ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION NEWS Michael Hackleman © 1990 Michael Hackleman Alternative Transportation News has the ambitious goal of changing the transportation habits of the world in this decade! It is designed as a full-color magazine so that it may popularize and educate the general public about transportation issues, alternatives to our current systems, and the means to achieve them. Through this magazine I would like to: ¥ advance the merits of rapid transit, low-polluting vehicles, alternative fuels, and telecommuting -- and ways we can implement them. ¥ unite a historical perspective with state-of-the-art technologies to suggest ways we can achieve transportation that is less abusive to life on this planet. ¥ describe how these products and technologies represent a fertile but virtually untapped market to individuals, entrepreneurs, and industry in general. ¥ translate otherwise technical information into terms anyone can understand. ¥ help individual organizations and corporations worldwide to become aware of each other's efforts in fuel and vehicle technologies -- and work together to integrate these efforts. ¥ provide a vision of the future without making promises on how easy, fast, or inexpensive it will be to extract ourselves from our dilemmas. Why a Magazine on Transportation? Over 75 percent of our nationÕs air quality problems is directly attributed to transportation. Our country is ready to wage war to protect our dependency on oil. Americans want and need transportation alternatives. Currently, no publication for the popular audience deals with global transportation. ATN magazine aims to explore and demonstrate alternatives in an entertaining and engaging way. Our format will encourage, excite, and empower our readers with the ideas, visions, and information to affect changes in their own lives, and the world at large. There are many groups, clubs, organizations, and companies across that nation that are currently engaged in some form of research, production, and promotion related to fuels and transportation technologies. ATN recognizes the dedication of these efforts, and wishes to publish articles that inform and illuminate projects that are underway. A Sampling Of Articles In The First Issue Of ATN The Impact: A prototype designed exclusively to use electric propulsion, the Impact shatters the myth of low performance and range. But -- how will GM market a vehicle that makes its gas-powered vehicles obsolete? Racing with the Sun. Students from 32 Universities designed and built solar-powered race cars for the GM Sunrayce. Are the lasting impressions ones of hope and promise, or do these futuristic vehicles make EVs appear too expensive and impractical? ATN interviews Paul MacCready Paul's team has brought us successful human-powered flight, the winning entry of the first Australian transcontinental race of solar vehicles, and the design of GM's electric commuter. How does he do it? Thunder & Lightning. Electric vehicle conversions? Low-performers, slow and limited in range? John Sprinkle's 1949 Porsche replica (cover photo) demonstrates how conversions can break that perception through forethought and patience. The Horlacher Electric. With gasoline at $3-4 per gallon, there's plenty of incentive to explore alternatives in Europe. How can America catch up and take advantage of this technology? Bicycling in the City. Drivers stuck in traffic jams fantasize about two- wheel transport but worry about the hazards of mixing-it-up with cars, trucks, and buses. Ben Swets made the switch and he's happy about it! Airships. Lighter-than-air ships (blimps and dirigibles) are coming back. Advances in the technology make this form of aerial transport appealing in the light of increasing cost of fuels, maintenance, and pollution. But -- how can airships compete in a fast world and overcome the stigma of the Hindenberg disaster? The SBLA battery. The Sealed Bi-polar Lead-Acid battery is just one of several new battery types. ATN evaluates the critical issues about batteries -- what many experts consider to be the only roadblock to successful commercialization of electric vehicles. EVs and Power Plants: Some environmentalists fear that the commercialization of electric vehicles will lend support to the resurrection of nuclear power plants. What energy sources can we expect to power electric cars? Flying with the Sun: Eric Raymond's Sunseeker is an airplane designed to use one energy source -- the sun. Close attention to aerodynamic efficiency makes this electric-powered, solar-charged, thermal-riding craft possible. What does it tell us about the integration of down-to- earth energy systems? Consider the various departments in ATN: Human-Powered Vehicles, Air & Water transport, Fuels & Cells, Nuts 'n Bolts, Designworks, Basic and Advanced Projects, and HindSight (History). Add sections like Library & Book Review, Calendar Events, and Networking. Provide for reader input -- From Our Readers, Questions & Answers, and Basics. With this breadth and depth, the magazine's field of topics seem limitless to me! How You Can Help Of course, this is OUR dilemma. If you share our feeling that this magazine is important, ATN's staff is asking for your help. The simplest way you can help out is to take out a full year's subscription: 6 issues for $12. No matter what happens, you WILL get a magazine -- or a refund. Your subscription is a vote of confidence we could use right now. There are other ways that individuals or companies can help us. ATN will be published by Earthmind, a California public non-profit research and educational corporation (founded 1972). Accordingly, all donations are tax deductible. This holds true for educational grants, PSA's (public service announcements), in-kind (equipment) donations, and research grants. Advertising. ATN will contain ads. While advertising does not qualify as a tax-deduction, we do expect to reach a diverse audience. Our 3-issue rates are quite good. Contact us for a rate card, and other information on advertising rates. ACCESS The first issue of Alternative Transportation News could become a reality before the first of the year, 1991. We thank you, in advance, for your thoughts of support. Send subscriptions for ATN to: Earthmind, P.O. Box 743, Mariposa, CA 95338. (Checks payable to Earthmind). You may reach me, Michael Hackleman, at (213)396-1527. Michael Hackleman is the author of Electric Vehicles: Design and Build Your Own, (1977) and the producer of the Hand Made Vehicles video series. He is the president of Board of Directors of Earthmind (founded 1972). Michael is also the president of the Electric Vehicle Association of Southern California and was a design consultant to (and a team member of) the Solar Eagle, a world-class solar-powered electric racer that won 4th place (out of 32 entrants) in the GM Sunrayce. Michael wrote the Hybrid-Configured Electric Vehicle articles for Home Power Magazine (Issues 8 & 9).