Instead of an ice scraper, this Polish man relied on the methodical use of a mallet to free his car from ice. More drastic even was his way of opening the frozen doors: climbing in through the boot and kicking the doors open from inside. We wish him a safe trip!
youtube.com
…is another man’s treasure: In this case the sorrow was all the driver’s who got stuck in snow with his BMW i8 prototype. Naturally, spy photographers were having a field day. To make things worse, snow clearing vehicles had to be called to the rescue as the i8 came without a towing lug.
worldcarfans.com, autoevolution.com (Photo gallery)
Comparing snakes with brussel’s sprouts makes about as much sense as putting up an all-electric car against a mostly-electric car. Ironically, this is exactly what GM is doing with its new Volt spot. How about picking at the big gas guys first next time?!
youtube.com via cleantechnica.com
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The Dubai police force just received their new patrol car – a white-and-green Bugatti Veyron. It joins the likes of Audi R8, Bentley, Brabus B63S, Ferrari FF and Nissan GT-R already on the force. However, these super cars are less used to actually chase super gangsters but to pose in public places for tourists instead.
autoweek.com
Luxury carmaker Aston Martin has issued a recall of all left-hand models built from November 2007. The reason behind the recall is that the gas pedal arm could break and increase the risk of a crash. Unfortunately one of Aston Martin’s suppliers was using Chinese counterfeit plastic material. Having to recall as much as 75% of all cars built in the last six years, could very well break a premium brand’s neck.
autoweek.com
Argentinians have had a hard time for some time now, but the latest shortage is set to bring things to a boil. McDonald is in short supply of Ketchup and no supplementary sauces were able to calm people. The Ketchup riot has now reached a new level, with burger-hungry burghers begging president Kirchner to loosen import regulations. It is time to ketch up, Argentina!
businessinsider.com
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Designer Theophilus Chin calls himself ‘Automotive Manipulator’ as he finds pleasure in rendering flagship models or anticipate what future models might look like. Naturally, he follows Tesla’s Elon Musk and came up with a Model C (for compact) but also a Tesla Pick Up dubbed Model T (for truck). We are waiting for the Tesla-Twizy!
theophiluschin.com (Model C), theophiluschin.com (Model T)
Minnesota’s Lakemaid company, also known as the Fishermen’s Lager, had taken to the skies recently when delivering crates of beer to remote ice shacks with a drone. Now, the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) decision to bring the beer drone down got the net buzzing, resulting in a White House petition. Still, FAA refuses to overlook about five breaches of regulations. Maybe they could do over a beer or two?!
npr.org
Secret plans of the EU have now come to light, about a device fitted to every car that would enable the police to stop it remotely by cutting the ignition and petrol supply. Even if the latter might be seen as some kind of promotion for EVs, we do not want to raise your hopes too high.
telegraph.co.uk
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Last Sunday, the police in West Yorkshire stopped a woman on the motorway. While learning drivers in the UK can take their first drives accompanied by any qualified driver, this lady’s pet parrot certainly does not qualify as such supervisionary company. Otherwise, it would have surely kept her from illegally entering the motorway or exceeding the speed limit.
bbc.co.uk
In Sunderland, a gang stole Nissan parts worth one million pounds. Most of the stolen goods were received by a father-son duo, who offered 330 navigation units on eBay alone at a prize way below value. The gang was caught by undercover police and has now been jailed.
chroniclelive.co.uk
In the small town of Rasdorf in Germany, farts and burps of 90 cows confined in a shed caused methane gas to reach a critical level. An electric spark, probably from a cow massage machine, then led to an explosion in which one cow was slightly hurt. There were no reports of burnt milk but emergency services keep measuring gas levels.
bbc.co.uk
“Give ground!” were probably the last thoughts of the conductor before crashing into a Honda Accord stuck on the tracks. Luckily, it was only a mini train of Hermann theme park running into the full size car. The Honda did get a bit derailed though…
youtube.com (Video)
…times of dangerous bike racks and rings are over. No more scratching the frame or hitting your knee when locking your bicycle to one of these new bike rings made from rubber. And in case you are taking your car downtown and not able to find any parking, just drive over this bike stand and create new parking space in no time!
