How one man with a hacksaw and an e-bike became a Texas flood ‘hero’
Locals call him the “Bicycle hero,” but Texas man Evan Wayne says he’s just doing what he can to help his community after it was cut off due to the recent devastating and deadly flooding tragedy.
When the local Sandy Creek flooded following torrential rains in Texas, it destroyed the only bridge into one community. Residents were cut off from access to supplies, including everything from necessities like food, water, and medicine to basic comforts.
Although the bridge was impassable to cars, volunteers who quickly organized to help the stranded residents found that the damaged bridge could still be traversed on foot. Or in the case of Evan Wayne, it could be covered by an electric bike.
Evan joined hundreds of volunteers who answered the call of grassroots organizers by working together without any official capacity. While many started by hand-pulling garden carts of supplies uphill to reach the stricken community, Evan jury-rigged a trailer to an e-bike and took on as much of the load as he could, helping shuttle much-needed food and gear into the community over hundreds of round-trip journeys.
“This was a dog trailer 48 hours ago. I had a hacksaw, hacked the top off, grabbed some bungee cords, and here we are,” explained Evan in an interview with CBS Austin, while waiting for the next load of gear to be stacked on his trailer.
In the first two days of the operation, he made around 100 round trips each day, shuttling food and water as well as critical rescue supplies. “Right now, I’m waiting on a couple of chainsaws that I’ll bring in for a crew that’s been going at it with handsaws so far.”
In addition to delivering needed supplies, Evan has often found himself moving something even more important: information. “I’ve flagged down medics. I’ve been the guy that goes between Austin EMT and STAR Flight because I’m quicker than cell phones sometimes, people don’t have signal a lot of the time.”
Evan quickly points out that he isn’t the only one helping. “I’ve got an e-bike, but other people are pulling carts. People are walking, people are carrying things. Everyone is doing what they can.” But there’s no doubt that his ability to carry more gear at higher speeds and make hundreds of round-trip journeys so far in and out of the stricken neighborhood has helped impact countless lives.
“This is all volunteers here. They’re just taking it upon themselves to get people where they need to go. I think there’s an umbrella company coming in, taking over tomorrow, but until they get here, people are just taking care of people, which is what you’ve got to do.”
E-bikes proving their worth in emergencies
While many people consider electric bicycles just another form of recreation, they’ve proven to be potent transportation alternatives after natural disasters worldwide.
Not only do their small and efficient batteries make performing hundreds of rescue trips like Evans’ possible, but recharging can be done simply and easily with a solar panel when electricity is out after a disaster. And when gas stations are out of fuel (or simply can’t pump it with the power grid down), e-bikes can keep running while gasoline-powered motorcycles or ATVs run dry.
Electric bicycle batteries have also proven to be a handy source of emergency power after hurricanes and other disasters, often helping owners keep their phones charged up for days to remain in contact with family or rescue services.
While most hope to never need theirs for emergency purposes, electric bicycles have proven their worth in countless disaster scenarios, adding benefits far beyond just alternative transportation, recreation, or fitness riding.
Image credits: CBS Austin (screenshots), used under fair use
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Environment
Zoox has officially begun offering (free) robotaxi rides to the general public around LasVegas
Bespoke robotaxi developer Zoox officially launched driverless rides around the Las Vegas Strip today. The milestone follows months of testing in the area, and the initial rides are free for the general public.
In the eleven years since its incorporation, Zoox, Inc. has taken a unique and exciting approach to rideshare transportation. Instead of building a robotaxi fleet using existing vehicles retrofitted with autonomous driving technology, Zoox introduced its own novel electric vehicle early.
While most of the company’s initial test fleet consisted of existing vehicles equipped with sensors and cameras, we have closely followed the development, testing, and implementation of Zoox’s purpose-built robotaxis, which is designed without pedals or a steering wheel.
In the past, those unique Zoox EVs could be seen testing around the San Francisco Bay Area and the Las Vegas Strip, where the robotaxi network has been testing for over two years now. That initial route in Sin City consisted of a one-mile loop near Zoox’s Las Vegas headquarters, offering the ability to transport up to four passengers at speeds up to 35 mph.
At the time, initial test rides were conducted by Zoox employees before “expanding over the coming months.” By March 2024, Zoox had upped the robotaxi’s top speed to 45 mph in Las Vegas and expanded operational hours to include nighttime driving and service under light rain and damp road conditions.
Following these expansions, Zoox said it was closer than ever to commercial operations and paid customer rides. Today, the robotaxi provider has reached that milestone in Vegas, offering the general public free rides in its purpose-built vehicles (an industry first).
Anyone can now order a Zoox robotaxi in Las Vegas
According to a blog post from Zoox this morning, it is celebrating becoming the first company in history to provide fully autonomous ride-hailing services to the public using a purpose-built robotaxi. Las Vegas is the perfect backdrop for Zoox’s unique ride-hailing experience, as its robotaxis could help transport some of the city’s 40 million annual visitors. Per Zoox CEO Aicha Evans:
The autonomous vehicle industry has made remarkable strides this year, bringing us closer to a future of safer, more accessible mobility. With the launch of our fully driverless ride-hailing service using a purposefully designed robotaxi, we’re thrilled to be part of this groundbreaking journey. Las Vegas is a city famous for unforgettable moments, and it is the ideal location for our debut. Zoox is about transforming the entire ride-hailing experience, making every ride a delightful experience
Starting today, September 10, you can download the Zoox app to your iOS or Android device and hail one of the company’s truly driverless robotaxi operating in Las Vegas. To begin, all rides are free, so early passengers can “become familiar with Zoox, our service, and share their feedback” before the company scales to paid rides, which still requires regulatory approval.
