Naturmobil: The Greenest Car Ever

[Stiker]

Saw this story on Wired's feed:

The Naturmobil is the ultimate green car | Environment | The Guardian

The Naturmobil is the ultimate green car

The secret of its eco credentials? Just one horse power



http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/...wered--001.jpg
The Naturmobil can gallop to speeds of 28mph. Photograph: Public Domain



Those thinking of buying aToyota Prius may be disappointed to learn that the future of eco-friendly travel has nothing to do with hybrid synergy drives – instead it involves six wheels, a treadmill, and a horse. The Naturmobil, the brainchild of an Iranian engineer, Hadi Mirhejazi, combines 19th-century travel with 21st-century gym equipment.


In essence it is a horse, tethered to a treadmill, inside a perspex box on wheels. The driver and passenger sit in the front (the prototype is a two-seater sports car), while the horse is in the back. To get moving you simply turn on the treadmill and wait for the "engine" to start trotting. The horse's movement, aided by 20 gears, recharges the treadmill's battery, and keeps the vehicle moving. It can go at quite a canter, reaching 28mph during a road test.


Mirhejazi spent more than two years building the Naturmobil, and says he uses "many types of technology to make the horse comfortable". The animal sits under a jacket of cold water. For the more delicate problem of "emissions", Mirhejazi straps on an extra-large colostomy bag. The waste is then collected beneath the treadmill, "so the road will not get dirty or smell bad"; a selfless design, given there is no partition between horse and driver.
There are a few drawbacks. Despite the horse's cooling system, the Naturmobil is not suitable for hot climates. Motorways and main roads are also off-limits.


Mirhejazi had hoped to attract advertising for the vehicle's exterior, which could host two LCD screens. The plan was to take a publicity road trip around the world. Alas, the plan never came off. Mirhejazi has offered to give away the prototype, patent, and $100,000 to anyone who can explain why the Naturmobil was really invented. Advertising? Eco-friendly horse box? It seems the inventor himself is not entirely sure.

I just want to know what happens if you slam the brakes.

EDIT: And dammit typo'd the title >.>

[Yuri-G]

I demand whoever pays this fuck to be an engineer cease immediately and hire me instead. I don't have a degree but I'm still pretty sure I could do better than that shit. like, my first project? instead of a horse-driven car... you just plain fucking ride a horse. bam! genius!

[Eliseos]

What will PETA say about this one?

[Olo401]

Stupidest car ever.

[archibaldcrane]

Best car ever.

Shit is hilarious.

[Siniroth]

http://webpub.allegheny.edu/employee...ar.2314jpg.jpg

This car is way more green than your car

[Stiker]

http://webpub.allegheny.edu/employee...ar.2314jpg.jpg

This car is way more green than your car

And more of a fire hazard!

On another note, thanks to whoever the mod was the edited the thread title.

[Milkster]

What will PETA say about this one?

Pretty much. And this car is over complicated when you could just skip everything and ride the horse. Be a cowboy.

[ZarakiKujata]

All y'all are haters, you get like 1-3 more horses into one of these, put some spinning rims on that shit and black people will get these as if they were diabetes.

[Korietsu]

I demand whoever pays this fuck to be an engineer cease immediately and hire me instead. I don't have a degree but I'm still pretty sure I could do better than that shit. like, my first project? instead of a horse-driven car... you just plain fucking ride a horse. bam! genius!

Don't think that was done by a licensed engineer.

[Lbelle]

bet it literally smells like shit in that car.

[Qalbert]

on the plus side I bet no one ever sticks things in the exhaust pipe

[Cyn]

I don't know, I think there was a thread around here recently about a gentleman from South Carolina that just might.

[ozz]

if you replaced the horse with an airplane, would it fly?

[Qalbert]

if you replaced the horse with an airplane, would it fly?

yes

[Jotaru]

if you replaced the horse with an airplane, would it fly?

Beat me to it, and I was about to MSPaint wings on that bitch and ask what would happen.

And by god I have to ask finally.. this is the FUTURE, why can Ctrl+B bold, Ctrl+I italicize, Ctrl+U underline, but Ctrl+Q can't QUOTE.

[Jaybar]

Try alt-Q

[Narse]

Beat me to it, and I was about to MSPaint wings on that bitch and ask what would happen.

And by god I have to ask finally.. this is the FUTURE, why can Ctrl+B bold, Ctrl+I italicize, Ctrl+U underline, but Ctrl+Q can't QUOTE.

Alt+F4 will quote.

[Chelly]

i kept reading the title as Narutomobile

[Qalbert]

Alt+F4 will quote.

NO IT DOES NOT YOU SON OF A BITCH