A person who drives 60 miles to work every day has different needs than someone who drives across town. So instead of designing electric cars to match the performance of petroleum-powered vehicles, researchers at Carnegie Mellon’s ChargeCar initiative think that EVs should be designed for individual commuting needs. To that end, ChargeCar hopes to create a so-called “commute ecology” based on crowdsourced data to develop EVs for different types of commutes.
What if you could drive onto the highway, take your hands off the wheel, and sit back and read a book? That might not be as far-fetched as you might think if an EU-financed research project is successful. The project, dubbed SARTRE (Safe Road Trains for the Environment) wants to link vehicles together in eight-car “road trains” led by a professional driver. The project, which is aimed at commuters traveling long distances, could drastically cut travel time, congestion, and fuel consumption.
For centuries sailors have used stars to navigate around the world. Now space-sailors might be able to use the stars to move through the universe — literally! Instead of cruising to Mars on a giant tank of oil, we could soon sail through space using just the energy from sunlight. The Planetary Society — a non-profit space exploration organization — just announced that in 2010 it will send a satellite dubbed LightSail-1 into space that will be propelled by solar sails. The mylar-winged vessel will carry not a drop of fuel (making it much lighter than contemporary space craft) and will be the first in a three part program that aims to prove that solar sailing is a viable technology
Toyota is leasing 500 prototype plug-in hybrid Prius’s to lucky recipients in the U.S, Europe, and Japan next year, but what about all the other Prius owners who want to provide some plug-in juice to their cars? Enter 3Prong Power, a Berkeley, California startup that offers plug-in hybrid conversions for first, second and third generation Prius’s as well as the Ford Escape Hybrid.
We’ve see plenty of great green concept cars at this week’s Tokyo Motor Show, but Yamaha might take the prize for the best-looking two-wheeler with its new EC-f electric motorcycle. Designed to make motorcycling attractive to riders of all ages and experience levels, the vehicle features a lightweight aluminum frame, a long-lasting lithium ion battery, and a 0.6 kWh electric motor.
Our Green Talks series of interviews with green thought-leaders has been a smash success so far – garnering hundreds of registrants and viewers from all over the globe, and we’re super excited about the next one, which is happening TOMORROW at 3:30pm est! with Boston’s Bike “Czar” Nicole Freedman. We’re beyond thrilled to announce this interview with Nicole, as she is the driving force behind the first citywide bike-sharing system in the United States! …
We love seeing eco-upgrades that increase the efficiency of existing vehicles, but a select few are taking their customization to a whole other level. These cars and trucks may have slick paint jobs and fancy rims, but they also have some experimental features that are a far cry from your typical hybrid or biodiesel. Read on for our list of the Top 5 Pimped Out Eco Rides, featuring the most incredible souped-up vehicles that serve to promote alternative fuels!
Although the idea of a folding bike isn’t new or novel, Mexican designer Victor Aleman has managed to spice things up a bit with his Eco 7 Folding bike. Aleman has designed a modern folding bike with wheels that compartmentalize and disassemble into a neat and tidy package – a perfect space saver for the urbanite.
Now that it’s clear that the flying cars we were promised as youngsters are not going to appear anytime soon, we can perhaps take comfort in the arrival of the brilliant HEPAV 1.1, a human-electric powered amphibious vehicle from the creative mind of Czech designer and inventor David Buchwaldek. Like an eco-superhero’s signature ride, the HEPAV 1.1 can travel the streets in style and drive straight into the water without missing a beat. Sustainable, human-powered locomotion never looked so good.
Pedal power is clearly on the rise. Bike sharing programs are spreading throughout the world, David Byrne’s new book Bicycle Diaries is flying off the shelves, and brilliant new designs like this, this and this, are appearing all over the globe. A wonderfully quirky addition to the scene is the Hopworksfiets party bike, a brilliant mash-up of human-powered pizza delivery, brew pub, and portable entertainment system. Created by Portland, OR-based bike builders Metrofiets, the Hopworksfiets is designed to deliver everything you need to get your pedal-powered party rolling.
Not since Tesla electrified the auto world with its lean green supercars has an all-electric vehicle gotten pulses pounding this quickly. Germany-based auto manufacturer E-Wolf recently unveiled images and specs of their new e2, a 537 horsepower plug-in sports car that boasts slick Italian styling and a 0-60 speed of under 4 seconds.
