New At The Petersen Automotive Museum - Reclaimed Rust: The James Hetfield Collection

Hetfield and Dore's "Black Pearl" as it is first observed by the attendees of the ribbon cutting ceremony for the exhibit "Reclaimed Rust - The James Hetfield Collection" featured in the prestigious Bruce Meyer Family Gallery within the Petersen Automotive Museum. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2020)

New At The Petersen Automotive Museum - Reclaimed Rust: The James Hetfield Collection

For those who are fans of heavy metal rock music, the name of Metallica is emblazoned at the top of their minds ... this group has only sold 130 million records comprised through a 10 album catalog. The lead singer, guitarist, guitar designer, and one of two forming members of the band to remain a driving force, James Hetfield, started his life in Southern California Downey, came to motor culture honestly through having a father who, when he wasn't at work, was in the garage, tinkering.

James Hetfield was completely humbled and honored to be able to share a collection of very special artful creations between his ideas and the craftsmanship of  Rick Dore from his garage up in Northern California to here at the Bruce Meyers Family Gallery at the Petersen Museum. Image(s) Credit: Edmund Jenks (2020)

This ribbon cutting ceremony, the opening of the Reclaimed Rust - The James Hetfield Collection - was preceded by a Fireside Chat (interview) with Terry Karges - Executive Director of the Petersen Automotive Museum of James Hetfield followed by an auction of two very special James Hetfield designed & signed (on the spot) guitars manufactured by ESP.

With the auction on the Hetfield designed ESP Guitars complete, a group photo (R to L) of Bruce Meyers, James Hetfield, Rick Dore and Terry Karges. Image(s) Credit: Edmund Jenks (2020)

The auction was held by Bruce Meyer, himself, with the proceeds going as a write-off donation to the Petersen Automotive Museum - a very exciting affair since the two guitars were set at a combined retail value of about $8,500.00 - the two guitars achieved bid sale results of about $17,000.00 much to the visible surprise of James Hetfield, himself.  I just went through the photo files and the 300 or so folks who attended this ribbon cutting were very pleased and entertained.

Key vehicles on display include the 1948 Jaguar “Black Pearl,” the 1934 Packard “Aquarius,” the 1953 Buick Skylark “Skyscraper,” the 1937 Lincoln Zephyr “VooDoo Priest,” the 1936 Auburn “Slow Burn.” which were designed by famed builder and television personality, Rick Dore, as well as the 1936 Ford “Iron Fist,” the 1937 Ford Coupe “Crimson Ghost,” and the 1932 Ford Roadster “Black Jack.”

Along with the custom vehicles, memorabilia on display also includes an ESP Hollow Body guitar and a Mesa amplifier that are painted to match the Buick Skylark “Skyscraper,” images displaying the build process of each car and a video of Hetfield talking about the cars.

Hood scoop detail created on the Skyscraper Buick Skylark. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2020)

The Skyscraper Buick Skylark. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2020)

This is a very credible display and custom car collection. The concept and inspiration of each car is described along the base of each car and the artistry of many of these customizations is exceptional.

One of the most heralded cars is the 1948 Jaguar “Black Pearl" which required much original metal formation through the use of a wood buck upon which the skin of the car was formed and designed by famed builder and television personality, Rick Dore.

The Petersen was so high on having this display, they placed it in the Bruce Meyer Family Gallery room, replacing  “Winning Numbers: The First, The Fastest, The Famous” (2019) which, since the reopening of the the new exoskeleton clad museum's launch, has had  only three other collections - "The Roots of Monozukuri: Creative Spirit in Japanese Automaking" (2018), “Seeing Red: 70 Years of Ferrari” (2017), beginning with the all silver painted classic display of "Precious Metal" (2016) - being displayed in this most prestigious space.

The Petersen Automotive Museum, once this exhibition has its run and is replaced in about one year, will be arranging additional exhibitions of this collection at other prestigious venues around the world - to this point, James was quite proud and effusive.

