This article was originally published on November 25, 2014 but we think it still rocks!If it all goes according to their plan, SkySMART will be a transportion game changer. A combination between a gondola and a tandem bike, it's a 3D transportation system that can carry one to 12 people in pedal-powered pods. Created by Niagara Falls-based Shweeb-Can Corps, the project gained a large amount press in 2010 when it was awarded $1 million dollars for Google's Project 10^100, a prize for "ideas to change the world." It's only one of a handful of futuristic transportation systems we've seen, including Elon Musk's Hyperloop, Douglas Malewecki's Skytran, or Tiago Barros's Passing Cloud.
Right now a prototype of SkySMART exists atAgroventures, an amusement park in New Zealand, where individuals can race the pods around a 200-meter track. Shweeb-Can Corps sees the system as part of the Shweeb Eco-Ventures Park, a larger tourist attraction and demonstration space. The company expects the project will cost 10 million dollars to produce.
Riders race in tandem on Shweeb's pedal-powered skyline in Rotorua, New Zealand
ONE EMAIL. ONE STORY. EVERY WEEK. SIGN UP FOR THE VICE NEWSLETTER.
By signing up, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy & to receive electronic communications from Vice Media Group, which may include marketing promotions, advertisements and sponsored content.