Jesse James

Despite signs that hydrogen fuel is falling out of favor with automakers (and the U.S. government) — James is confident there will be a place for it down the road. He even believes a vehicle that creates hydrogen from water alone (using electrolysis) can be built within the next year. Here are some highlights:

On becoming a bad-ass poster boy for the environmental movement:

“Like I want to be the pied piper of all tree-huggers,” James laughs. “I don’t want a bunch of people with … Birkenstocks to show up to the shop now from Oregon. We’re not going to make West Coast Choppers God’s eyes and sand candles and shopping bags for Whole Foods. I wanted to prove I can make a car go 200 on water.”

What he thinks about electric vehicles:

Electric, James says, is “for dorks.” “All the people involved with that technology are Dungeons and Dragons freaks. I’m just not that into it.” “It’s too easy.”

The Tesla, he says, is “lame. Who wants to ride around in a not-as-nice Lotus Elise?”

As for the Chevy Volt, James defers to General Motors’ own product chief, Bob Lutz. “He said the only chicks you’re gonna get with this car don’t shave their legs. To be that non-passionate about your product, it’s blatantly obvious why GM’s in the [toilet]. If you’re passionate about what you do, it’s gonna be contagious.”

On building a car that runs on water:

“Someone’s gonna invent a car that you can dump water right in. It will have a battery storage system like a hybrid and that will be used with electrolysis to convert water to hydrogen right on-site and you’ll be able to run it with water and it’ll be fully self-contained, self-sufficient,” said James, who gives such technology a one-year timeline.

What do you think about James’ comments? Personally, I think he’s approaching everything from the view of a gear-head and less “big-picture”. There’s obviously a massive role for electric technology to play in the future of transportation — and I wouldn’t count hydrogen out just yet either. A car that runs on water in only a year? Probably won’t happen — but if so, let’s hope the oil companies don’t send someone to take him/her “out”.

To read the full interview — and find out the other ways James is going green outside the shop, jump here.

Jesse James, famous for his West Coast Choppers business and actress wife Sandra Bullock, is being challenged over recent reports that he successfully broke the world landspeed record for a hydrogen-powered vehicle.

The 40-year-old has been preparing for the attempt for over a year now — and on June 16th blazed across El Mirage Dry Lake Bed at 199.7 mph, breaking the previous record held by BMW of 186.52 mph. The stunt was taped as part of the season finale for his television show Jesse James is a Dead Man.

Not so fast, says landspeed historian Louise Ann Noeth. According to a press release issues through her company, Landspeed Productions, the “claim is without merit since the activities were conducted without benefit of any motorsports sanctioning authority. The vehicle was neither inspected, nor certified and all the timing personnel were on the James TV payroll.”

Ms. Noeth said that all world landspeed records require “two runs over a one-mile course within one hour. James was 5,148 feet short — being timed one-way for a total of 132 feet; he made only three or four passes over an eight to ten-hour period.”

Wired Magazine seems to have confirmed the allegations saying that the president of the Southern California Timing Association sent them a note saying that “Mr James did not set any record. What he did accomplish was to exceed an existing record speed previously set by BMW.” Ok, so he went really fast. Still, a pretty decent feat nonetheless — just seems that the wording of that accomplishment needs to be changed.

For more info on James’ hydrogen-powered monster, jump here.

Photo credit: Hildie Katibah for Spike TV

Stars like Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman, Michele Williams, and Naomi Watts have come together to create a $10,000 acting scholarship in Heath Ledger’s name. The award will be given annually to a rising young Australian actor or actress looking to pursue a career in the United States. The scholarship award will be run by the L.A.-based non profit, Australians in Film.[Read more...]

Donald Trump’s The Apprentice continues to have a heartbeat on television with its 2009 celebrity edition. Last year’s first incarnation brought millions to charity, with Piers Morgan eventually winning and securing $250,000 for the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund. This year, the celebrity participants are much-more recognizable — with Clint Black, Andrew Dice Clay, Annie Duke, Tom Green, Natalie Gulbis, Scott Hamilton, Jesse James, Claudia Jordan, Khloe Kardashian, Brian McKnight, Joan Rivers, Melissa Rivers, Brande Roderick, Dennis Rodman, Herschel Walker and Tionne Watkins all competing for charity. [Read more...]

How does Cloris Leachman, the former Dancing With The Stars contestant, manage to keep all that bubbly energy flowing at 82 years of age? One might chalk it up to the fact that she’s been a vegetarian for more than 50 years. [Read more...]

Lindsay Lohan would love to do more for charity, but the paparazzi just makes it too difficult. She tells Interview magazine, “You know what’s hard? I want to give back. I want to do all the things that will make me feel fulfilled. But whenever I do those things, people think it’s a press stunt or something. Because they (paparazzi) do find me, and there’s really no way of hiding from that.” That’s what’s stopping you from “giving back”? Cry me a river — the paps are a bitch, but if you really want to help, just get out there. [Read more...]

Photo credit: PR photos

Jesse was at AutoWeek’s annual design forum awards dinner promoting recycling and talked about his plans to shoot for the record. No stranger to Ecorazzi, we’ve profiled several times his support of the green movement; particularly eco-friendly building materials and the arts. From the article,

“Jesse says ‘we all want to go faster and have cooler, neater stuff, so we all have to pay our dues. … That’s just me trying to find some balance. … I want my kid to be able to drive my ‘cuda. So that’s my preachy speech.’ Jesse also says Al Gore is still ‘a dork’ and ‘I don’t want to go to an electric Formula One race.’”

Al Gore a dork? Them’s fighting words, James! Where’s celebrity deathmatch when we need it? Needless to say, I’ve got $20 on the motorcycle guy with tattoos. Gore doesn’t stand a chance without Tipper ready to tag in.

via autobloggreen