After the incident at the Fukushima station, the Japanese government is trying to develop a strategy for the country's development without the use of nuclear energy and strongly supports research in the field of alternative energy sources.
Biogas is an environmentally friendly fuel resource. This substance contains methane and carbon dioxide. It is formed by the decomposition of biomass by bacteria. There are various biogas plants that are used in farms and factories. Japanese scientists went much further and developed a model of a motorcycle that runs on this fuel.
Toto, Japan's leading toilet manufacturer, has released a motorcycle called the Toilet Bike Neo. However, the mass media more often refer to it as a “toilet bike”. Work on this project began in 2009. In 2011, it was presented at the company's forum in Fujisawa.
It is based on a single-cylinder Kawasaki Estrella 250 motorcycle. The seat of the three-wheeled vehicle is made in the form of a toilet bowl, and a giant roll of toilet paper is fixed in the back. However, this design is only needed to attract attention: the device is not intended to be used as a toilet and to process human feces. It is fueled by animal excrement and sewage. In this case, the motorcycle can cover up to 300 km without refueling. In addition, the toilet cistern has advanced functionality inherent in conventional Toto toilets. It can write messages with LED lights, play music, and even talk.
No mass launch of Toilet Bike Neo is planned. It is used exclusively for advertising purposes. The Iron Horse has already completed a successful 1400-kilometer trip through Japan in the fall of 2011. The journey began in Kita-Kyushu in Fukuoka Prefecture. During this time, the motorcycle stopped in various cities, including Kyoto and Hiroshima. Now it is periodically used for events aimed at promoting resource conservation.
