda U3-X. Launched last week, Honda think their electric unicycle could be the future of public mobility. Riders simply sit on the figure-of-eight shaped U3-X and lean in the direction they want to travel.A top speed of 3.7mph could make most commutes a little too long to be practical, but then again Honda say the tech is so cutting edge it would cost too much for anyone other than those with an oil-field in their garden anyway.
3. Jetpack. Everyone wants to be James Bond and arriving to work on a jetpack brings you that little bit closer, even if you do work in a petrol station. so the jetpack is our personal favourite in this list. Currently the world's leading jetpack manufacturer Matins Jetpack are looking for test flight pilots and expect their £100,000 device to go on sale within the next couple of years.
4. Mini penny farthing. The Yike bike is the cheapest commuter device on our list but is still around £3,000. The folding bike is modelled on the classic penny farthing with the addition of an electric motor capable of 20kmph.5. Segway. When Dean Kamen revealed the Segway in 2001 it was expected that by now most of us would be riding the two-wheeled, self-balancing electric vehicle to work most mornings.But costing the same as a family car and making you look like a lost sci-fi extra has limited take-up of the novelty tour guides and Segway polo players.
6. Sinclair C5. Designed by Sir Clive Sinclair the C5 was the original vision of the commuter future. The battery-assisted tricycle which was steered by handles on each side was featured heavily on TV when it was rolled out in 1985.
But a 15mph top speed, and the feeling on impending doom whenever you sat in one, made it a commercial disaster, selling only around 12,000 units in total.
blog comments powered by Disqus
