Footage of the DDWFTTW vehicle in Ivanpah

[paultakushi]

Watch the Discovery Channel vid. It explains the physics very well. Oh, if we could only get our cars to do the same thing on existing streets!

[pinzgauernorcal]

is this electric or wind powered ?

[OliverNasiell]

@pinzgauernorcal its wind powered. the prop is driving the back two wheels to make it go faster than the wind thayt blows it

[pinzgauernorcal]

@OliverNasiell WOW is the wind blowing from behind or the front ?

[OliverNasiell]

@pinzgauernorcal from behind you can make a toy one yourself at makezine.com/26/downwind

[LievenScheire]

@OliverNasiell Aren't the wheels driving the prop?

[OliverNasiell]

@LievenScheire the prop is driving the wheels

[LievenScheire]

@OliverNasiell Hi Oliver, are you sure?... If the vehicle drives faster then the wind and the prop takes energy from the wind, then it should slow down to the wind speed. But if it goes faster then the wind, and the wheels take energy from the ground to make the prop 'push' even harder against the tailwind, then it could work.

Or am I missing something?

[yenvalmar]

@LievenScheire yes it was confusing to me at first also, but its actually powered by the prop creating thrust driven by the wheels turning, not the wind blowing the prop causing the wheels to turn. I can't explain it but thats the word from people who make these things in real life.