... notes from The EDJE

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ADDITIONAL Photo Resource >>>

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About Petersen Automotive Museum

The Petersen Automotive Museum Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) charity. The museum is located at 6060 Wilshire Blvd. (at Fairfax) in Los Angeles, 90036. Admission prices are $16 for general admission adults, $14 for seniors and $11 for children ages 4 to 17. Active military with ID, personal care attendants and children under age 4 are admitted free. Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. For general information, call 323-930-CARS or visit www.petersen.org.




TAGS: James Hetfield, Metallica, Black Pearl, Aquarius, Skyscraper, VooDoo Priest, Slow Burn. Rick Dore, Iron Fist, Crimson Ghost, Black Jack, Bruce Meyer, Terry Karges, Petersen Automotive Museum, The EDJE

Southern Californians Brabec & Currie With Co-Driver Las Vegas' Berriman Become First Americans To Win Famed Dakar Rally

Dakar Rally 2020 SSV Category/Class (Side-By-Side Vehicle) winners Casey Currie & Sean Berriman left, with Motorcycle Category/Class winner Ricky Brabec out on course in the Arabian desert. Image Compilation: Edmund Jenks (2020)

Southern Californians Brabec & Currie With Co-Driver Las Vegas' Berriman Become First Americans To Win Famed Dakar Rally

Now that the sands of Saudi Arabia have settled back onto the desert floor tracing the Dakar Rally's 4,881-mile course that began at the Red Sea and looped eastward toward the Persian Gulf at Qiddiya, Saudi Arabia, three Americans have won this 40 year annual off-road challenge for the first time.

Americans Casey Currie, left, of Corona and co-driver/navigator Sean Berriman of Las Vegas celebrate after winning the side-by-side vehicle event of the Dakar 2020. Image Credit: Motors Addict (2020)

Southern Californians Ricky Brabec, 28 - Monster Energy Honda Team rider from Hesperia, winner of the Motorcycle Category/Class along with Casey Currie, 36 - Motul-sponsored Monster Energy Can-Am Maverick prepared by South Racing from Corona and co-driver Sean Berriman , 28 (today - JAN. 17, 2020) of Las Vegas, winners of the SSV Category/Class (Side-By-Side Vehicle) become the first ever Americans to win the Dakar Rally, the world's toughest race, since it's inception in 1978.

American Ricky Brabec, today - JAN. 17, 2020 rode his factory CRF450 RALLY to overall motorcycle class victory in the final, 12th stage of the Dakar Rally 2020. His win gave Honda its first Dakar victory in 31 years, since its last win in 1989. Image Credit: AFP-Getty Images via LA Times (2020)

Patterned after the off-road challenge run in North America, the Baja 1000 (sanctioned by SCORE International), which began in 1967, the Dakar is an annual rally raid organised by the Amaury Sport Organisation. Most events since the inception in 1978 were staged from Paris, France, to Dakar, Senegal, but due to security threats in Mauritania, which led to the cancellation of the 2008 rally, events from 2009 to 2019 were held in South America. This 2020 edition was held in Saudi Arabia.

Image Credit: Honda (2020)

The rally is open to amateur and professional entries, amateurs typically making up about eighty percent of the participants. Competitors are sorted out into five competitive groups - motorcycles, quads, the cars class (which ranges from buggies to small SUVs), UTVs, and the trucks class. Many vehicle manufacturers use the rally's harsh environment as both a testing ground and an opportunity to show off their vehicles' durability even though, in fact, most vehicles are heavily modified or purpose-built.
[ht: Wikipedia]

SELECTED QUOTES - Various Sources

"Two Americans on top!" exclaimed [Casey] Currie after the race. "I’m blown away, man! Sean [Barriman] and my team did a phenomenal job. The car ran great all the time. It’s just an epic experience, and I’ll never forget it, for sure. This is my most emotional win ever. The amount of pressure that was on me was incredible. I love this rally! We’re coming back next year to defend our title. I’m very stoked for Ricky Brabec, he deserves it more than I do."

