A Human Powered Car?

We’ve done a lot of talking on this site about pollution, global warming, and oil dependence. And since so many of us are dependent on our cars to get around, it only makes sense that they’re a big part of the problem.

But here’s a novel idea: what if we had access to a human powered car? That is, a car that could get up to 60 mph, have enough room for passengers, and was completely powered by…wait for it…our own energy.

Sounds crazy, right? I mean, that kind of car was what Fred Flinstone drove around. Is something like that even possible in our society?

Amazingly enough, it is. And it’s happening right now.

Take a look at HumanCar.

The HumanCar is a street-legal Low-Mass Vehicle that’s currently ready for production. It’s 100% powered by human energy, and can get up to 60 mph.

The company is currently taking advance orders for their first run of production. The cost is $15,500, and hundreds of people have already signed up to own one.

The cool thing is that you don’t feel like rowing, there’s an electric motor that will take over. The car can also be used to power your home, or as a portable power generator.

Personally, if I didn’t live in an area that was cold 8 mos. of the year, I’d definitely be on board to own one of these cars. I think this is an incredible smart solution to a lot of our problems.

Think about it…

First, with the HumanCar we don’t have to use any fossil fuels to get around.

Second, we don’t emit any greenhouse gasses.

Third, we’d help solve our obesity epidemic because more people would be getting more exercise.

Sounds like a dream come true, right?

Again, check out the HumanCar site; there are some great videos, even one from CNN, that shows how the car works.