12 December 2008

Who Needs Infrastructure?

Inflatable electric car can drive off cliffs

Lisa Zyga writes,

It's hard to say what the most intriguing thing about XP Vehicles' inflatable car is. Maybe it's that the car can travel for up to 2,500 miles on a single electric charge (the distance across the US is roughly 3,000 miles).

Or maybe it's the fact that you buy the car online, it gets shipped to you in two cardboard boxes, and the estimated assembly time is less than two hours. Perhaps it's that the car is made out of "airbags" - the same polymer materials used to cushion NASA's rovers when they landed on Mars. Then again, it could be the company's claim that you can drive the car off a cliff without serious injury, and that it will float in a flood or tsunami.


This is perhaps one more reason that the Big Three are flirting with death - a new wave of vehicles is emerging.

The thought of being able to drive off cliffs is exciting but it suggests to me an even more interesting option: doing away with roads altogether. Who needs bridges even, if you have a car that can float? Can you imagine how many trillions of dollars we'd save if we didn't have to rebuild or extend our ailing infrastructure?

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

we'd be just like the jetsons

Ron Davison said...

Emily,
Or the Flintstones

Texasholly said...

It would totally ruin the end of Thelma and Louise.

Ron Davison said...

Holly,
Very funny - suddenly transformed from drama into a Mr. Magoo cartoon.

cce said...

I wish I had something funny to say 'cept I'm too busy coping with the fallout of an ice storm which has left the basement filled with water and this happy homeowner considering the merits of an inflatable house, one that blows up at a moment's notice, holds only valuable belongings, two children and, sadly, no pets, and allows exasperated individuals a floating and blissfully transient alternative to the albatross that currently flakes and floods and is near to being foreclosed on.

Anonymous said...

How fast could this thing possibly go? And if I bought one, would I be granted a free pass to be late everywhere I go?...as if I'm not already.

Ron Davison said...

cce,
YUCK! That sounds miserable. Inflatable house indeed.

Pinky,
Good question about the speed. Maybe the way it has a range of 2,500 miles is by blowing in the wind. Speed might depend on your direction. Hmm. I guess it always does.

David said...

Bad idea. It would totally do away with bumper cars at fairs and amusement parks.