Ponying up $4,000 for anything is tough proposition, but for a suitcase sized moped called the Boxx, you must be mad.  Or are you?

This two wheeled machine is fully rechargeable and can travel up to 40 miles on a single charge, unless of course you throw down for the extra battery pack which doubles the range.  Course you’ll need to cope with the added weight, and considering it already weighs 120lbs it may not be worth the added expense.  A standard charger will power the Boxx to full in 4 hours flat, but for, you guessed it, more money, you can achieve that feat in just one hour.

The Boxx itself only measures 1 meter high, yet it can support a person who weighs up to 300lbs, which might be attributable to the all aluminum build.  But if for some reason all that weight causes a piece to break, it can be easily replaced since they’re all modular by design.  And to help you avoid cars and perhaps even objects, there is some sort of laser sensor system that alerts both you and other drivers to your where abouts.

So why get one of these?  Well, it is diminutive in terms of size.  That means you could commute to work, and provided you don’t work on the 3rd floor or lack an elevator, you could drive it in to your office and store it in your cubicle.  A nice feature, but not one in our minds that warrants such a purchase.  However, keep in mind that is fully rechargeable by plugging into your wall, so finding a charging station is as easy as finding an available outlet.

The Boxx is available for preorder now, whereupon you can configure it to the color of your choice and features.

If Batman owned a jet ski motorcycle we’re pretty confident this is what it would look like.  Say hello to the EXO, an electric water toy that will blast you across the water’s surface at up to 27 knots.

This EXO’s body comes in two flavors: ABS plastic and carbon fiber.  Clearly the latter is the winner in the cool category, but if you’re business is hocking kayaks and other assorted water sports toys you’ll probably opt for the plastic version since it’s more economical and will still draw the same awe inspired looks thanks to the radical design.

Its engine is entirely electric so there is no noise pollution, little maintenance and it won’t spew oil back into the Earth’s precious eco system.   Power ranges from 3.5 to 7Kwh, which means that the lower end version can achieve up to 17 knots, while the more expensive propulsion system tops out at the already mentioned 27 knots. Up to 6 batteries can be squeezed under its carbon fiber hood providing 2.5 hours of fun in the sun, though that number can be seriously diminished with aggressive acceleration and speeds.

To ride the EXO, you lay belly down while your feet drag behind you in the water.  Sort of a caveat in our mind, because it requires good weather, otherwise you’ll freeze from the constant flow of cold water.  We can only hope that the above video doesn’t do the craft justice in terms of speed, since it looks no more speedy than a weakly powered surfboard.

Pricing starts at around $10,000, so you’ll need not only a silver lined bank account, but a penchant for savings the Earth one overpriced toy at a time.

We love us some Tesla…the car company that is.  Elon Musk, who recently made an appearance in the Iron Man 2 movie, is on a ‘roadshow’ in anticipation of the company’s IPO.  His presentation hints at 3 new electric vehicles in addition to the model S, all of which would sit on the same ‘adaptable common platform’.  The van is looking a bit too ‘delivery’ for us, but the cabriolet looks bad ass.

Read

Electric skateboards aren’t exactly all that new, but this one from Altered is definitely top of the line.  Capable of achieving 19 MPH in 4 seconds, it has a 600 Watt motor that can carry riders weighing up to 225 pounds.

The board itself weighs 40 pounds and is powered by a 36 volt battery.  Priced at $600, this longboard of electricity is quite the real deal.  The board even has a wireless trigger for you to control your speed with.  This whole product looks really engaging with some spectacular wipeouts just waiting to happen.  On sale now.

Read

If there was ever an Xbox 360 Motorcycle here it is.  On show at Japan’s Tokyo Motor Show, the Yamaha EC-f is an electric motorcycle/scooter that sports a lightweight aluminum frame, a lithium-ion battery and a 0.6 kWh electric motor.  Best of all the EC-f uses a standard plug that works with any AC outlet. 

It looks like there is an EC-fs model, but I can’t find the specs on that.

[via Inhabitat]

Read

Just watch the video.  This thing is crazy looking.  Obviously taking some tech cues from Segway I would love to see a fat person riding one of these.

The Honda U3-X Electric Unicycle Concept uses internal balance control to ensure that the device stays upright and tops out at a speed of 3.7 Mph.  I really want to try one.  According to Honda president Takanobu It the concept has been designed with the elderly in mind to help them get around easier without all the bulk of present day scooters and such.

No word if this product will see production but I’m hoping it never sees action in a Mall Cop movie sequel.  Wait, or do I?  Last time I noticed Kevin James was fat right?

Read

Maybe it’s just pure coincidence, but Zero Motorcycles’ newest all electric bike has the same model name as Tesla’s newest all electric vehicle, the S.   The company also makes an all electric dirt bike and it’s probably fair to say that the S is a street legal, polished version of its brethren.  Top speed of the Zero S is 60mph with a total range of 60 miles on a 4 hour charge.  The company is currently taking orders for the bike, which will be delivered in May of this year and will cost just under $1,500 including shipping.

