Because the Chinese Tunnel Bus™ is so 2010, it’s time to introduce our first best-bet nominee for insane bus-based transit technology of the year: The Dutch Superbus…
You want to ride this NOW, don't you?
The Superbus is the brainchild of Netherlands astronaut and Delft University of Technology professor Wubbo Ockels, while the design itself was carried out by Dr. Antonia Terzi, an Italian aerodynamicist who cut her teeth crafting race cars for Formula 1 team BMW-Williams.
In other words: This is the vehicular love-child of a Dutch Astronaut and Italian Race Car Designer. How can this not be a good idea?
The electric-powered Superbus has capacity for 23 people and moves at a lightening-fast top speed of 250 km/hr. It also consumes as little energy as would a normal bus traveling at 100 km/hr.
As Mr. Ockels describes in the following video, the impetus for the idea was his belief “that trains are far too slow.” As you’ll see, he chose to debut his new vehicle to a pack of teenagers – a logical gambit given that the Superbus looks like the Batmobile.
And make no mistake, this is supposed to be the real-deal. The Superbus is meant to “revolutionize public transport” in “metropolitan areas that don’t want to invest a lot of money into a railway infrastructure for high speed trains.” Take a look:
In the coming days you’re likely to contemplate this technology far more than you responsibly should. And after such contemplation, there are likely only three conclusions you can come to:
First: It’s awesome and you want to ride it now.
Second: It’s pure High Concept Transit. That is, it’s not about what it is, it’s about what it could be. It’s about the discussion it creates more than the vehicle itself.
Third: It makes absolutely no sense whatsoever and is a waste of taxpayers’ time and money.
My gut says it’s a combination of all three.
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