Any big city resident can attest to the issue of rampant bike thefts — most of us have have experience with at least a wheel being stolen. The only solution up until now been to ride around on a cheap bike, but the Biomega Boston folding bicycle changes all that with a virtually theft-proof design.
Few land vehicles are capable of hitting 300 miles per hour – it is, after all, a pretty impressive speed for a car to achieve. That figure becomes even more incredible when you enter the realm of alternative transportation. However just last week the Buckeye Bullet 2 became the first hydrogen powered vehicle to exceed that speed, smashing the world speed record for fuel cell vehicles with a scorching 304mph run!
One of the biggest problems with electric vehicle technology is the lack of a plug-in infrastructure on our roads. But that problem is about to disappear — at least for some commuters on Highway 101 going between San Francisco and Los Angeles — thanks to a so-called “electric highway” of five recharging stations between the two cities. Four of the stations are already online, and a fifth will be up and running in Goleta by October.
For most people, bicycles represent a means of transportation, a fun activity, or even objects of affection. For David Byrne they’re much more – they offer a unique opportunity to experience the culture, history, and vitality contained within our built environment. Due for release today, Bicycle Diaries is a freewheeling travelogue that finds Byrne pedaling through the cities of the world as he expounds upon architecture, infrastructure, and life within the world’s great cities.
Mission Motors‘ emission-free superbike recently shattered the world land speed record for electric motorcycles as it clocked in a series of scorching 150mph runs at Utah’s Bonneville Salt Flats. Designed in collaboration with Fuse Project, we knew that the superbike had great things in store when Yves Béhar unveiled it earlier this year, and we’re thrilled to see it deliver on its promise!
When it comes to the future of automotive technology, electric cars get the lion’s share of the attention. But hydrogen-powered vehicles are slowly gaining traction, first with an announcement last week that auto companies are spending billions on fuel cell vehicles, and now with news that Germany is planning to launch a countrywide hydrogen fueling network by 2015!
Just yesterday San Francisco saw the unveiling of the world’s first algae fuel-powered vehicle, dubbed the Algaeus. The plug-in hybrid car, which is a Prius tricked out with a nickel metal hydride battery and a plug, runs on green crude from Sapphire Energy — no modifications to the gasoline engine necessary. The set-up is so effective, according to FUEL producer Rebecca Harrell, that the Algaeus can run on approximately 25 gallons from coast to coast!
Outside of Israel and Shai Agassi’s electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure company Better Place, the Middle East doesn’t have much of an electric car industry. That might change soon now that a team of Iranian scientists from Tehran’s Khaje Nasir Toosi University of Technology have developed the country’s first EV, a mini two-seater called “Qasedak-e Nasir”, or the dandelion of Nasir.
Who knew that pedal-powered flight would have such a sudden resurgence in popularity? Recently we looked at a Dutch teenager who is making waves with his pedal-powered plane made out of balsa wood and foil, and now we’ve learned that the American Helicopter Society is trying to garner even more interest in pedal power with a $250,000 prize.
Ever drive on the highway and think about how much solar energy is wasted on the asphalt below? Apparently, so has Solar Roadways. The startup was awarded a $100,000 U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) grant this week to prototype its Solar Road Panel–an energy-generating panel made from solar cells and glass that is meant to replace petroleum-based asphalt on roads and in parking lots.
Homer’s beloved character, Odysseus, may have garnered international acclaim by traversing the globe in a ship, but we think the famed traveler’s latest namesake represents a much hotter way to roam. Aurora Flight Sciences has unveiled a solar-powered concept plane, the Odysseus. The autonomous surveillance craft boasts the ability to fly above the earth for up to five years straight, deriving power solely from its solar panels.
Bicycles are our favorite form of transportation during the breezy summer months, but the stormy season is right around the corner and everyone knows that riding a bike through the rain is the quickest route to getting soaked. Enter the Bite Bike, a sleek aerodynamic shell that snaps onto any bicycle to provide protection from the elements once the weather turns for the worse. Bike commuters rejoice!
Hybrid-electric vehicles are expected to explode in popularity over the next decade thanks to their gasoline-saving abilities. But Korea’s Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) thinks that battery-powered cars aren’t the answer to our energy crisis. Instead, KAIST has developed a new kind of electric vehicle that forgoes batteries entirely and instead relies on power from cables buried beneath the road.
