The world has been waiting patiently for a solution to the perpetual motion machine problem. Leave it to the Chinese to solve it. Now, where the hell is my flying car Popular Science has been promising me for 50 years? I want mine to be electric. /sarc
From SkyNews –
Wind-Powered Car ‘Could Cut China’s Smog’
Holly Williams, China correspondent
A Chinese farmer has invented a wind-powered electric car that he says could save his country from the pollution caused by its rapidly growing car market.
…
But in a small tractor workshop, 55-year-old farmer Tang Zhenping has invented the prototype of a car that he believes could revolutionise China’s auto industry.
Mr Tang’s model – built in just three months for around £1,000 – is electric.
Its engine uses scrap parts from a motorcycle and electric scooter, while its steering wheel, upholstery and headlights all come from a Chinese-made Xiali hatchback.
But what makes the one-seater special is the turbine on its nose.
When the car reaches 40mph, the blades spring into action and begin generating pollution-free power.
“It works just like a windmill,” said Mr Tang, who claims the turbine gives his vehicle three times the battery life of other electric cars.
Full story here
h/t to Bishop Hill
UPDATE: This comment on the Facebook page was too funny not to share.
Rik Magers commented on wattsupwiththat’s post.
Rik wrote: “Not only does it defy the laws of physics by powering itself, but he picked up a chick in it! Hope this is the prototype for the new Chevy Volt.”
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I’m still waiting for spaghetti trees…
Wait, I thought this was mid May not April 1st…
I wonder how many bugs it takes to begin to degrade the aerodynamic efficiency of the front mounted house fan? 😉
What we *really* need is a machine that converts wind power into crude oil.
The little turbine must be like a sports hero, giving 110%.
It’s called the Smart For1.1
When can we expect to see commercial airliners fitted with wind turbines? Just think how much “free” energy they could develop at 500 knots…
ZT says:
May 16, 2012 at 8:06 am
I’m still waiting for spaghetti trees…
Precisely :D.
No problems with this, he’s harnessing drag to spin a generator. Whether it proves to be worthwhile or not well done to Mr Tang for having a crack.
Just for ZT
http://youtu.be/l7yJ8C5TbeY
OK, (as I’m sure many will comment): the battery moves the car forward, the forward movement through the air powers the turbine (looks like a big fan ), which then charges the battery, resulting in more energy in the battery than without the turbine . . .
. . . yeah, right . . .
. . so then the next ‘logical’ step is to put MORE fans on front, creating more electricity, so that the battery never loses its charge. at that point the battery can be removed . . . and VOILA, perpetual motion . . . !
Hilarity is just the first word for this I can think of . . .
. . do I dare even way that without the ‘turbine’, the car would go farther on a battery charge in the first place . . .?
This must be a joke; not even a journalist would fall for a Perpetual Motion Machine.
FD
Dave, it’s been done. Many modern aircraft are equipped with a Ram Air Turbine (“RAT”). The RAT is normally retracted in flight, but can be extended to produce emergency electrical power in the event of multiple generator or engine failures.
Poor Holly…and hasn’t she filmed herself breaking a great deal of H&S regulations???
Spaghetti trees have already been spotted in the wild in 1957 to those not in the UK. (Panaroma on BBC)
“Could cut China’s Smog”
I don’t know which is more absurd, the claim by the inventor or the quote from Holly Williams. The media has this childlike way about them, all agog with wonder at the might-get benefits of all kinds of things. Nary a question asked. You won’t catch me or anybody else shredding the air in this crossbred fan and flivver anytime soon, but it could do something….not sure what. Maybe offset the effects of of atmospheric black ops.
Sorry mods but Tips and Notes is taking for ever.
Throw a couple solar panels on it and you have the renewa-mobile
Well, it is sometimes possible to extract wind energy when going faster than the wind. For example, the following is about a wind powered car that goes directly down wind faster than the wind (DDWFTTW):
http://green.autoblog.com/2010/07/16/ddwfttw-a-wind-car-that-can-go-faster-than-the-wind-also-in/
It’s not perpetual motion since wind is required, it’s just counterintuitive. But then so are sailboats that go faster than the wind at an angle to the wind and those have been demonstrated for decades.
It’ll be fun to see how much coverage this gets from the MSM, but I’ll let someone else have Google News keep tabs on it.
Sounds like an an absolutely wonderful idea. Besides wind turbines all over the countryside we can now have wind turbines all over our cars. Wind turbine boats. Wind turbine temples and halls of worship. Wind turbine necklaces. I’d be a little afraid of a wind turbine jock strap though.
Been there, done that
http://img829.imageshack.us/img829/9148/chittychittybangbangpic.jpg
China has obviously begun a new, secret five year plan to “overtake and surpass” Northern California in green technology idiocy. O, the inanity!
Sky were happily running that video and speaking with admiring tones. I was, unfortunately, imbibing a cold beverage which has now made my keyboard a bit of a water hazard.
Perpetual motion machines are always fun but the meedja types should have a bit less credulity methinks.
ZT says:
May 16, 2012 at 8:06 am
I’m still waiting for spaghetti trees…
___________________________________
Forget the spaghetti tree, I want money trees or a flock of golden geese or both to add to my farm.
This guy would be better off building a chicken-mobile. A guy in Leominster MA had a converted pick-up truck he drove http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel_library/methane_bate.html