VIDEO: How big is your footprint?
Click above and scroll down to watch the video
A couple of days ago, a Norwegian, know to us only as geisha44, uploaded to YouTube a nice little video meant to promote and provoke discussion. Consisting of wintry scenes from a bustling town in Norway, we are confronted by a sight unknown to many of the relatively balmy locales in the U.S. No, not the sled, though that would definitely qualify as rare, but rather the people walking on the sidewalks.
We also see some traffic and specifically observe three different choices that individuals made to reach a store. One took a Jeep, one took a Prius and the third arrives in a Kewet Buddy. Obviously, a four-wheel-drive Jeep may be handy to get about in a place that receives a lot of snow. On the other hand, the Prius hybrid is not home hiding in the garage until winter ends and has a smaller carbon footprint than the Jeep. With the arrival of the all-electric Kewet Buddy, whose lead-acid batteries haven't kept it garaged either, we are treated to a demonstration of another advantage of a truly small footprint. Want to see what it is? Hit the jump for a little thought provocation in action!
[Source: YouTube]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
mapoftazifosho 2:21PM (2/02/2009)
If you want to drive one of those in the US, then you must not care if you die in a car accident at any speed.
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Brandon 3:05PM (2/02/2009)
I was under the impression most of those cars are in fact safer:
http://www.gladwell.com/2004/2004_01_12_a_suv.html
macpower 10:13PM (10/22/2009)
here's a Smart Car in a crash that would blend your guts if you were in a hummer. It's worth a look. It SHOULD open your mind, if it's possible:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ju6t-yyoU8s
Ben 3:18PM (2/02/2009)
Kewet Buddy has about the same footprint as the Tango.
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Rick 3:47PM (2/02/2009)
Aspect ratio is shot.
That car is just too small for practical uses outside a large city.
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noz 3:57PM (2/02/2009)
Isn't that where the majority of pollution occurs? Within a city? And plus...what's the point of sitting in 2 hours of traffic a day in an 8 passenger SUV getting 10 miles per gallon?
That's just retarded. As are the drivers of those vehicles.
Odd Erik 10:14AM (2/04/2009)
The Kewet Buddy has some limitations in its use - but it transports me the 20 km to work in a very efficient manner :-).
96% of the electricity in Norway is generated by hydro-electric power-plants. The rest is generated offshore by gas-turbines (with less than 30 pct efficency) - and used for the oil- and gas-machine to transport the fossile fuel to shore. My buddy charges on green power all the way!
Your fossile fuel car on the other hand.... I read somewhere that the energy cost used to move the wheels on a fossile fuel car is around 25-30% of the total energy consumption, while EV is around 60-70?
Gives you something to think about, or what?
Odd Erik ("Geisha44")
http://www.evalbum.com/2364
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Matt W 12:14AM (2/06/2009)
Anyone that thinks that car "safer" hasn't even a rudimentary understanding of momentum.
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macpower 10:10PM (10/22/2009)
"Anyone that thinks that car "safer" hasn't even a rudimentary understanding of momentum"
-if you're "sitting in 2 hours of traffic a day in an 8 passenger SUV getting 10 miles per gallon" momentum is moot. I'm in NYC and that stupid, little car is a brilliant idea in a place where it's so crowded you CAN'T build up momentum.
BUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I also drive in Vermont where it's nice to have my 4-wheel drive, gas sucking, Ford POS - thank you very much.
In NYC, I wish I had the Buddy it all depends on what your needs are. I think everyone in a metro area should get rid of anything over 6 cylinders - myself included. Just make it affordable and I'm there - unless I move some where where I'll need to move loads of 4X8 plywood, then I'll get a big bio-diesel truck and crave fries all day! My $.02!
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