FREE WHEELY

So you love sports cars and motorcycles, don’t you? I should know, we, guys, always want to look tough, masculine, cool, hip, independent, and other adjectives synonymous to that. Oh, blame it to the stereotypes! To the ones who believe that only us are supposed to do the hard work; that we aren’t allowed to cry in the battlefield; that we gotta be brave, strong and mighty like a warrior ready to fight for his territory or a knight willing to rescue his ladylove from a monster (How absurd!). Oh, I hate discussing stuffs like these. I remember the last argument I and my wife had, all started with this gender issue. And after some hours of justifying my cause, I ended up saying, “Oh dear, I don’t wanna fight. You win!” Of course, I won’t make it too detailed, my wife could kill me for that, I swear! But I must thank God, we’re not who we’re supposed to be since then. Oh well, so much for that! Going back to my question, if you answered yes, you’ll surely love this news I got for you!

You can enjoy the performance of a sports car and a motorcycle with just one vehicle! Yes! So you’re asking me how? I’m telling you, “What?” must be the more appropriate question! Yup! You read it right! Venture Vehicles is just about to turn your fantasy into reality through the Venture One, a three-wheel plug-in hybrid vehicle. If you’re not the loner-type, don’t worry, unlike the Myers NmG, the Venture One can accommodate another passenger aside from the driver. Uh-huh. It is a 2-seater vehicle that measures like a MINI Cooper—with a width of about 48 inches, length measuring 11 feet, eight inches, and a wheelbase reaching up to 106 inches. Based from its prototype form, the Venture One weighs more or less than 1400 pounds. Thus, it has 0-60 acceleration in 7 seconds and a top speed of 100 miles per hour. In addition, it is capable of achieving 100 miles per gallon.

To give you a picture of how challenging a Venture One ride could be, here’s a comment from Ian Bruce, EVP Design and Engineering founder and Venture Vehicles’ founding partner. In Tree Hugger, Bruce said:

“The Venture One will have both the performance of a sports car and the agility of a motorcycle…creating an incredibly exhilarating driving experience. The only way I can describe the sensation is comparing it to flying a jet fighter at two feet off the ground. Plus, this extraordinary performance combines the significant environmental benefits of a flex-fuel, plug-in Hybrid with a high-level of affordability.”

According to Electric and Hybrid Cars, the Venture One’s propulsion system utilizes the series hybrid design. This is formed by a small internal combustion engine that is attached to a 50 kilowatt drive motor, a 15 to 20 kilowatt generator, a four-gallon fuel tank, and a reliable battery pack. Also, safety is a priority in a Venture One. It comes equipped with rear bumper, engine shield, side impact beams, as well as driver airbag housed in a steel “safety cell.”

You can expect this vehicle to hit the roads next year with a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of around $20,000 to $25,000. It will come in two packages including the all-electric Venture electric vehicle (EV) model and the hybrid E50 and Q100.

Similar to the Myers NmG, the Venture One is a motorcycle, if you’ll follow legal terms. Still, I love to call it a vehicle. Yup, one that flies on the road, giving its drivers all the independence and freedom they want without compromising their safety.

The Venture One is a technology patented from Carver, a vehicle developed by Dutch firm Carver Engineering.

You might find me a little schizophrenic (Well, don’t worry, I’m not. Just a little bit autistic, sometimes) if I told you that I watched Cars. Yeah, Cars, as in the animated film starring a red racecar called Lightning McQueen who destroyed the road of Radiator Springs and was sentenced to do community service by repairing the road he had damaged. Ya know what? After watching the movie, I even bought Cars stickers ‘coz of my overwhelming fondness to that movie! But why? You may ask? What makes it different from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Lion King or Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron? Well, it’s just that this film taught me the value of contentment. I don’t want to elaborate ‘coz I want you to watch the film and learn the lesson by yourself. I was just reminded of Lightning McQueen when I saw the latest electric vehicle made by Tallmade, Ohio-based Myers Motors. Yup! I’m referring to the Myers NmG. You might be asking what NmG means. Well, it stands for No More Gas. Why? Logicaly, simply ‘coz it is battery-powered!

Funky. That’s how the Myers NmG is commonly described. But I guess they’re right. But did you know that this isn’t the first time a car like this is sold in the auto market? ‘Coz actually, the Myers got its design from the Corbin Sparrow, made available in the market sometime between 1999 and 2002. However, upon manufacturing more or less 300 units the company suffered from bankruptcy and had to stop its operation. But just four years ago, it resumed business and pursued its mission of producing alternative form of transportation that is responsible yet innovative and fun. After years of conducting extensive development and research, Myers Motors technicians finally refined the Corbin Sparrow into an electric vehicle with state-of-the-art design and quality.

If you’re a family man, the Myers NmG is not the car for you. High Tech Science said that this three-wheeled electric vehicle (Two wheels infront and one at the back) can only accommodate a single occupant, that would be of course, the driver himself. It utilizes rechargeable 12-volt lead-acid batteries. Powered by a 110-volt outlet, the Myers NmG can run for about 30 miles after six to eight hours of charging. You may also use a 220-volt charger if you want to cut the time into three hours. This makes the Myers NmG a cost-effective means of transportation although at first it seems such a huge investment. Myers NmG costs about $36,000, ten grand more expensive than the popular eco-friendly car Toyota Prius.

On the sidelight, the Myers NmG has a maximum speed of 75 miles per hour and a range of 35 up to 45 miles. By the way, I’ve been using the term vehicle, but legally speaking the NmG is registered as a motorcycle in terms of insurance as well as parking.

