| A Motorcycle crashed into a BMW and...Clever Car! |
| Written by Hank Green | ||
| Sunday, 30 April 2006 | ||
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Of course, this idea has been around for a while, and has resulted in all kinds of extremely dangerous prototypes and car-shaped bobsleds. The difference with the Clever car is that they're actually trying to be smart about it. First, a unique roll avoidance system actually allows the majority of the three-wheeled vehicle to lean into turns, just like a motorcycle. Also, they've created a very strong and uniquely designed frame to deflect the impact of a collision away from the driver. The good news is that it did pretty well in crash tests, and, with a top speed of 60 mph, it's not going to be involved in any really high speed accidents. The bad news is that it's still too revolutionary for anyone to adopt just yet. In other words, it's too cool to actually be cool. The EU and BMW created five of them, three of which were destroyed in crash tests. So, if you want one, you're probably gonna have to become the CEO of BMW or some kind of Prime Minister. The number of innovations represented by this one meter wide, auto-leaning, 100 mpg, natural gas powered car are impressive. And, though we won't actually get to drive a Clever car, we may yet see it's offspring at a dealer nearby. Someday. 
Comments
(3)
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written by Guest , May 02, 2006
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written by Guest , May 05, 2006
May I assume you are from the USA?
It may come as a surprise to you that a car does not have to weigh two tonnes to be safe in a crash. Look at F1 cars, or the Smart. The Smart has a very strong body. Most cars seem to have just the driver in them, so a single seater would be fine. I'd have one.
This is not the first!
written by Guest , May 12, 2006
It’s a great car! But it’s not the first one.
In the Netherlands a company build a car just like this one called "Carver", bit this one is ready to hit the road. Just look at their site! http://www.carver-europe.com . However, tt might be a little more expensive. The clever is going to cost around € 10.000 euro’s, the Carver about € 30.000. But…wow! It’s so cool! Just like the Clever…I want one!! | ||
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Science, technology gadgets and...baby seals. We're in a bit of an eco-mess, but we've got the brains to lick any problem. And that's why EcoGeek.org publishes up to ten stories daily about innovations that are saving the planet.
And if that sounds interesting to you, then congratulations, you're an EcoGeek.
The “Compact Low Emissions Vehicle for Urban Transport” (we agree, that does indeed spell CLEVUT) was created by a European Union and BMW as a concept for the next generation of automobiles. The idea is to take the fuel efficiency of motorbikes and mix it with the convenience and safety of cars. 
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I think a practical car really should be able to carry at least two people and a few bags of groceries. Still, there are many interesting ideas in this prototype.