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"We finally did it! This victory couldn’t possibly be better for Honda and the team. It was a tough and long race, but the team worked great together. The riders were good, the mechanics were good, the whole team worked really well. The bikes were really good in today’s final stage, and our main goal was for everyone to get here safely,”"stated [Ricky] Brabec. "I can’t thank everybody enough. The Honda team, and everybody that stands behind us, I thank all of you. I’m also deeply grateful to my teammate until last year, Paulo Goncalves. This was the first time for the event in Saudi Arabia, and the scenery was insane. I love it! We’re going to be back next year!"

... notes from The EDJE




TAGS: Dakar 2020, Casey Currie Sean Barriman, Ricky Brabec, Motorcycle, SSV, Side-By-Side, Saudi Arabia, Qiddiya, First, American, Motul, Monster Energy, Can-Am Maverick, Honda, The EDJE

CES 2020 - THE GLOBAL STAGE FOR INNOVATION

CES 2020 - Image Credit: Edmund Jenks - EVHNews.com (2020)

CES 2020 - THE GLOBAL STAGE FOR INNOVATION

Photo overview gathered and presented by Electric Vehicles & Hybrid News managing editor Edmund Jenks (2020).

- CES 2020 Photo Album -

Hyundai Vertical Lift Aircraft - Image Credit: Edmund Jenks - EVHNews.com (2020)

CES is the world's gathering place for all those who thrive on the business of consumer technologies. It has served as the proving ground for innovators and breakthrough technologies for 50 years — the global stage where next-generation innovations are introduced to the marketplace.

Owned and produced by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA)®, it attracts the world's business leaders and pioneering thinkers.

Future-Focused Automakers Turning to Startups

CES 2020 cemented its role as the most important show for automotive technology, with a handful of new car introductions (and re-introductions) plus lots of standalone technologies this week. Most US auto shows other than perhaps LA don’t generate a critical mass of tech-oriented auto company people, analysts, and journalists. CES certainly did.

HIGHLIGHT:

SONY Vision-S: Asymmetric Effort In Mobility Solutions From E-Technology Giant

Automakers are preparing for the future of mobility by investing in and partnering with all sorts of technology and mobility-focused startups, which allows them to expand their knowledge, capability and expertise to remain relevant in an industry on the verge of massive transformation.

Some might snicker when Byton CEO Daniel Kircher called the M-Byte EV “the first smart device on wheels,” but not the people attending this show. Of the vehicle introductions and concept cars, all were electrified – EVs or plug-in hybrids – with no gas-engine-only vehicles introduced.

Enjoy this visual overview gathered on an overnight boomerang run from Los Angeles to Las Vegas Wednesday January 7th and Thursday January 8th, 2020. What a way to begin a year of exciting possibilities.

... notes from The EDJE



TAGS: Sony, Vision-S, Ford, Fisker, Nissan, Ariya, Mercedes Benz, Vision Avatar, Hyundai, Aisin, Toyota, EVBOX, Futurus, Renovo, Woven City, Fiat, Bell, Mobility Solutions, The EDJE

Electric Mobility Can Be As Simple As Sitting On Just One Wheel

Image Credit: Superride

Electric Mobility Can Be As Simple As Sitting On Just One Wheel

Yes, that's right ... just one-wheel.

The Superride electric unicycle caters to the urban dweller who wants a quick and effective solution to reach places without having to deal with the traffic rush every day standing up on one of those single -wheel hoverboards. Both use gyroscopic technology to maintain body balance, i.e. you have to use your body to move and control the vehicle (think Segway - but now with a seat). One would lean forward and the Superride electric unicycle speeds up, go back to pull the brakes and turn sideways to move the cycle left or right - it is really that simple! This makes the Superride S1000 the best electric unicycle an exciting mode of transportation for fitness enthusiasts, youngsters, and dwellers of high-density neighborhoods that are witness to frequent traffic jams.

