With Fathers Day on Sunday, were all reminded of the great
lengths to which dads have been known to go to teach their sons
lessons. But perhaps no one is going as far as Pierce Hoover.
Earlier this month, Hoover and his 13-year-old son Nash embarked
on a 90-day, 4,500 mile ride across the country in a custom
human-electric hybrid vehiclepowered daily using the energy
equivalent of a single light bulb.
The D.C.-to-Oregon Eco
Tour is being sponsored by GE and Popular Science, a magazine
thats published by the Florida-based Bonnier Corp., where Hoover
works as a brand manager.
Last yearin an attempt to stop Nash from leaving lights on in
their Winter Park homeHoover took his son to the gym, plopped him
on a stationary bike and made him pedal hard enough to power a
100-watt bulb. (According to his dad, Nash briefly generated enough
energy to run two lights, his video gaming system, and a ceiling
fan.)
The outing sparked the idea for the Eco Tour, and Hoover spent
months working on the $10,000 prototype, which he self-funded.
The idea was to design a vehicle that could go 30-60 miles a day
on the maximum bulb-equivalent 2,400 watt/hours. With the help of
EcoSpeed, a Portland, Oregon-based company that builds
electric-assisted bicycle drives, Hoover settled on a
battery-and-pedal-powered 36-watt motor that can reach a top speed
of about 20 miles per hourand has the automobile equivalent of
1,000 miles per gallon. (Take that, Prius owners!)
Hoover said that by limiting the output of the 36-volt motor to
1,000 watts, the vehicle is still classified as a bicyclemeaning
they can legally operate on U.S. roads and bike trails.
Now, its up the father-and-son duoHoover admitted theyre not
exactly athletesto deliver their eco message, especially through
the mountains of Virginia and, eventually, Colorado, where they
hope to be for July 4.
Mark Jannot, Pop Scis editor, called the tour a fantastic
example of technological ingenuity combined with personal
conviction. As Brian Sroub, GE Lightings chief marketing officer,
put it: Pierce and Nash for remind us all that the world’s
most efficient light bulb is the one that’s turned off.
The Eco Tour is off to a nice start, despite the fact they had
to stop in Virginia for a couple days while heavier wheels were
shipped, and are both currently battling a mild flu.
Well power through, Hoover told GE Reports during a break on the
Virginia-Kentucky border.
Power through, indeed.
