Taxis often have to shuffle forward at airports and outside of taxi ranks. This usually means them either leaving their engines running, or starting them up, moving a few feet, then switching off again. Both methods are wasteful and sources of increased pollution.
In some cities, drivers can be seen pushing their taxis forward by hand. That's not a great idea either for many reasons. Tiny T.I.M. solves this simple problem.
Tiny T.I.M. is a simple extra electric motor that engages with the main drive axle on demand, and inches the car forwards or backwards at less than one mile per hour.
It doesn't provide much strain on the battery as it's not intended to move the car more than about 20 feet at any time. Distances further than that cause the main engine to start automatically, to preserve the battery's charge.-- xenzag, Jun 27 2013 Or just install the system that most car washes use. That way the cab's not carrying a spare motor the rest of the time.-- MechE, Jun 27 2013 Or an inclined ramp covered in treacle? You'd have to find a way to stop people trying to lick it off the tyres when stuck in traffic.-- not_morrison_rm, Jun 27 2013 Hybrids work just great as taxis. Ask any owner- driver of a Hybrid Camry taxi.-- sstvp, Jun 27 2013 How'bout a different gearing for the starter motor instead ? [+]-- FlyingToaster, Jun 27 2013 I don't really see how this is different from a hybrid.-- DIYMatt, Jun 27 2013 // why haven't we got combined dynamo/starters these days ? // They do, but every time the engineers design one, the marketing deparment slaps a "hybrid" label on the trunk.
Around here, it seem like half of the Taxis are Priuses.-- scad mientist, Jun 28 2013 //That's not a great idea either for many reasons// What reasons? When I had a car I often did this to adjust parking positions etc.-- pocmloc, Jun 28 2013 Love it, but, could the creeper motor be flywheels spun up to speed by the vehicles initial deceleration?-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Jun 28 2013 No, because frictional losses on a flywheel would result in all of the energy being lost by the time the car needs to move again. What is needed in this situation, is a giant spring that gets wound up when the car stops that can turn the drive shaft later when it's needed.-- DIYMatt, Jun 28 2013 // frictional losses on a flywheel //
Frictionless bearings with permanent magnets. Just don't make any sharp turns.-- Alterother, Jun 28 2013 Pedals.-- scad mientist, Jun 28 2013 Install a BFM (Big Freakin' Magnet) at the front of the line and switch it on whenever you want the row of taxis to move toward it.
It can also be switched on when you want to see how much loose change you can collect from the drivers' pockets!-- Canuck, Jun 29 2013 random, halfbakery