The Superride S1000 has a chic, stylish frame made of metal and plastic. It weighs about 45 pounds but still is powerful enough to support a full-grown adult pretty easily.

The removable batteries can be fully charged up in an hour or less and retain that energy for hours on end. The vehicle also comes with an LED display, LED headlights, and an electronic horn.

The seat is at a convenient height, though it is not adjustable and hence potentially unsuitable for super tall or very short people. Similarly, the handlebars can be extended to about 39 inches and are suitable for the average user. The Superride can be used on all surfaces, although we’d recommend you use it on flat, paved, and even surfaces that don’t have a lot of obstructions so as to avoid accidents.

The Suprride S1000 was only recently launched in the market and has created quite a stir, especially among the younger riders. It is one of the first electric unicycles with seat, making it perfect for longer travel distances. Eventhough the craft may look fragile and small, it is actually quite strong and can carry about 280 pounds. The 1000W motor installed inside the cycle allows for a mileage of 20 miles per hour, while the LED display gives you an accurate reading of the speed and direction of your travel. The batteries are replaceable, durable and save on energy.

Image Credit: Superride

Technical Specifications Of The Superride S1000 Unicycle

• Product weight: 45 pounds
• User capacity: 280-300 pounds
• Construction: plastic and metallic construction
• Seats: non-adjustable seats, at a height of 26 inches
• Handlebars: fixed handlebars, can be extended from 32 inches to 39 inches
• Mileage: 20 miles an hour
• Battery: 60-volt / 5.8-Ah battery, fully charged in an hour, runs for 15 miles and lasts 45-minutes
• Motor: 1000W motor
• Balance: uses advanced gyroscopic technology to maintain balance
• Durability: rustproof, waterproof, and unbreakable frame, replaceable batteries
• Flexibility: the brakes and acceleration are pretty quick. Suits different user needs and is great for the fast and slow commute
• Versatility: can be used on all surfaces, roads, hiking trails, pavements (though we recommend you use it on flat surfaces)
• Other Equipment: LED display, LED lights, Horn and instruction manual.

Imagine zapping around the streets and paths of the local university or workplace in a cool unicycle, sitting on plush ergonomic seats, maneuvering one's way through the traffic easily as the huge cars are stuck in the jam. Sounds epic right?

Well, the Superride S1000 is the real deal which turns one's mobility dreams to reality (for as little as $1,500.00). This compact and portable self balancing unicycle electric scooter is a small and affordable answer to all transport related problems. It runs on batteries, takes up a lot less storage/parking space, is lightweight and good for the environment. What more could one wish for!
[ht: Qorix.com]

... notes from The EDJE

Featured Post At Electric Vehicles & Hybrid News

LA Auto Show 2020 Porsche Taycan EV Reveal At AutoMobility LA Press Day

Pre-Reveal of the Porsche Taycan 4S at the Petree Hall stand of the LA Auto Show. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2019)

LA Auto Show 2020 Porsche Taycan EV Reveal At AutoMobility LA Press Day

Press Conference - Wednesday November 20, 2019: Porsche
10:50 AM – 11:15 AM (Petree Hall)

At the Los Angeles Auto Show Wednesday, the company debuted a third variant, the "entry level" Taycan 4S, scheduled for release in 2020.

INTRODUCTION

Porsche announced the Taycan as its first all-electric vehicle in September, but since that time, the German automaker has already unveiled two variations on its four-door sports sedan.

