Parasitic Energy
Traffic congestion and Climate Change are caused by burning oil and coal (electric cars) to move two tons to move a person.
Reducting the Parastic Mass (2-tons) of the vehicle, eliminating start-stops, radically cuts energy costs.
In the video below a JPod is suspended from a guideway in front of Boston City Hall. The small girl pushing her mom in a JPods vehicle is capable of only about 35 watts of power. Judeth (74 years old) pushing two people is not expending 100 watts. Accelerating requires power. Maintaining momentum requires very little power. Personalizing trip to be non-stop from origin to destination saves energy.
This is also a good way to understand the value of a gallon of gasoline. Steps:
- Park your car in your driveway empty of gasoline.
- Put in one gallon into your tank.
- Get 5 of your strongest friends.
- Drive until you run out of gas.
- Push your car home. It will take you about 2 days, or 12 man-days of effort to perform the work of one gallon of gasoline.
A barrel of oil, 42 gallons, is the equivalent of 12 energy slaves. In the following video a small girl pushes her mom and Judeth (74 years old) pushes two people in a JPods vehicle to show how little energy is required once the parasitic mass of the vehicle is removed.