HumanCar gets a price, release date, new look
By Donald Melanson 
posted Jan 30th 2008 3:01PM
posted Jan 30th 2008 3:01PM
It's been awhile since we heard anything about the HumanCar, but it looks like the Flintstones-inspired vehicle is now rapidly becoming a reality, with it finally getting a price, release date and a even slightly sleeker new look. Apparently now more specifically known as the Imagine LMV, the vehicle will appropriately be available this coming Earth Day (April 22nd), when it'll set you back a hefty $15,000 for the "base" model. For that price you'll apparently get a top speed of 30 mph from the vehicle's dual electric motors and, most importantly, "variable human power input," which should soon make you the most popular member of your car pool group. If that's not enough luxury for you, you'll also apparently be add various navigation and internet options, iPod connectivity, and various biometric devices to see just how much of a workout you're getting.
Yabba dabba do!
worst.idea.ever
That's alright Jane, us men can handle it.
Cross country road trip in a HumanCar.
The ultimate test of a male. And of shoes.
This will be interesting at winter.
... why not just run/walk/bike to work?
If i wanted a workout, i'd, you know... work out...
While an electric/human powered bike (or a scooter which I plan to buy) will be cheaper, there are a few valid reasons for this HumanCar:
- It can have a roof (sort of), to shield occupants from crap weather.
- Very few 2 wheelers can comfortably ride in snow/rain.
- The HumanCar has an exoskeletal safety cage chassis, giving occupants a greater sense of security while many 3,000-6,000lb vehicles continue to lurk our North American streets.
- People may prefer 4 wheels and some cargo space to carry things.
- People are obsessed with cars. For some reason they'd rather drive their 4,000lb "compact" cars or 6,000lb SUVs to a grocery store a few blocks away.. than use a bike with a small trailer.
Hopefully the HumanCar will encourage people to adapt to healthy methods of transportation, one step at a time.
Wait Wtf O.O
1800FRAKING KILOS is a compact car O.O
frak me your fuel must be cheap
My current car is 1200 kg and i want to move to a new one that is only 1000 (then again i also want a cargo bike so i can do a weeks shopping on me bike :) )
seriously if 35MPH is not fast enough for getting around in your town i would consider razing it and a redesign is called for
offtopic starts here
i think that a cargo\su bike is better than a bike\trailer combo though that might just be me :)
@Tacticus
35 mph is not enough to get around San Antonio, TX. And since razing the 7th largest city in the US is not an option, these just couldn't be practical here.
Also, I live over 20 miles from where I work. I would love to ride a bike to work, but it just isn't possible. Also, I don't have the option of moving closer. And I imagine that I'm not the only one in this kind of situation. For people like me, there will always be a need for real cars.
If it can't do at least 35, I can't even go outside my neighborhood.
Useless
Why not just take that trolley thing you have running through the middle of your house?
@ Dan. I definitely Lol'd at that one.
I too LOL'd. Trolley thing!
@Dan
I hate to be redundant, but I don't LOL very often and this did it. :D
Wow, that made me laugh! Thank you
Even as I look back to read additional coments, I see that one and continue to laugh.
Bravo good sir.
Dan...you are awesome. I'm still chuckling to myself.
I have been asking myself over and over to try and work out what this means for five minutes, and I can't possibly think of a single humorous thing that the "trolley thing" comment could reference.
I like to think I'm relatively well educated (enough at least to understand the average american household), but I'm stuck.
So, I hate to be the person who doesn't get the joke, but...
What?
yeah I don't get it either
@Leoedin
JTM has Mr. Rogers as his icon. They are referencing Trolley from Mr Roger's Neighborhood.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mister_Rogers%27_Neighborhood
The trolley is a Mr. Rogers reference.
Oh that just makes me LOL even more...
@Dan
lol indeed. The trolley comment wins my personal funniest engadget comment award of this year.
Mr Rogers is back, and he's bitter!
you good sir, win an internet.
The trolley only goes to the neighborhood of make believe. Don't you ever want to go somewhere REAL?
Is this thing street legal? I have something kinda like this but for just one person...I think people call it a "bicycle". It is a pretty cool idea though.
The Flintstones car!
Can you reach a top speed of 30MPH with three other people on your bike? I think not. :O
@ lgnatius
Yes
http://www.2wheelbikes.com/tandem-bikes/triple-tandem.html
I'm guessing you've never seen a tandem on the road. Tandem bikes, even with just semi-decent riders, fly.
he said with THREE other people on the bike, not two
Oh, ok then. Two is faster than one, but yes, three would be dirt slow.
Duh.
I really can't see how this would be overly useful. Like everyone said, it's somewhat worthless if it can't go over 30. Do you just call your friends over to drive around your yard?
You drive around your yard at 30mph? What kind of country estate do you live on?!
they don't even have a prototype built yet. every pic is the same, just photoshopped onto a different background. can you say vaporware? i know you can...
Does it come with special shoes that you can use for braking?
You're supposed to use your bare feet, like the Flintstones.
Though the options list is expansive, what I'm most excited about is the "mad cup holders". I'd like to make a funny joke about treadmills or where to put my beer... but I can't.
So what do you do if you can't find three other people that share your love of peddling your ass off to get down the street? Better yet, would you kick people out of your humancar for freeloading and not peddling?
I think $15,000 is more than most caddy's can afford.
FOUR!
15k and u have to pedal yourself... you gotta be kidding me.
Not that the internet isn't know for weird crap, but damn, Rento, that may be the nastiest avatar I've ever seen if my life. Women issues much?
@Marco
You obviously didn't see the guy with the goatse avatar the first day they implemented them...
Flintstones, meet the Flintstones.
My God, this cartoon looks like something out of the cartoon.
...what if i'm going off-road? :[
I can't see the point in this car, especially at $15,000. Have a look at the Zenn cars http://www.zenncars.com for a better step towards reducing your carbon footprint while still keeping a car. They're already on the market (in the US at least, only BC in Canada so far) and you should be able to get one for $12,000. I found out about hem on this youtube article http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8M88k6Ipp3c
and that boys and girls is what a fail looks like
That's a Yabba-dabba-don't.
That'll be fun driving to Florida in that
I'm personally waiting for the gerbil/electric hybrid. This one's just too much work.