REVEAL

The Taycan 4S has a shorter range than the Taycan Turbo, with an estimated 253 miles per charge compared to up to 280 miles. (Although the 4S can get even more mileage with an extended battery pack, but that comes at an additional cost.) It also has a relatively cheaper starting price: $103,800. For comparison, the Taycan Turbo and Turbo S start at $150,000 and $185,000, respectively.
[ht: mashable]

TURNTABLE

The Porsche Taycan 4S as introduced here on the AutoMobility LA 2019 Press Day Petree Hall floor wore a stunning Frozen Blue Metallic Paint job (an $800 option) and featured 21-inch Taycan Exclusive Design Wheels with Carbon Fiber Aeroblades (an $8,770 option).
[ht: motor1]

At a time when EV leader TESLA is working to reduce the market price of its offerings, Porsche, with power and extended battery packs, is upping the pricing game ... but this is an EV from a true established manufacturer. It's only a matter of time that this model may become a Rennsport gathering fave!

... notes from the EDJE




TAGS: #PorscheTaycan, #SoulElectrified, AutoMobilityLA, #AutoMobilityLA, #LAAutoShow2019, #LAAutoShow, #Porsche, #Introduction, #Reveal, #Turntable, The EDJE

Air Taxis Are 'A Thing' To Be A Mobility Option Soon

Lilium, which is partly financed by Chinese tech giant Tencent, made the debut flight of its two-seat aircraft in 2017. Further, has performed over 100 vertical take off and landing test with great success with their latest 5 passenger model. Image Credit: China Daily

Air Taxis Are 'A Thing' To Be A Real Mobility Option Soon

Priority transportation landscape will be changing sooner than most prognosticators think.

Electric-powered air platform concepts from several manufactures are beginning to prove themselves in testing through a wide variety of design platforms. Many that take their lead from traditional drone configurations to multi-engine fan jets that will achieve their flight lift through airplane wing style solutions.

EHang claims its new vehicle, dubbed the 184, is the world’s first electric, personal autonomous aerial vehicle (AAV) that will “achieve humanity’s long-standing dream of easy, everyday flight” for short-to-medium distances. Image Credit: CGStudio

This excerpted and edited from China Daily -

Market for air taxis set to take off
By Angus McNeice in London | China Daily Global | Updated: 2019-10-15 21:07

For a show that first aired almost 60 years ago, The Jetsons was impressively prophetic about future technology.

The cartoon about a family living in 2062 predicted jetpacks, holograms, smartphones and 3-D printing — and now approximations of the Jetson family's nifty "aerocar" can be added to the list.

Several major transportation businesses, including Boeing, Airbus and Uber, are conducting test flights of all-electric flying machines that promise to revolutionize urban travel through ride-sharing air taxi services.

A handful of startups populate the increasingly crowded market, including Volocopter and Lilium, two German companies backed by Chinese investment.

Hangzhou-based automaker Geely led a $55 million funding round for Volocopter, which held a demonstration flight for its dronelike passenger carrier in Stuttgart in late September.

Lilium, which is partly financed by Chinese tech giant Tencent, made the debut flight in 2017 of its two-seat aircraft, which looks more like a small plane than a helicopter. The company also recently completed a test take-off and landing for a five-seat prototype.

The technology is in such an advanced stage that most air taxi companies are predicting commercial launches between 2022 and 2025.
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Regulation, costs and public acceptance stand in the way of widespread use of air taxis, according to Tim Schwanen, director of the Transport Studies Unit at Oxford University.

"It's not only about the technology, and in some ways, technology is the easy part," Schwanen said. "There are issues around regulation, there are issues around markets. Do we want these services? Do we need them?

"Visions like The Jetsons where people are flying everywhere, an explosion of flying taxis — that won't happen for a very long time. We're talking decades."

Volocopter GmbH is a German aircraft manufacturer based in Bruchsal and founded by Alexander Zosel and Stephan Wolf. The company specializes in the design of electric multirotor helicopters in the form of ready-to-fly aircraft, designed for air taxi use. Image Credit: Volocopter GmbH

If and how existing air traffic control systems will incorporate air taxis is also a sticking point, as is the limited availability of landing pads in many major cities.

