Maybe not too many people know that a number of cars have been built that operate on only two wheels (like an ecomobile or a litestar motorcycle), but they use a gyro to stabilize them--they can't tip over while the gyro is running. Two wheels is efficient and encourages a pointy-car design with less frontal area.

These cars use a pendelum-counterweight and a rack that pushes on the axle of the gyro if they start to tip and the precession forces of the gyro keep the car straight. Really straight. But the precession forces also naturally make the car 'bank' into corners. Trains were built like this, too, requiring only one rail, mono-rails.

http://www.dself.dsl.pipex.com/MUSEUM/TRANSPORT/gyrocars/gyrocar.htm#gyro3

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gyro_Monorail

I think this is a great idea, but I also think a smart designer could combine this with an energy storage flywheel and use the gyro to store braking and fluctuating energy while the car is in motion. This would give you the most rpms when the car is stopped and the least when you're traveling at speed. Perfect.

I've never seen one of these gyrocars, but I think its a cool idea and this idea deserves another try, but with a new twist.

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