Nigel

Electric Cars November 23, 2020 posted by Nigel

eDumper – and you thought EVs were limited to cars and golf carts?

So you remember when we all used to laugh at electric cars? Call them glorified golf carts? Yeah well about that. Tesla clearly broke the ice with the original Sportster, but now the whole battery powered thing is moving in an entirely new direction. Heavy industrial machinery. Take for instance, this Swiss made eDumper. The fully electric dump truck ain’t no Tonka Toy (look it up). The beast is expected to move 300,000 tons of rock every year for the…

Electric Cars November 4, 2020 posted by Nigel

eBussy – EV van car camper concept looks neat but implausible

So, another day, another EV. The latest in the flood of electric vehicle concepts is this eBussy. Not just a vehicle, mind you. More a work of art. It comes in modular form, which means it can be converted into various types of EV, ranging from a standard van, to a pick up to camper and so on. You get the picture. Ambitious right? Well so are the specs, price and delivery. It’s scheduled to have a starting price of…

opinion piece October 17, 2020 posted by Nigel

Trinidad is facing an ecological disaster as derelict oil tanker with 60 million gallons of oil slowly sinks off the coast

The latest horror show involving a desperate oil industry involves an elderly oil tanker moored off the coast of Trinidad which is in imminent danger of sinking and spilling 60 million gallons of crude oil into the sea. Something needs to be done. Fast.

Eco Friendly October 16, 2020 posted by Nigel

TreeCard – this free debit card plants trees when you shop

OK so we’re not huge fans of clever marketing disguised as environmental action, but the pedigree of this new initiative seems sound. The Ecosia people – who plant trees when you use their search tools – have just released a new free debit card called TreeCard. The idea is that for every $60 you spend, they will plant a tree in your forest. It’s cute, and while some may consider it a gimmick, the fact is that Ecosia has already…

Eco Friendly October 7, 2020 posted by Nigel

Maybe some good news on climate change for once?

It’s not often nowadays that we hear good things about climate change and the issues we face, but maybe there is some upbeat news to share after all. Even though this last September has already been declared the hottest ever on record, none other than Professor Michael Mann has come out pitching with some optimistic info. For those who don’t know Dr Mann is one of the foremost climate scientists in the world, and part of the team which created…

Eco Friendly October 1, 2020 posted by Nigel

Beagle Button – helping us shop better through our browser

It’s hard to be a responsible citizen nowadays. No matter how hard we try, there’s always a chance that we’ll buy the wrong product by selecting something which can harm the environment. Here’s where the Beagle Button comes in. Rather like those coupon finding browser extensions that litter the landscape, the Beagle tool is there to help us make better buying decisions. Only it’s not about saving money, but saving the planet. It sits in the browser and pops up…

Eco Friendly September 24, 2020 posted by Nigel

Oceanbird – wind powered cargo vessel is a revolution in the making

The old tea clippers of the 19th century may have been slow, but they had one big advantage over modern freighters. They ran on wind. Now an enterprising Swedish company is attempting to combine modern technology with good old renewable wind energy to turn the environmental cost of shipping goods around the world on its head. The Oceanbird is a huge cargo ship which can carry up to 7000 cars (electric we hope), and will be able to cross the…

Awesome September 16, 2020 posted by Nigel

Maker Hand – this $30 prosthetic hand could turn the market upside down

It’s well known that prosthetic limbs usually cost…ahem…an arm and a leg. And sure there have been attempts to bring the cost down over the years. But this new Maker Hand looks like it turn the whole market for prosthetics on its head. The parts including filament, rubber bands etc cost around $30, and it’s made on a conventional home scale 3D printer. The inventor says it takes around one to two days to print, and then another day to…

Eco Friendly September 8, 2020 posted by Nigel

Could Lithium Sulfur batteries be the game changer we’re hoping for?

UK company Oxis Energy is planning to shake up the electric transportation industry with a newly developed lithium sulfur battery. The new technology apparently provides five times the energy density of a conventional Li-Ion battery, as well as being lighter and safer. The company is pushing for its battery to be used in applications where weight is a key factor – such as electric aircraft. This is not pie in the sky stuff either. Back in July the company announced…

cool tech August 14, 2020 posted by Nigel

Inochi – the world’s first stylish clear mask … at a price

The Inochi mask is being billed as the world’s first stylish clear mask. And we’ve got to say they’ve got a point. It’s definitely very cool to be able to see people’s faces again. No more guessing whether it’s scowls or smiles, and it also reminds us of how things were before we de-personalised ourselves to stay safe. Of course we totally understand why we need to wear masks, because it is stupid not to. So put it ON! Anyway…

Eco Friendly August 12, 2020 posted by Nigel

The Lucid Air blows open the EV range war with a huge 517 miles on a single charge

The new Lucid Air electric car just announced a huge estimated range of 517 miles from a single charge. Which means we’re now clearly entering a new phase of the range wars. It’s not enough that EV performance is pushing supercars into red faced retreat, now we’re going to see range numbers which will humble even the most frugal gas guzzler. Remember we’re really only still at the start of this whole game. If they can hit these numbers now,…

cool tech August 10, 2020 posted by Nigel

Emrod – wireless electricity system announced. No more ugly pylons?

New Zealand startup Emrod has started trials of a new wireless electricity system which they say could do away with the need for cables, pylons and all that stuff when delivering electrical power in rural areas. What makes this new project different is the fact that it has attracted the attention – and funding – from one of New Zealand’s biggest power companies. Trials with Powerco will begin in October, although the early prototype will initially only be able to…

Electric Cars August 4, 2020 posted by Nigel

MingHong SEV S2 – $900 six-seater electric car is cheap, cheerful and oh so slow

We’ve seen – and driven – our share of electric vehicles over the years, but this Alibaba sourced vanette, called the MingHong SEV S2 really does take the cake. Billed as a ‘modern premium sedan’, this BMW grilled $900 runabout boasts a staggering 60 km/h top speed and a range of up to 60 miles or so. Mr Tesla better watch out. The sales site doesn’t hide the real use of this car – “small Chinese adult electric car”. So…

Eco Friendly July 27, 2020 posted by Nigel

Revolution Container – recycled shipping container offers COVID friendly eco washing on the forecourt

Photo-Me, the mega passport photo booth people, have just announced a new edition to their portable launderette products for the high street. The Revolution Container is a recycled shipping container which holds four washing machines and two dryers capable of offering launderette services from supermarket, gas station and other forecourts. The 5.5 tonne box – which fits into 2 car parking spaces – is designed to be functional rather than beautiful, but the owners hope that it will provide a…

Awesome July 23, 2020 posted by Nigel

PanSeer – new blood test may be able to detect cancer four years before symptoms appear

An international team of scientists have just announced an experimental blood test they dubbed PanSeer, which they suggest could detect certain types of cancer in people up to four years before any symptoms show up. If the new tech works out long term, it could revolutionise the battle against some of the most common cancers in the world. The team started out by focusing on malignancies which could occur in the liver, stomach, lung and colorectal regions of the body….

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