The "Cool Bus Project"
The EIO's "Cool" Bus Project seeks to redesign a 1972 VW Type 2 "walk through" micro bus, originally built with an air cooled petrol engine, to create a demonstration platform for a suite of the latest carbon free energy and storage systems, as applied to vehicle design. These include expandable solar, new adjustable wind devices, "intelligent wheels" for energy recovery, compressed air power/storage options, lithium batteries and further novel technologies to be incorporated as they become available.
These innovations would be made visible through a new translucent floor design. This would be made possible through the vehicle structure being made lighter using a new one-piece floor/chassis design, which would use new composite materials adapted to accommodate "intelligent wheels".
One of the purposes of the project is to demonstrate that new alternative energy technologies can be applied in a "bolt on" fashion. In other words, they do not necessarily require new vehicles to be built from scratch and older ones thrown away. "Reuse, Repair, Recycle" - in that order, used to be the mantra... The simple and flexible design of the VW type 2 would be an iconic example of this principle, as well as becoming a Backfitting Kit for the hundreds of thousands of these vehicles still in use worldwide and still being built in Brazil.
We are looking for a major sponsor in return for naming/branding rights and further industry/university partners to add to our existing contacts. Please make contact with michael.gill@eio.org.uk to help realise this quest for a truly zero carbon vehicle in truly super cool style.