GM recently made waves for claiming that its new electric Volt gets 230 mpg, but the magic number seems more like 40. That’s because miles per gallon really only matter when a gas engine combusts. The Volt on the other hand will go around 40 miles on its electric battery before switching over to gas. If customers drive less than 40 miles per day, and if GM keeps the price under $40K (plus a $7,500 federal tax credit), many Americans could find themselves getting unlimited mpg for whatever it costs to plug in. So can GM really claim that the vehicle gets 230mpg? That’s where public debate heats up.
What’s lighter than air, soars through the sky, and stands to save our suburbs by breaking the shackles of car culture? The answer is Airbia, an incredible fleet of high-flying airships that aims to create an efficient and eco-friendly alternative to smog-choked suburban commutes. Designed by Alexandros Tsolakis and Irene Shamma, the airship infrastructure system ferries passengers quickly and easily from their suburban homes to urban city centers, and we imagine that gliding through the clouds at the break of dawn each day would make for a heck of a morning commute.
We talk about green cars all the time, but this is ridiculous! It seems that quite a number of people have taken to covering their cars in astroturf, sod and actual grass – but why? And is there any actual environmental benefit to this bizarre practice? If you know, please enlighten us!
With major auto manufactures rushing to green their upcoming vehicle lines as quickly as possible, Ford Motor Company has announced that it is researching an innovative material that may one day become as ubiquitous as plastic – liquid wood! The material is derived from waste wood, can be molded into different shapes, and the best news is that according to Ford, it is almost carbon neutral.
Southern California will soon be getting a much needed infrastructure update in the form of Orange County’s recently unveiled Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center (ARTIC). Designed by HOK Los Angeles and Parsons Brinkerhoff, the transit center will serve as a hub for commuter trains and two new high speed rail lines that will help commuters, fans, residents and tourists move seamlessly between transit services in Southern California and beyond. In addition to offering increased accessibility to green transportation, the station will be shooting to achieve LEED Platinum certification, the highest possible certification with the USGBC.
We’ve made no secret of our never-ending love for bikes here at Inhabitat – as one of the world’s most efficient modes of transportation they’re also an emission free, healthy, and enjoyable way to get around. There’s no better season to ride a bike than in the summer, so we figured the time is right to bring you a collection of our favorite pedal-powered rides. Without further delay we present to you our picks for the sexiest cycles around!
Designer Chiyu Chen has conceived of an ingenious transit system that encourages the use of sustainable transportation by crediting people for renting and riding bicycles. His Hybrid2 system consists of a fleet of rentable bicycles that are capable of generating and storing kinetic energy, which is then used to power the city’s hybrid electric buses. Simply rent a bike, charge it up with kinetic energy from pedal power, and then return it to a kiosk – the station feeds energy into the city’s smart grid, and you receive a credit towards your next bus pass!
In the search for a low-cost, fuel-efficient, safe, and environmentally friendly alternative to motorcycles, the mayor of a city in the Philippines recently rolled out two incredible taxis crafted from one of our favorite renewable materials – bamboo! Rustico Balderian, mayor of Tabontabon, has commissioned the construction of two taxis made from 90% bamboo that are powered by coconut biodiesel – take that steel-based cars!
Flight pioneer Bertrand Piccard, an aeronaut who made the first nonstop round the world balloon flight, recently unveiled a prototype of an incredible solar-powered airplane that will one day circle the globe. Dubbed the Solar Impulse, the plane first caught our attention when it was being developed, and we’re thrilled to see a working prototype of the vehicle. Is the age of the solar powered airplane upon us?
After a successful series of trials in London, Daimler has just announced that the Smart Fortwo Electric is officially ready for small series production! The all-electric version of everyone’s favorite ultra-efficient minicar will feature a 41 hp Zytek electric motor capable of propelling it up to zippy top speed of 60mph with a range of 72 miles, making it perfect for inner-city driving and daily commutes. Now that seems like a smart <sorry> idea to us!
Ohio State University recently took top honors in the 2009 EcoCAR Competition, which challenged students across the US and Canada to redesign a standard Saturn VUE into an ultra-efficient vehicle. Their winning EcoCAR utilizes a lithium battery and an ethanol-fueled engine to achieve an incredible 300% increase in fuel efficiency over its standard model counterpart! The vehicle took plenty of man hours, good design and well-honed math skills, but the end result proves that future-forward vehicles can be built with the technology of today.
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