Gearfuse

Nissan is geared up to release a collection of EVs on August 2, but they also have a trick up their sleeve which other companies haven’t managed to pull quite yet. Nissan will also be releasing an iPhone application which will help drivers manage their electric vehicle.

The app will let the driver know how much power the EV has left in its reserves, even when they are away from the car. The app will also provide users with some key info, such as the nearest charging station and the estimated cost for the electrical charge.

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Any boy looking to relive his days of playing with model train sets will be excited to know there’s now an option for us working adults. This working train set is set inside an elegant briefcase, ensuring portability and anonymity no matter the location. Little figures adorn the landscape as the train keeps a’ rollin’, all night long. The only catch? It costs $1500. Ouch.

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Take a near-bankrupt automobile manufacturer and a company that makes personal transportation vehicles used mostly by colleges and you’d think you’d have a disaster on your hands, correct? Apparently, such is not the opinion of General Motors and Segway. The two companies are teaming up to create the PUMA, or Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility Project. The vehicle, shown above, will feature a 35 MPH top speed and will get a measly 35 mile charge on its lithium battery pack.

OK, I get it. Cool idea. Rad vehicle. But 35 miles on one charge? Sounds pointless unless I can recharge it in 15 minutes at any electrical outlet, don’t you agree? Regardless, if this doesn’t bankrupt GM, I don’t know what will.

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If you can’t move your legs, you might as well be able to look good while (not) doing it. I’m not sure if there are speeding laws for wheelchairs, but we imagine paraplegics must face the same laws as us leg-walkers. I think that’s only fair.

The sporty yellow Speedy Electra adds a fully-featured, self-contained electric power drive to any wheelchair. Hell, I might start riding around in a wheelchair for fun. Something like this is sure to add a healthy dose of independence back into a wheel-bound person’s life. Plus, the ladies might really dig that whole “I can’t walk, but I’m still a bad-ass” thing you’ve got going on.

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Don’t get the wrong impression. We’re not total scrubs or anything. We just don’t have the kind of dough it takes to own a brand-new Tesla and that’s even considering the new and affordable Model S series.

With that said, the Hustler Zeon is just as cool… really (come on, we need some sort of self-delusion to keep us content)! The Zeon claims to be the first all-electric zero-turn riding motor. A full charge provides 80 minutes of riding time. Screw Tesla! The Tesla can’t mow my lawn.

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Gas prices may be hovering right now but we should be focusing on getting off foreign oil and getting on to the grid. The Wheego Whip is the car that can help us do just that despite being made by Chinese manufacturer Shuanghuan Automobile. It looks just like a Smart Car, except it’s actually an all-electric vehicle. For $19,000, you’ll get a plug-in car that can hit a 60 MPH top speed and does 50 miles on a single charge. Mediocre, but perfect for short trips or if you live in a city.

Unfortunately, the Fed has to do a bunch of safety testing on it before it can be driven on highways and such. For now, it’ll be limited to 35 MPH, making it a Neighborhood Electric Vehicle or NEV. Have fun playing Wheego Polo in a few of these $19,000 golf-karts.

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One of the most dangerous things you do on a daily basis (besides drive your automobile) is fiddle with the power cords of home appliances. You never know when pulling that cord will result in a tear and a powerful shock that you’ll certainly remember. Good thing designer Kim Seung Woo has redesigned the standard power cord with a glow-in-the-dark ring. And no, this hole is not for fucking.

The ring makes finding the socket and unplugging the cords, day or night, an easier task than ever before. No more deadly volts coursing through your body, sir!

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This lamp is supposed to resemble a yo-yo and while it does, it also reminds me of a pair of testicles. I mean look at it. That dimple right there in the center; it has to be a set of balls. That’s what I’m guessing Spanish design firm Almerich had in mind when it designed this lamp. It lights up normally and in the middle is a 10-meter-long electric cord used to plug the lamp in and to give it that true yo-yo look. Just don’t try walking the dog with it unless you’re trying to destroy your house.

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Take a plasma ball from Spencer’s Gifts and throw in a little love and you’ll wind up with this Electra Heart Lamp. It resembles the heart and if you touch it, electricity from inside will go to your fingers a la plasma ball. Fantastic looking but unfortunately, it’s discontinued. A shame, considering it was only twenty bucks.

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Now, this is interesting. An electric paper plane launcher kit that you put together yourself. Too bad the entire point of crafting a paper airplane is to wing it at someones head. With this launcher, you not only miss out on choosing your targets, but you also waste precious time building it. Time that’s better spent putting together more paper airplanes for your paper air force. Please, don’t spend $16 dollars on this thing. Just look at it and laugh. Revel in the fact that it’s produced by some 3M ripoff company called 4M.

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