A recent report from London-based industry analysts L.E.K. Consulting predicted that a substantial uptake in air taxi services will not occur within the next 10 to 15 years.

Whatever the time scale, governments seem to be getting on board with the idea. This year, the United States Federal Aviation Administration expressed support for trials, and the European Union Air Safety Agency published guidelines for manufacturers of electric vertical takeoff and landing, or eVTOL, aircraft.

In China, Guangzhou-based air taxi company Ehang began conducting supervised tests with the Civil Aviation Administration of China this year, while Geely's and Tencent's investments suggest they believe there is an appetite for the technology in China.

Veteran car designer Frank Stephenson, who designs Lilium's aircraft, said companies must make safety their top priority.

"The moment one of these things has an issue, you're going to lose a lot of public confidence and trust," he said.

Lilium said its service will be affordable, and it expects that early routes will run between airports and city centers.

"The intention is absolutely not to make it for the elite," said Stephenson. "It's mobility for everyone — from the student or the teenager who needs to visit his grandma ... all the way up to the VIP."

Uber predicts its service Uber Air will initially cost $3.60 per passenger kilometer, and the company aims to get this down to $0.27 per passenger kilometer, making it competitive with car ownership.

But Schwanen of Oxford University doubts that such low prices will be achievable early on, even in today's business environment replete with money-losing companies that value growth over profit.

Schwanen said he thinks service will be "on a limited scale for the super-rich. It's going to be people who are able to afford this, and who may have properties where they can land."

Removing pilots from the equation will help drive down costs, and the majority of companies say they will eventually switch to automation.

With more than a dozen companies working on air taxis, determining which operators emerge as market leaders will largely come down to design, efficiency and range, according to Stephenson, who believes Lilium is ahead of the pack on all three counts.

Lilium says its aircraft will have a range of 300 kilometers, around double the distance offered by most of its competitors.

The company also says its planes will use around 90 percent less energy than drone-style aircraft, due in part to wing-assisted flight.

The wings on the Lilium plane contain rows of ducted fans mounted in flaps that swivel 90 degrees, pushing air down during takeoff and landing and backward while cruising.

"Wings give you lift, so it's a lot more energy efficient," Stephenson said.

"You need a lot of electrical power to go up and down, but not that much to go horizontally."

Lilium aims to have people in the air by 2025 — outdoing the Jetson family by a generation.
[Reference Here]

So, maybe the vision of the cartoon future world of The Jetson's isn't here,  but the conceptual vision of priority transportation for select applications and markets is really just around the corner.

This timeframe of 15+ years will become telescoped once the safety and autonomy issues get locked down and being able to hop onto one of these platforms, to travel 150 miles in about an hour, all made possible with non-airport requirement electric vertical takeoff and landing, or eVTOL, personal capability (1 to 5 passenger) aircraft.

... notes from The EDJE




TAGS: electric vertical takeoff and landing, eVTOL, aircraft, Lilium, Ehang, Volocopter, L.E.K. Consulting, Frank Stephenson, Geely, Boeing, Airbus, Uber, Tim Schwanen, China Daily, The EDJE

Latest 'Letric Lambo As Previewed By Supercar Blondie

Lamborghini Terzo Millennio develops through 4 pillars - Energy, Innovation in Materials, Powertrain & Vehicle Architecture, Sound & Emotion. 

Latest 'Letric Lambo As Previewed By Supercar Blondie

Pioneer and innovative by tradition, Automobili Lamborghini looks into the future with a visionary approach, bringing its own DNA’s values in the extreme.

To plan its path through the electric super sports car, Lamborghini defines the requirements of the third millennium in terms of energy storage and innovative materials to secure the most emotional and ultimate driving experience.

Lamborghini Terzo Millennio >>>

THE SPORTS CAR OF THE FUTURE

... notes from The EDJE