Here you can find all of our known methods for moving anything from a person to a large object, as close as feet and as far as miles. These are primarily land-based methods as opposed to sea or air based methods.
Table of contents
Combustion Motors: Wheeled Vehicles
Description: Wheeled vehicles powered by a motor powered by little controlled explosions cause by fuel, heat, pressure, and often a spark. Cars, trucks and 4-wheelers all fall under this category.
Benefits:
- Lots of power
- Very common
Drawbacks:
- Requires importing fuel, unless you have a fuel source such as wood-gas
- Toxic exhaust fumes
Combustion Motors: Tracked Vehicles
Description: These include snowmobiles, trail groomers, excavators, 4-trackers, tanks, etc. Most of the same qualities as combustion egines driving wheels. Primary differences are around terrain and efficiency.
Benefits:
- Traction in sand, snow, and mud
Drawbacks:
- Typically creates more drag which means less efficient energy use
Electric Motors: Wheeled Vehicles
Description: Wheeled vehicles powered by electric motors such as ebikes, electric golf carts, electric cars, etc.
Benefits:
- Electricity can be acquired or generated from many sources
Drawbacks:
- Often requires expensive, potentially dangerous (explosive) batteries
- Recharging takes more time than refueling
Pneumatic: Wheeled Vehicles
Description: A wheeled vehicle which is powered by compressed gas such as air.
Benefits:
- No combustion/fuel required
- No electricty required (when operating)
- Relatively quiet operation
- Little to no excess heat is generated
Drawbacks:
- Equipment and designs are relatively scarce
Human Powered: Wheeled Vehicles
Description: These include bicycles, carts, wheelbarrows, etc. Even things like roller skates fall under this category!
Benefits:
- Requires no fuel or charging
- Quiet operation
Drawbacks:
- Limited HP (human power)
- Requires food energy for the human
Force Multipliers
Description: This category name is definitely my own clasification. “Force multipliers” come in many variations, but what they all share in common is the ability to provide a mechanical advantage. Examples include block an tackle, come along (cable winch) or rope-puller, gin pole, etc.
Benefits:
- Can move large objects with human power
- Equipment is relatively inexpensive
Drawbacks:
- Can only move objects so far, so fast….not good for any real distance