Looking ahead, Zoox said customers can also join the waitlist for robotaxi rides in San Francisco. The company hasn’t announced a launch date for the Bay Area yet, but said more details are coming soon. Here’s a little peek at the Zoox robotaxi in action around Las Vegas:
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Toyota is gearing up to launch two new electric SUVs based on the RAV4 and Land Cruiser. The RAV4 and Land Cruiser EVs are set to replace a luxury Lexus model as Toyota shifts production plans.
When will Toyota launch the RAV4 and Land Cruiser EVs?
We knew Toyota was up to something. Reports have been surfacing for months about its plans to build new electric SUVs in Kentucky.
Toyota confirmed earlier this year that it “plans to produce two all-new, three-row battery electric SUVs in the US.”
Although it initially planned to build them at its manufacturing plant in Princeton, Indiana, the automaker announced last month that both will now be assembled at Toyota Kentucky.
According to a new Nikkei report, the two new EVs will be based on the Toyota RAV4 and Land Cruiser. A person close to the matter claimed that the new electric SUVs will replace the Lexus ES sedan, which is currently built in Kentucky.
The next-gen Lexus ES will be made in Japan and exported to the US, the source said, adding that the shift is not related to the new US auto tariffs.
However, like past reports, Nikkei claimed the move was part of Toyota’s broader plans to consolidate production. Lexus brand vehicles will reportedly be moved to a single location, while Toyota ramps up production of the larger Grand Highlander in Kentucky.
Toyota responded to the report, saying it has not publicly announced the changes, but added that the company is reviewing production plans “to make ever-better cars.”
The RAV4 and Land Cruiser EVs are expected to be among seven new electric models Toyota launches in the US by mid-2027.
Following the updated bZ electric SUV, which will hit US dealerships soon, Toyota will introduce the C-HR and bZ Woodland crossover SUVs in 2026.
Toyota Motor North America vice president, David Christ, boasted that the company is “loading the bases” with new battery electric, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid vehicles on deck.
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Boost, a UK-based company better known for its electric bike conversion kits, has released a new electric bike that is designed to be as compact as possible, despite not being a folding e-bike. Or at least, not a folding frame e-bike.
That’s because while the Boost Bike doesn’t fold in half like many compact e-bikes, it still manages to shrink down significantly thanks to a nifty set of handlebars that can be turned sideways or even removed entirely. Those compacting tricks help it fit easily in car trunks, hallways, or small apartment nooks – making it a great urban companion for riders tight on space.
The swiveling bars take a page out of JackRabbit’s playbook, though on Boost’s version, they appear to only allow the bike to narrow itself down to a 10″ (25 cm) wide. The JackRabbit’s 90-degree swiveling handlebars famously allow a svelter 7″ (17.8 cm) figure.
The frame itself is a rugged mini-bike design built from aircraft-grade 6061-T6 aluminum, and it’s paired with 20” x 1.75” tires that give it an even tinier look than it probably deserves. Hydraulic disc brakes and an 8-speed Shimano derailleur show that just because the bike is small, it’s not featureless. Though it’s also not a powerhouse, either.
Power comes from a 250W rear hub motor that keeps the bike street legal in the UK and EU, but it offers only a modest amount of torque at 42 Nm. Boost claims a top speed of 25 km/h (15.5 mph), as per e-bike regulations, and the company says its 7Ah battery is rated for up to 35 miles (56 km) under the most ideal of conditions.
There’s an option for a wireless display (to be added for an extra fee), or riders can use a smartphone app to control the bike.
BikeRadar puts the price at £1,250 (approximately US $1,700), though it says there is a non-electric version available for just under half that price. With that kind of sticker shock, the Boost Bike isn’t the cheapest mini e-bike on the market, but it may be one of the most minimalist-looking. If you’re ready to fork over the cash for one now, well then, you’ll have to… wait. It’s not yet for sale, though the company says it is coming soon.
Electrek’s Take
Hey, I’m all for lighter-weight e-bikes. At a time when the best-selling models are pushing 70 lb (32 kg), it’s a welcome relief to see lighter options. I wish I could tell you how light this one is, but the company doesn’t volunteer that interesting little nugget. I’d also love to tell you the battery capacity, but without hearing the voltage, that amp-hour figure is useless. I’ll assume 36V though, which would give us 250Wh of capacity.
The price here is the killer, as there’s nothing special about the bike other than its handlebars. The ‘e’ in the e-bike appears to be a fairly simple, standard conversion kit pre-installed on what is a neat little frame, but not quite worth US $1,700 in my book. But hey, if you want something nice and flat, there just aren’t many options out there, and this gets you there.
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