Meanwhile, just like any other standard vehicles, the Myers NmG incorporates entertainment systems including an AM/FM/CD stereo. Also, it features electrically operated windows, voltage meters along with amps meter. The Myers NmG comes with a fully automatic transmission.

If you want an eye-catching vehicle, then Myers NmG fits just right for you. It is available in playful day-glow shades like lilac, aqua, magenta, and teal. Plus, although it also fits as a motorcycle, it won’t require you to wear a helmet since it has a covered passenger compartment. The Myers NmG has a curb weight of 1350 pounds, a wheel base of 72 inches, and a height measuring 57 inches. If you think that Myers NmG is all about fun, take note of its safety features including three-point shoulder safety harness, emergency parking brake, inertia switch, interior lock door, hazard warning lights, and many more.

When I’m 60 and I feel like being cool, most probably, I’ll buy myself a Myers NmG, the aqua one and I’ll drive my way to the nearest cinema to watch any animated or sci-fi film. For sure, that would be fantastic!

Geely. To those who aren’t that much familiar with other Asian car brands aside from Toyota, Nissan, Kia and Honda, you might assume that I’m referring to a yummy dessert (Love that too, especially the one prepared by my wife). However, sorry to disappoint you, but Geely is actually a Chinese automaker, considered as the People’s Republic of China’s first independent auto maker. Would you believe that this company started as a manufacturer of refrigerators back in 1986. It shifted to decoration materials then into motorcycle parts. It was only in 1998 that it began its production of automobiles and in 2003 that it started to export its vehicles. It’s growth in the auto business can be attributed to Li Shufu, its chairman and founder who said in forum held in Beijing three years ago that they must produce cars just the way residents from Wenzhou craft about a quarter of the lighters sold in the whole world.

“But developing a car industry is like growing one tree slowly to cover a whole forest,” he said.

Call it strategy. Well, the Chinese are undoubtedly excellent on that particularly in terms of business. In fact, would you believe that during the Beijing auto Show, Geely surprised the whole spectators when it launched the famous LondonChina. Yup! Awesome strategy! Geely got the rights to manufacture London taxis in its native land, China. The vehicle, called the Geely TX4 is tagged as a “hot rod’ version of the London taxi. Coming in electric blue exterior, the Geely TX4 incorporates a VM Motori-made 2.5-liter diesel engine. In addition, it features six-spoke, extra wide tyres as well as sidesteps. Meanwhile, it has a white interior coupled with a stereo upgrade. taxi in

Oh well, isn’t it great to experience a European ride in China?

If you have a good memory like mine, you won’t have a hard time trying to recall Think Ox. Yup, that concept car from Norway. The one that gave me hope that despite my busy lifestyle, I could still pursue my lifelong dream to go to Norway. But I’ve got sad news for myself (Quite odd though, this sad news makes me laugh in disappointment!) It seems like it would really take me some more years before I step on the Norwegian land. I’m not being pessimistic, and you might also be wondering why I’m speaking this way. Well, simply because I’ve just lost one of my greatest reasons to go there. Uh-huh. Yes, you got it right. The Think Ox. Not just that, it will arrive in US together with the Think City.

According to one of my reliable sources, Think Global, the company which manufactures Think Ox and other popular electric cars, such as the Think City, in Norway, is set to bring its cars in United States next year. My source said ‘twas confirmed by Think Global along with co-investors Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and Boston’s Rockport Capital Partners during Fortune’s Brainstorm Green conference conducted in Pasadena, California. Think North America is a 50-50 joint business enterprise between Think and Kleiner and Rockport.

It can be recalled that the Think Ox was first launched during the Geneva Auto Show held last March 4-16 in Geneva Palexpo Switzerland together with other famous concept cars such as the Renault Megane, the Rinspeed Scuba, Morgan LIFE Car, as well as the Kia Soul concepts. It is a five seater, all-electric car ran by a 60 kW motor. It is powered by rechargeable sodium or lithium-ion batteries which have a range of 124 miles. On the other hand, the Think City is a two-seater, modified version of a battery-powered car. Developed originally by Ford, this all-electric car has a top speed of 65 miles per hour and can go 110 mile son with just a single charge.

Think Global’s partners are now in the process of developing batteries which can boost Think electric cars’ range and top speed. I guess this is to be able to survive the tough competition in the US auto Market. The Think City and Think Ox are expected to contend against standard economy cars and three-wheeled town cars coming to the US market in the coming years.

Wilber James of Rockport said that Think Global’s electric cars are fun cars to drive. That’s why as venture capitalists, they want to take active roles in using their top-of-the-line battery technology to improve these car’s already superior performance.

“This is not just a one-off kind of deal,” he said.

Think Global’s electric cars will be sold a little less than the $25,000-worth Toyota Prius in North America. With this price, Jan Olaf-Willums, Think chief executive officer is optimistic that they can sell a few thousand cars and produce 30,000 more. Through that, Willums hopes to put up additional assembly plants like its $10 million modular factories.

Before its said arrival in US, Think Global has been shipping its electric cars in Norway last year while this year, its goal was to export these cars in Scandinavian countries including France, Switzerland and United Kingdom.

Ray Lane of Kleiner, Think Global’s business partner, will act as the Think North America’s chairman. Convinced of Think electric cars’ potential in the US auto market, he said, “We thought this would be a wonderful vehicle to bring to the US…we’ll invest what it takes.”

So I guess nothing could stop these guys from bringing the taste of Norwegian ride here in US. Well, that’s fine with me! Anyhow, I still believe that one day, I’ll be enjoying a Think ride there in the land of the midnight sun and nowhere else.

*Alt for Norge!

*Norway’s motto which means All for Norway