Do We Even Need Cars Anymore?

kristen — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:44:32 +0000

It’s no surprise to learn that people are buying fewer cars these days than they have in years. An article in the Sunday New York Times by Micheline Maynard explores why exactly that is, and it’s pretty encouraging. While the expected reasons rise to the top of the pile, like the awful economy and a turn toward the green side of transportation, there are more nuanced reasons in there.

What Ms. Maynard found, in a nutshell:

One woman would rather spend her limited funds on health insurance than a car, insurance, and parking
Empty-nesters are moving from suburbs to cities and shedding cars as they go
Personal transportation like the P.U.M.A. may gain traction among carless commuters
And, of course, people have switched to bikes and public transportation for environmental reasons

The article explores the major shift away from car purchases as an emotional, status-based purchase. Have you given up your car? Are you car sharing? Car pooling? Riding a bike, like 8% of Portland, Oregon, commuters? Do you feel like you have to have a car, given your commute or family situation? Tell us your experience in the comments.

GM and Segway Double the Dork Factor with PUMA

kristen — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 17:12:45 +0000

Those few of you who joined me in watching “Arrested Development,” the short-lived sitcom on Fox a few years ago, will remember that magician Gob Bluth’s dorkiness was enhanced by his piloting a Segway around town. Well, GM and Segway apparently didn’t want the Gobs of the world to be alone any longer: they have teamed up to create a two-person Segway concept called the P.U.M.A.

Project P.U.M.A. stands for Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility, and it’s been all over the Internets lately. The two occupents of the vehicle are seated, rather than having to stand, and it’s capable of going 35 mph for about 35 miles, similar to many neighborhood electric vehicles.

Here are the P.U.M.A.’s dork credentials:

An acronym for a name
A small set of front wheels — training wheels, if you will — for stability when stopped
Video-game-style steering apparatus
Upright pod design (the yellow stripes on the concept do not help)
No room for anything but the two dorks inside and their iPhones

As this is an experimental vehicle, no price has been set, and this is likely not its final form (though it’s probably pretty close). GM and Segway hope to bring the P.U.M.A. to market in 2012. God help us.

Now that I have made my feelings clear on what is likely a breakthrough in both technology and heights of dorkitude, make your feelings known in the comments.

Good Green Cars » personal transportation

Do We Even Need Cars Anymore?

GM and Segway Double the Dork Factor with PUMA