Jerry Roane, an Austin, Texas-based electrical engineer, has an idea on how Texans can lick their dependence on foreign oil and improve air quality all in one shot.
He has invented a battery powered electric car that will run on streets and on a fixed guideway and is in the process of finishing the prototype electric car for the Tritrack system..
Asher Price of Austin’s American-Statesman has a nice write up on the exotic car and the Austin inventor’s concept. Roane insists that his prototype will be capable of accelerating from 40 mph to 180 mph in 9.3 seconds when it is on the elevated guideway. It tops out at a more modest 20 mph on its own.
According to the article, Roane has pitched the idea to the University of Texas to connect a remote campus and to the Chinese government as an environmentally friendly transportation solution. Now he is one of about 30 competing for the International Automotive X prize!
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/08/10/0811tritrack.html
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