Pitch
Cheap hubcap w/ integrated centrifugal pump, pressure canister, mechanically adjustable valve assembly that automatically inflates the tire.
Description
Guidance on collaborative pilot
This is a pilot test of a new, collaborative approach for getting work done in the Climate CoLab. It will run during March and April of 2012.Just like in the 2011 activities, anyone can create a proposal. But there is also a community proposal, where members are encouraged to work together in a collaborative way. Any member can contribute to the community proposal as long as they are logged in.
The community proposal is like a wiki, so the history of edits is tracked, and you can revert to prior versions of the proposal if desired.
Please also use the Comments to express your opinion on whether or not you would like to see this collaborative approach used in the Climate CoLab in 2012.
Feel free to organize the proposal as you see fit. One thought—it's good to have a brief summary of the overall proposal at the top, as an aid to readers.Proposal Text
Summary
Create a cheap hubcap with integrated centrifugal pump powered by rotation, then stored in small integrated pressure canister connected to a mechanically adjustable valve assembly that automatically inflates the tire whenever pressure drops below valve setting. Benefits include safety, improved tire wear and reliability, convenience (eliminate #1 hassle of car ownership), improved mileage!!! You can improve your gas mileage by up to 3.3 percent by keeping your tires inflated to the proper pressure. Under-inflated tires can lower gas mileage by 0.3 percent for every 1 psi drop in pressure of all four tires. Properly inflated tires are safer and last longer. Not sure what the average % of underinflation is, but 10% would be around 4psi would result in 1.2% better mileage. Multiply this by 1B cars wordwide and you've taken the equivelent of 120,000,000 cars off the road.
Category of the action
Reducing emissions from transportation
What actions do you propose?
Partner with Manufacturer
Marketing Plan (I'm a marketer)
Sell Millions
Who will take these actions?
Hmm.
Where will these actions be taken?
My dreams.
How much will emissions be reduced or sequestered vs. business as usual levels?
120,000,000 vehicles worth if deployed worldwide.
What are other key benefits?
This is a great example of something that should be open source like the lightning-rod in order to encourage global competition and deployment. Basically, sell the first few million and lead the market.
What are the proposal’s costs?
Designing a working prototype: $3-5K
Tooling for manufacture: $20-50K
Production: ??
Marketing $1-3M
Time line
Design phase: 6-mos
Production: 9-12mos
Selling: 12-18mos