Transport
Discover facts about transport. Small discoveries that change the way you see familiar things.
Transport
Why your EV loses range in winter
An EV spends extra battery power warming its cabin, while cold temperatures make the battery less efficient. The range falls because winter has two jobs for…
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How automatic transmissions changed cars
An automatic transmission swaps gear ratios while the engine keeps running. A fluid-filled torque converter passes power from engine to gearbox, sparing…
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Rapid urban rise of autonomous delivery pods
Small electric delivery pods handle the costly last stretch from a local hub to the doorstep. Their low speed and compact size suit sidewalks and short trips…
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Why classic sports cars are getting Tesla batteries
Classic cars get Tesla batteries because electric power offers a fresh drivetrain without asking owners to give up the body they love. The motor delivers…
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If a growing city wants fewer cars, less congestion, and lower emissions, which urban-planning choice usually changes real behavior the most, beyond just adding more road lanes?
If a growing city wants fewer cars, less congestion, and lower emissions, which urban-planning choice usually changes real behavior the most, beyond just…
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Electric vehicles are praised as green, yet debates rage online. Which part of their lifecycle currently raises the biggest environmental concern?
Electric vehicles are praised as green, yet debates rage online. Which part of their lifecycle currently raises the biggest environmental concern?
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Putting aside sci‑fi hyperloops, which mode of transport is currently the fastest commonly available for long‑distance passenger travel?
Putting aside sci‑fi hyperloops, which mode of transport is currently the fastest commonly available for long‑distance passenger travel?
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In dense 21st‑century cities battling smog and climate change, which transport shift most effectively cuts per-person CO₂ emissions for daily commuting?
In dense 21st‑century cities battling smog and climate change, which transport shift most effectively cuts per-person CO₂ emissions for daily commuting?
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As electric cars flood the news and streets, what is the main climate benefit of EVs compared with traditional gasoline cars over their full lifetime, assuming clean power?
As electric cars flood the news and streets, what is the main climate benefit of EVs compared with traditional gasoline cars over their full lifetime,…
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E‑scooters and shared bikes flood city streets. From an urban‑planning perspective, what is their biggest potential win if integrated well with buses and metros?
E‑scooters and shared bikes flood city streets. From an urban‑planning perspective, what is their biggest potential win if integrated well with buses and…
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EV ads are everywhere, but adoption is still slower than hype. Beyond price, which practical issue most often holds back drivers from switching fully to electric cars?
EV ads are everywhere, but adoption is still slower than hype. Beyond price, which practical issue most often holds back drivers from switching fully to…
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If your office elevator makes you tap your floor number before you get in, you are riding inside a vertical algorithm.
If your office elevator makes you tap your floor number before you get in, you are riding inside a vertical algorithm. The elevator groups riders headed to…
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On many flights, the worst seat in the cabin is not the one you think; it is the one the airline quietly hopes you will pay to escape.
On many flights, the worst seat in the cabin is not the one you think; it is the one the airline quietly hopes you will pay to escape. Basic-economy tickets…
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Your car probably burns more fuel fighting the air than moving its own weight once you reach highway speeds.
Your car probably burns more fuel fighting the air than moving its own weight once you reach highway speeds. At highway speed, air piles up against the car…
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The last part of an EV charge can be the slowest part of the trip.
The last part of an EV charge can be the slowest part of the trip. A battery's charging power changes with its temperature, charge level, and design. As it…
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An airliner's evacuation test races a 90-second clock.
An airliner's evacuation test races a 90-second clock. U.S. certification rules for aircraft with more than 44 passenger seats require demonstrating that the…
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Across the world, gleaming airports stand almost empty, monuments to ambition outrunning reality.
Across the world, gleaming airports stand almost empty, monuments to ambition outrunning reality. An airport needs airlines, passengers and good…
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Most powerful safety device for cyclists is not a helmet; it is a line of paint and concrete.
Most powerful safety device for cyclists is not a helmet; it is a line of paint and concrete. A curb-protected bike lane puts concrete between riders and…
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That maddening 'signal failure' announcement hides how delicate modern rail systems really are.
That maddening 'signal failure' announcement hides how delicate modern rail systems really are. Signals rely on track sensors, wiring, power and computers…
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Your city's housing shortage and endless seas of asphalt are more connected than they look.
Your city's housing shortage and endless seas of asphalt are more connected than they look. A sea of parking lots is not just ugly scenery: each space takes…
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Malcom McLean helped make the cargo box more important than the cargo inside it.
Malcom McLean helped make the cargo box more important than the cargo inside it. His container-shipping venture let goods travel in large units that could be…
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Cheapest ride your stuff ever takes is across an ocean on a container ship.
Cheapest ride your stuff ever takes is across an ocean on a container ship. A container ship spreads fuel, crew, and port costs across thousands of…
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Shinjuku handled about 2.7 million passengers a day in 2022.
Shinjuku handled about 2.7 million passengers a day in 2022. Guinness lists the Tokyo hub as the busiest railway station, counting its connected rail and…
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Next big leap in flying might sound minimalist: 'single-pilot airlines'.
Next big leap in flying might sound minimalist: 'single-pilot airlines'. The idea is to let automation handle routine flying while one pilot manages the…
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