Which would you rather have the Zero S or the PUMA?

Video and more pics after the ‘leap’

[Treehugger]

Tesla will officially show off their Model S all electric sedan in about 1 hour.  Until then these leaked pics will have to suffice.  And after seeing them I can hardly contain myself.  Finally, an affordable electric vehicle ($50k) that doesn’t look like an electric vehicle.  Anyone else floored by the all touchscreen center console?

[Treehugger]

Remember the Aptera Vehicle we showed you last month?  Well, two of  the all electric vehicles were spotted at the TED conference the day before they’re official unveiling (which is today).  Ya, that’s all I got.

Official product page here

[Treehugger]

Tesla’s CEO clued us into some more info regarding the previously leaked S Saloon. Although no pictures or concepts were presented, Musk did confirm that the price tag of the Saloon would be about $60k.  For this price you’ll get an all electric vehicle with a 150 mile range.  Throw down a few more duckets and you’ll be able to buy a 300-mile range version.  Also, to quell the ‘long charge problem’, Tesla is working on a ‘quick swap’ battery pack and a quick charger that will top off the vehicle in about 45 minutes.  For those who buy into the short range vehicle, but find themselves going to Grandmas for the holidays, will have the option of renting a long range battery, although this idea is only being considered.

[Reghardware]

I don’t know if you guys remember, but the Killacycle (an all electric motorcycle) broke on the scene last year when it’s owner crashed it outside of the Wired Nextfest here in LA (you can see it after the ‘leap’).  In the end of it all, as stupid as the owner looked, and as entertaining as it was to watch, they reaped some good awareness out of it.  Today, they’re back and this time there’s no follies, just records.  The Killacycle was the first electric vehicle to achieve an under 8 second quarter mile, and today they upped the anty with a 7.89 second run.  Additionally, they reached a new top speed of 174.05 mph.

Watching the video of its driver taking off just looks sick!  I wonder if his brain smashes into the back of his head?

[Gizmag]

Telsa, which recently laid off a large number of its employees due to a financial debacle, has finally unveiled their Model S sedan. According to Tesla, the 4 door Lithium-ion powered ‘S’ will get about a 240 mile range, hit 0-60 in 6 seconds and start at just $60,000, which is $40,000 less than its 2-door roadster.

Question is, will they be around long enough to produce the car, despite taking 1,000 orders for their $100k Roadster.

[Roadandtrack]

Remember that rumored electric Porsche from RUF I wrote about a few weeks ago?  Well, it’s here and RUF has released some detail goodiness.  Unfortunately, there’s no mention of price since it’s still very much a concept vehicle.  But you’ll be glad to know the RUF electric Porsche, which is based on the 911, can achieve a 180 mile range and a 7-second 0-60mph and a top speed of 160MPH. Its power is derived from a 204-HP  three-phase electric motor powered by Lithium-Ion, iron-phosphate based batteries.

More pics and specs after the ‘leap’

Drive Performance
· Acceleration 0-60 mph under 7.0 sec (development target)
· Vmax 160 mph, 225 km/h
· Cw 0.28
· Roll resistance 0.014
· Driving range approximately 250 – 320 km, depending on
performance level
· Specific power pick-up 21 kW / 125 km/h

Vehicle data
· Engine power 150 kW / 204 PS
· Max torque 650 Nm 7 0 rpm
· Weight 1910 kg (preliminary data)
· Battery weight 550 kg

Motor Data
· Max torque + 650 Nm to -650 Nm
· Power + 150 kW to -150 kW (peak level)
+ 204 hp to -204 hp
100 kW / 136 hp continuous
· Currency 300 – 420 Volt
· Current level max 550 A
· Rpm level max 5000 rpm
· Operating system brushless three phase alternating current with
permanent magnets

Dimensions
· Diameter 405 mm
· Length 241 mm
· Weight 91 kg
· Specific weight 1,65 kW / kg, 2,25 hp / kg
· Coolant flow 8 L /min max

Battery System
· Type Lithium-Ion, iron-phosphate base
· Manufacturer Axeon plc, GB
· Stored Energy (96 units) 50,72 kWh
· Nominal Voltage 317 Volt
· Maximum discharge 480 A
· Max Power 152,16 kW = 210 PS
· Charging current, max. 16 A
· Charging time 10 hours

Single Battery Cell Data
· Capacity 160 Ah
· Operating voltage 4,25 V charging, 2,5 Volt discharging
· Nominal Voltage 3,3 Volt
· Max. Temperature Level 80 °C
· Life cycle 3000 charging cycles
· Self-discharge under 3 % per month
· Weight per Unit 5,6 kg

[Autoblog]