Roadster
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DXG hops on the PMP wagon, kicks out Roadster DXG-521
When you think about DXG (if the name even rings a faint bell), a few off-the-wall digicams could come to mind, but the company best known for kicking out digital imaging products is delving into the ever-popular portable media player realm with its Roadster DXG-521. Looking slightly more like Sega's Game Gear than a sleek, pocket-friendly PMP of the modern era, this relatively unsightly device measures 4.75- x 2.25- x 0.81-inches around and reportedly sports a modest 2.5-inch LCD, 32MB of built-in memory, SD card slot, video-out, USB 2.0 connectivity, FM radio, MP3 playback, a voice recorder, four integrated video games (including Tetris), and a rear five-megapixel camera for snapping pictures on the run. Additionally, users can expect to capture external video into MPEG4 files, and while we can't say it's surprising, you can have your pick of the oh-so-trendy black / gloss white color schemes. Nah, we don't expect the video nor audio quality here to live up to the standards set by more luxurious offerings, but this doesn't look half bad for a couple Benjamins.[Via About]
VentureOne three-wheeled hybrid does flex-fuel
We most certainly dig where this uber-green three-wheeled vehicle category is going, as just one week after seeing the Silence PT2, we've now learned that Venture Vehicles will be tossing the two-wheeled axle in the rear and calling its rendition the VentureOne. Based around Carver Engineering's tilting technology, this trike is officially classified as a motorcycle, but sports a fully enclosed body, roll-cage construction, airbags and bumpers similar to a standard car. The vehicle will hold three folks, and the company has plans for two plug-in hybrid variations that utilize a flex-fuel approach to barely sip gasoline from the four gallon tank, all while touting 100 miles per gallon and the ability to hit speeds upwards of 100 miles per hour; eventually, Venture is also hoping to release an all-electric breed that can scoot 200 miles before needing a recharge. Although production isn't slated to begin until "late 2008," that should give you enough time to save up a good chunk of the $18,000 (E50 hybrid) to $23,000 (all-electric model) that'll be required to snap one up -- and to acquire a motorcycle license, too.[Via Gizmag]
Tesla Motors' looking to license Roadster's battery technology
After the glamorous unveiling of Tesla Motors' ultra-speedy, purely electric vehicle, it didn't take long for deep-pocketed believers to throw down their deposits for the yet-to-be-released Roadster. But apparently appeasing head honchos isn't all that Tesla's about, as it's now considering licensing the outlandish (albeit very remarkable) battery technology to other firms looking to jump in the EV game without all those up front R&D costs. In an exclusive interview with AutoblogGreen, the firm stated that Tesla "had been in talks with other companies" in an effort to get their 7,000 Li-ion cell pack out to other companies. While they couldn't pry much deeper than that, the biggest upshot to grabbing its technology is the UN-approved label that's been slapped on the 56 kWh, 366V Li-ion pack; its proprietary "redundant active / passive safety features" help prevent propagation of a "thermal runaway event" (read: an explosion), which certainly helps when trying to get your electric vehicle past those pesky regulators. Nevertheless, Tesla Motors is currently testing crashing "10 to 20 vehicles" in Europe to make sure all systems are go, and we can't help but hope a few more muscle car competitors that don't drink octane show up real soon.
Diesel-powered "car" edges on half the speed of sound
JCB, a UK firm which specializes in construction equipment (read: making tractors) appears to have become bored with life in the slow lane. At least that's what the company's sponsorship of the JCB DieselMax seems to suggest, as the team piloting the DieselMax just recently broke the diesel land speed record at 350mph (yeah, but does it have GPS?). The feat, which took place at the local Salt Lake City street racing venue on the Bonneville Salt Flats, puts the previous record of 237mph to shame, although it's worth noting that the new record is still awaiting ratification by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. Unbelievably, the team isn't finished yet, with one crew member excitedly exclaiming that they "still haven't used sixth gear!" We also heard reports from an inside source that during the run the team decided not to turn up the volume to 11, either.[Via The Register]
First batch of Tesla Motors electric cars sold out
It wasn't too long ago that Tesla Motors had its (admittedly glamorous) unveiling of the forthcoming Tesla Roadster -- you know, the 130-miles per hour battery powered whip that rolls 250 miles on a single charge. While it can't be too shocking to see a few celebrities here and there plop down unspeakable amounts of coin to get their hands on something new, don't tell Tesla that the reaction to its creation is surprising. Less than a month after this extra-green automobile hit the pre-order market, all 100 that were offered up are now claimed. Just doing simple calculations, we're seeing a company that went from next to nil in terms of sales to $10 million in capital quicker than a shipment of crude oil could hit the American shores. Martin Eberhard, the CEO of Tesla Motors, reported that "all 100 are gone," which means those hundred highfaluting individuals that have paid the $100,000 deposit have guaranteed themselves one of the first Roadsters off the production line in 2007. While the buyers may end up paying more than the deposit price when taking delivery, it's fairly unlikely they'll see any partial refunds if the MSRP somehow clocks in under 100 grand (considering the apparent popularity), and we've heard that both of Google's co-founders, as well as eBay's Jeff Skoll, have thrown down for the seemingly coveted ride. There's no word on when Tesla plans to re-open its bank account for the next wave of orders, but if such an opportunity does arise, you should probably call dibs with some level of haste if you plan on shunning those costly fuel pumps next year.
Tesla's electric roadster is lean, mean and very green
Last night a host of fancy society-types, car buffs and our good friends from AutoBlog got a unique chance to check out Tesla's electric sports car. The zero-emissions whip (it's so green it doesn't even have a tailpipe) will get about 250 miles on a single charge, and reaches speeds of about 130-miles per hour, with a 0-60 time hovering around a pretty impressive 4-seconds. Stop driving it long enough to peek under the hood and you'll find a 3-phase, 4-pole AC induction motor and a Power Electronics Module at the heart of this slick ride. Don't run out to the car dealership yet, as these babies aren't hitting the streets until mid-2007, and when they do, they'll run you somewhere between $80,000 and $120,000. It sounds like a lot, we know, but just think of the looks you'll get as you drive by at 124-mph, completely silently. Plus, it'll be a great place to install your new Bluetooth-enabled head unit. Check the source link for a lot more pictures and even video from the big unveling.
