Street Legal HumanCar Is Ready To fix Global Problems
DEEP FOREST, OREGON - May 9, 2007 - The designer of an innovative and versatile human powered, street legal car, believes it can go a long way to solving the world's problems.
Professional Engineer, Charles Greenwood of HumanCar®, Inc., in Deep Forest, OR, says their product offers an exciting and environmentally friendly alternative transportation mode that provides great possibilities for both first and third world countries. It requires no fossil fuels and can also be used to produce electricity.
Patented as a "teamwork and strength training apparatus," the car can be operated on or off a powered guideway (transportation grid). It can be completely human powered, or switch to an electric-assist motor when required.
"It's a foundation for the future of global transportation," he says. "It's also the most fun you will ever have driving a car."
Greenwood's design firm has tested the "HumanCar FM-4," cruising in downtown Seattle traffic and racing downhill at speeds of more than 60 mph, with reportedly great handling characteristics. People aged 12 to 70+ have powered/driven it with great success and enjoyment, according to its inventor.
The vehicle operates with four people working in concert like an engine, each propelling it forward by hand, pushing and pulling on their own special "t-bars." The two front people face forward, while the two back people face the rear.
The two "pilot" seats are concave pads that can swivel from one side to the other (bi-laterally), allowing the drivers to "body-steer" on curved roadways by leaning to one side or the other. The steering is similar to that of skiing or snowboarding, Greenwood explains.
One HumanCar prototype currently exists. Its open-air chassis is made from 4130 steel tubing, and it includes a battery to store electricity generated by the vehicle when it's coasting, plus an electric motor to assist propulsion when needed, such as up lengthy, steep inclines.
"It's a real success in design. It can pull G-loads going downhill almost better than a conventional car," says Greenwood. "We believe that HumanCar will result in healthier people, lower insurance, zero oil dependence, and less gridlock, just to name a few benefits."
This spartan vehicle evolved from Greenwood's continuing passion for hot rods and virtually all wheeled machines. He has built and raced exotic handcrafted 200mph+ vehicles for over 40 years now.
However, back in 1968, he designed a three-wheeled row-type human powered car that was also exhilarating to drive. He began developing the HumanCar 38 years ago.
"HumanCar has been underground for quite a while, and available on a custom basis only. We're just now making a push for it to become available to everybody and full production cars are very close. Don't be surprised when one passes you within the year," he says.
After investing more than $1 million in the research and development of his prototype, Greenwood is seeking partnerships to create a $10 million plant to mass-produce the car.
"We have standing orders but need investors to establish mass production," he says.
His plan is to "blow-mold fabricate" the frames in two distinct model types.
Greenwood projects that the high tech version would be sold for $6,500 on the mass market, and would include all the amenities of a conventional car, including an electric assist motor, Wi-Fi, GPS Navigation and Bluetooth communication capability.
Greenwood's low-tech (third world) version will be a "bare bones" model that's made entirely of recycled plastics, and virtually indestructible. It will include an integral electric generator for powering laptops and other low power consuming devices.
"We hope to be able to make the low-tech version at a cost that's close to free so it will enable 80 percent of the world to get the water and supplies necessary to build micro-economies for themselves," he says. "It may be possible to provide these cars for $600 per unit. To do so, it will be necessary to have financial support and involvement from philanthropic groups or someone like the U.N."
According to Greenwood, applications for his invention are many. They could fill a real need in third world countries such as China, work well for teamwork training, superior plyometric training, racing, metro 'smart car' usage, as a campus shuttle, a work commuter on ultra light rail, they're suitable for hybrid power inputs (fuel cell/electric), and can be a city grid lock solution.
In addition to the prototype, Greenwood's design firm is in the final building stages of four high tech "F1 tub chassis" cars with electric assist. These utilize stressed-skin construction aircraft aluminum or carbon fiber panels.
Contact:
HumanCar®, Inc.
Charles Greenwood, PE
541 592-4100, 206 280-4772
thehumancar@gmail.com
www.humancar.com