Explain this? Vehicle travels faster than the wind. My head hurts trying to figure this out.

[OVERKILL]

the relative motion between the ground and the wind is what makes it work. whether its the ground or the wind that's moving doesn't matter.

It matters in pointing out the input source of energy, which is what I was noting.

also these vehicles can drive into the wind and they race them in Norway

Sure, but you won't have the same effect at that point, as the prop acts as a direct-drive wind turbine under that scenario, except instead of generating electricity, it's driving the wheels, pushing the vehicle into the wind.

So the mechanism isn't compounded sail+thrust with the wind creating the initial motion by pushing with the intended direction of travel, using the wheels to drive the prop (with mechanical advantage), which pushes against the wind, creating the differential between wind speed and land speed.

Remember, the confusion in the video isn't how the vehicle moves, it's how it moves faster than the wind speed.

 

[OVERKILL]

It comes down to the process of acceleration. There are several phases:

1. Initial traditional sail-like push
2. Positive feedback acceleration before reaching wind speed
3. Acceleration beyond wind speed due to continued differential leverage between ground and air
4. Equilibrium at some velocity

The treadmill starts at 3.

Yup. Only thing I'd add is that in the treadmill situation the moving ground is the input source of energy, while with the vehicle, it's the wind (as described). Treadmill scenario, the column of air is static and separate from the input, vehicle scenario the column of air is moving and is the input.