treehugger.com
As visionary he revolutionised online payments, turned the car industry upside-down and is on his way to space. What is next? Perfume, if you believe a new “advert” by the CEO of Scent. Well, it is a prank – Elon Musk is not venturing out in the world of the ephemeral. However, we think ‘Elon’s Musk’ would have been an instant hit among his dedicated fans and followers…
youtube.com via transportevolved.com
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Forget about flying cars, the future comes on two-wheels. But that does not mean that they necessarily touch the ground. Daisy Carrington collated the craziest cycling concepts out there. Be prepared to hover above ground, to filter air, or to get real-time updates on your surroundings while shining a laser sword, sorry, light.
edition.cnn.com
To prevent big lorries from crashing into the Sydney Harbour Tunnel, the Australians came up with a warning sign you cannot possibly oversee. If all flashing lights fail to alert the driver, a giant STOP sign will appear out of nowhere, blocking the tunnel entrance. But no worries, it is only a projection on a wall of water. We wonder however, if this spectacle might not cause trucks to get extra-close?!
autoblog.com
Apart from zero emissions and other advantages, the best thing about electric driving is the silent and powerful acceleration. This seems to have instantly appealed to three young ladies who could not get enough of the family’s Tesla Model S. Electric driving has found its sound – excited screams of joy. Again, please!
youtube.com
The police in Mexico City could not believe their ears, when examining a driver at a routine checkpoint. From inside the car, a harsh voice repeatedly stated “He’s drunk, he’s drunk.” On close examination, the driver’s pet parrot was found to be the whistle-blower. His treason though, did not severe the bond between the master and his fluttery friend, as in the end they went to jail together.
upi.com
Accurate production numbers of the Tesla Model S are always hard to come by. Now secretiveness has ended but you have to do the math – you got all weekend…
greencarreports.com
In Ohio, Senator Tom Patton repeatedly tried to pass anti-Tesla laws under the cover of serving the established businesses of his county. Turns out he wasn’t that selfless a servant as he received more than 40,000 dollars from dealer organisations. Instead of trying to pass Amendments this man should better make amends!
transportevolved.com
Because three-phase outlets are common in Europe, a lot of EV drivers are taking their EVSEs on the road. To prevent the expensive equipment from being stolen, owners came up with a solution you might have seen before. But this time the leash belongs to the car, not to a pet!
teslamotorsclub.com (Tesla forum), lufty.eu
The Spanish company Oto Cycles makes e-bikes that take a fair share of retro from strange worlds. One model features a battery looking like a tank from a 50s motorcycle while still being dubbed ‘lightweight’. Others come with classic diamond frames but carry a battery in a sack. We suggest calling that model Kangaroo.
cleantechnica.com
What was supposed to be a slowly unveiling PR coup has spun quicker than expected. As promised, last weekend Amazon delivered three massive boxes to their customers. Obviously, this would not go unseen and soon internet users guessed their content: a Nissan Versa Note. No need for a revealing video anymore, but why not use a super-drone next time to create a real big buzz?!
adweek.com
Ever thought about using the airstream of a car for powering a wind turbine?! The Transport Turbine can be strapped to the roof of a car to generate energy while driving which then can be used to power the car‘s electronics. Not the car itself, mind you!
gizmodo.com
There might be certain drawbacks to being a dustman in Russian winter but these two garbage collectors surely are making the best of it. Just hold on tight and surf! Maybe their American colleauges could learn a thing or two to get through the current spell of arctic cold.
youtube.com (Video)
A Canadian company came up with the coolest test ever to show that their car batteries can withstand minus 40 °F (-40 °C) – easily. So they not only froze the battery but put it into a truck made out of ice. Question is: how chilled is the driver of this icy vehicle?!
youtube.com
The newly elected mayor of New York, Bill de Blasio, wants to outlaw the horse-drawn carriages around Central Park. Because they are “not human and not appropriate for the year 2014”, he wants to replace them with electric cars in the design of 1910s’ touring cars.
nydailynews.com, greencarreports.com
The state of Wisconsin, also known as America‘s Dairyland, has yet found another use for its cheese. Left-over brine is now utilised to de-ice the streets in winter. Apparently, the salty brine of Mozzarella spiced with a bit of traditional rock salt has proven most efficient so far. Based on the motto: One for your pizza and one for the road.
nytimes.com, bcove.me (Video)
Some things defy an explanation and many of those can be found on YouTube. We might never learn why this guy decided to burnout his bike in (hopefully) his own kitchen, but one thing is certain: this would have never happened with an electric motorbike.
youtube.com
