Zooming down a drag strip inside of a plastic trash can seems like a terrible idea. Regardless, that’s what speed freak Chris Rollins did. In his quest to set a new world record, he built a motorized tricycle that fits inside the can and outfitted it with a 12 hp Honda clone engine. We can only imagine how terrifying it is to drive.
Vehicles that roll on tracks are generally built for their terrain-handling capabilities and not their speed. But rctestflight managed to achieve both with this machine, a direct-drive snowcat driven by electric skateboard motors. With its skinny tracks installed, the custom-built R/C vehicle can hit speeds up to 50 mph.
James from Project Air likes to make things that go fast. Recently, he produced a series of experimental builds to see which method of propulsion would make the fastest possible LEGO vehicle. Which will hit the top speed? Multiple LEGO motors, rocket engines, or a brushless motor from an R/C sports car?
We were convinced this video was sped up, but it’s not. What you’re about to witness is the crazy speed that an electric model car can hit when placed on a twisty, slotless car track. The description doesn’t say if the Tamiya Mini 4WD car has been modified in some way, but we’re betting it’s been tweaked. And then there’s night mode.
At a speed of 30 MPH, a skateboard wheel spins at about 5000 RPM. The guys at the Waterjet Channel wanted to see how quickly they could get a wheel to spin under the pressure of their 60,000 PSI waterjet. After realizing that ordinary plastic wheels wouldn’t hold up, they milled their own out of aluminum.
After tweaking his ankle, Sur Ronster needed a better way to get around than on crutches. So he reached out to his pal Domo to put together a mobility scooter. But this isn’t your granddad’s Hoveround. This insane ride has a full suspension and a Surron Storm Bee 22.5 kW dirt bike motor powered by 72-volt batteries.
Scot Burner has perfected the art of driving backward at a high speed. In June 2022, he set a Guinness World Record for the fastest mile driven in reverse, achieving the feat in 1-minute, 15.18 seconds. 53 mph might not seem quick, but remember that cars only have a single reverse gear. Scot explained his motivation on 30 Second Docs.
Most go-karts have a frame made from metal. But Doctor D.S. shows us how it’s possible to make a homebrew kart using a wooden shipping pallet and a 200cc gas engine. He still had to use metal for the axles and mechanicals, but it’s still an impressive build. We’d love to see how fast it goes on something besides grass, though.
There are many faster ways to get around than walking, but Shift Robotics wants to improve that too. Their Moonwalkers shoes let you walk naturally while increasing your speed up to 250%. They’re far beyond ordinary roller skates, with the smarts to move with your gait and to stop naturally. You can even climb stairs in them.
We’ve seen Cassie, the Ostrich-shaped robot strut her stuff before. Now the speedy automaton has set a record for the fastest 100-meter dash ever run by a bipedal robot. With a time of 24.73 seconds, she’s no Usain Bolt, but it’s still an impressive achievement for the engineers from Oregon State University.
Jake Laser wishes he could run as fast as Usain Bolt. But he’s never going to achieve that goal without some mechanical assistance. So he got to work figuring out the best way to increase his running speed through a series of experiments with jets, a windsurfing wing, low-friction shoe soles, and lots of practice.
When engineers need to test missile components without launching actual missiles, they test them on a rocket-powered sled. Holloman Air Force Base is home to a test track where they fire hypersonic sleds at speeds up to Mach 8.6 – about 6599 mph. They’ve also figured out how to stop and recover them quickly.
The fastest we’ve ever ridden a bicycle was about 35 mph downhill and that was sketchy. But cyclist Brian “Safa” Wagner has a need for speed, and he shared this video of a ride from the mountains into the desert during which he hit speeds up to 65 mph. The crazy thing is the world record is 184 mph – with the help of a dragster.
Not long ago, Bob “Rocketman” Maddox fired up his Beast Jet Kart – but he only pushed its accelerator pedal down about halfway. This time, he went full throttle, driving the obnoxiously loud go-kart through the desert at about 60 mph. We’re impressed he didn’t drop his selfie stick.
Segway’s GT electric scooters are built for speed. The 6000-watt GT2 zooms from 0-to-30 mph in 3.9 sec with a top speed of 43.5 mph. Both the GT1 and GT2 roll on 11-inch pneumatic tires, with front and rear suspension, hydraulic disc brakes, and an extra-wide footboard. The add-on Segway Engine speaker simulates engine sounds.
We just got done repainting some walls at home and it took like 30 minutes to get each of them coated. But this talented painter shows how he covers a whole wall in under a minute after masking and prep of outlets. We’re amazed that the roller held so much paint.
Corso Concepts’ single-passenger reverse trike is a track day beast. It has a steel roll cage and carbon composite shell, and a curb weight of just 1,000 pounds. Its rear wheel is driven by a Hayabusa motor that makes 175 hp and spins at 11,000 RPM. Not awesome enough for you? Let the in-car footage convince you.
Developed by North American Aviation back in the late 1950s for the U.S. Air Force and NASA, the X-15 was an experimental aircraft that could achieve speeds up to Mach 6.7. Real Engineering delves into the history of this rocket-powered plane, and the innovations and technologies that allowed it fly at insane speeds and altitudes.
Builder Ivan Miranda claims he’s built the fastest model train of its size. The powerful electric train has no payload other than its motors, wiring, and battery pack, and can hit a scale speed of 485 km/h, or just over 301 mph if it were upscaled to the size of a real train. We wouldn’t want to be a tiny passenger on that thing when it derailed.
When we first watched this video of Kickboxer Pavel Trussov showing how fast he can punch, we thought it was sped up. It’s not. This guy really did manage 334 to perform full-extension punches in just one minute, setting a Guinness World Record in the process. Give him 3 minutes, and he can manage 919 punches.
When you want to show off how fast you can play, the go-to choice for many musicians is Flight of the Bumblebee. We’ve heard the tune played on all kinds of instruments, but never on a toy piano. Listen as Hayato “Cateen” Sumino lets his fingers fly across the tiny ivories, gradually increasing his speed to an insane 250 BPM.
We have no way of knowing if he missed any notes, but to our untrained ears, flutist Armin Gheitasi’s 300 bpm, sub-45 second performance of Rimsky-Korsakov’s Flight of the Bumblebee is the fastest we’ve ever heard anyone play any wind instrument.
French supercar maker Bugatti has taken its over-the-top Chiron, and bestowed it with hardware that makes it capable of breaking 300 mph. Its 16-cylinder quad-turbo engine makes an insane 1578 hp, and it has upgraded aero to keep it glued to the tarmac at speed. Just 30 of the cars will be made, with prices starting at $3.9 million.
