[sustran] Re: What lessons can America learn from the rest of the world .. .?

[Palle R Jensen]

Message from Denmark

In Denmark a completely new transport concept has been developed.
It is a dualmode system called RUF (Rapid Urban Flexible, www.ruf.dk)

The only realistic way to change the american infrastructure, is if an improvement can be made at the same time as sustainability can be obtained. This cannot be done within the current concepts, INNOVATION is needed.

RUF is based upon the dualmode principle. This means that all vehicles can drive in two modes: either using the roads or using a special triangular monorail. On the road it drives as an electric vehicle with small batteries (range > 50 km). On the monorail the vehicles drive as small automated trains.

A ruf car on the monorail has a very low rolling resistance and the air resistance is lowered by coupling the vehicles in small trains (up to 10). This means that the car is 3 times more efficient than a comparable electric car and the range is potentially unlimited.

This combination means that the user will be able to avoid congestion, he will be able to recharge batteries on-line and he can relax or work while his seat is moved either in an individual vehicle (ruf) or in a public transport vehicle (maxi-ruf).

See also: www.ruf.dk/qa.pdf and www.ruf.dk/rufclimate.pdf 

The concept has been tested in Copenhagen and has been supported by Danish Governmental sources as wel as EU research money and private sponsors (2 million EUROs in total).
The concept will be demonstrated at the climate summit in December 2009 in Copenhagen.

Ref.: www.ruf.dk

Palle R Jensen, MScEE, prj at ruf.dk
Appointed by CNN as one of the "Principal Voices" in transport
Copenhagen University-College of Engineering, Denmark
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