With all the emphasis being placed on ethanol as a substitute for fossil fuels, it is easy to loose track that producing it from valuable food sources may just bring a larger set of problems that will be even more difficult to resolve. But to hear that General Motors is working with Coskata Inc on a solution that may just solve two problems: getting rid of garbage, by turning into fuel.
Corn and soybean derived biofuels have long been the most promising options on the table for escaping the clutches of fast depleting petroleum. However, acquiring the space necessary to produce ethanol and biodiesel at the same consumption rate as fossil fuels would be impossible, so sustainable fingers are pointing to oilgae, or algae fuel. Algae produces 30 times more energy per acre than corn or soybeans and can grow in salt water, our worlds most abundant source. There are several startups bringing pond scum to fuel tanks, among them Solazyme who were caught driving around Sundance Film Festival this year with an oilgae-powered car.
Odd-looking doesn’t even begin to describe this hybrid concept vehicle, but the Toyota Hi-CT is a reflection of what a cool and enjoyable vehicle should look like, according to Toyota’s team of young Japanese and European designers. The Hi-CT evolved from the theme of “unbalanced” - the concept behind the entire design of the front-centered proportions. Wanting something that would make you stop and take a good look, Toyota has succeeded. And the young team of designers behind the Hi-CT have given this cool and enjoyable vehicle some very green aces up its sleeve.
Eye-catching aesthetics and implementation of a bevy of green building practices have brought a new oxymoron into consideration in the form of the Santa Monica Civic Center parking structure. This building is on its way to becoming the first LEED certified parking garage in the United States, shifting the sustainability merits of LEED debate into impassioned overdrive with plenty of fuel fodder for both sides of the argument.
Hydrogen fuel cells are not new technology but are an intriguing alternative power source. A fuel cell is a device that can convert hydrogen into electricity and is effectively a zero-emissions fuel source in operation (though not in manufacturing). It is commonly deployed in automobiles, and has also been used as a supplementary source of energy within buildings. Last week, Boeing demonstrated a small manned Dimona motor glider using only hydrogen fuel cells, making it the first time that a manned airplane has ever flown on this technology.
It seems like every other day now that a car company announces a new concept that is redefining what it means to be an environmentally friendly vehicle. However, when Toyota says it, we tend to take a closer look. It was Toyota, after all, that created the Prius, the standard to which all subsequent hybrid vehicles are measured. The Toyota 1/x concept, which recently appeared at the Chicago Auto Show, is Toyota’s latest attempt at redefining what a green vehicle means. And to them, it is all about making it weigh less.
In a deadening blow to a breathe-easy future for New York, the State Assembly has just shot down Mayor Bloomberg’s implementation plan for congestion mitigation. The proposal would have mobilized $354 million in federal grants to simultaneously tackle two dire transportation problems, alleviating inner-city traffic while providing a steady source of income for the funds-starved Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Early last week New York’s City Council had approved of the plan with a 30-20 vote, but it was snuffed by a secretive vote conducted by State Assembly higher ups.
We are always on the lookout for non-petroleum based means of transportation so its no wonder that the stylish Vectrix electric motorbike caught our attention. If you are going to live life in the fast lane, this sleek, all-electric, zero-emission motorbike might just be your best green solution for reducing fossil fuel consumption and emissions while riding around town. It runs clean, super far per charge and extremely fast, making it a smart alternative to four-wheeled city travels. See just how fast the Vectrix gets around in the video after the jump.
Social design organizerion Design 21 recently launched an inspiring bicycle-focused design competition called Power to the Pedal. The challenge is to design a biking accessory or add-on for existing bikes that will improve the bicycling experience and encourage more people to make biking their primary means of transport – more convenient, more enjoyable, safer and more integrated into daily lifestyles – whether it’s for commuting, working, shopping, transporting, leisure or all of the above.
Anyone who works in Los Angeles is familiar with the ubiquitous “roach coach” - mobile kitchens on wheels that roll up for breakfast or lunch to serve up everything from burgers to burritos. Well Angelenos, commence rejoicing! Green Truck, the brainchild of Kam Miceli and Mitchell Collier, now brings us a green, gourmet, on-the-go alternative.
Step right in ladies and gentlemen, and gaze at the marvels of modern technology! Allow us to show you the most amazing car of the century: The magnificent Detroit Electric, the car of summer luxury! This 100 year-old antique electric car will be available in early 2009 from ZAP and China Youngman Automotive Group, proving once and for all that there is no such thing as a new idea. The Detroit Electric is considered to be the most popular electric car in history — and was produced by the Anderson Electric Car Company in 1907 (production ran from 1907 to 1939). This cute little EV could go fo 130 miles on one charge, and had a top speed of about 32km/h. Famous Detroit Electric owners included Thomas Edison, Charles Proteus Steinmetz and John D. Rockefeller, Jr.
There is nothing like a little competition to inspire everyone to design better and greener. At least that is the theory behind the Progressive Automotive X-prize, which aims to create incentives to promote innovative thinking in the different industries. Well, now the X-prize has set their sights on the automotive industry, by announcing a 10 million dollar prize for whoever can design and bring to market a 100mpge vehicle. Doesn’t sound like much, but already 60 different teams have signed up for the competition!
We’re not your typical car geeks here at Inhabitat, but if there is one vehicle that we go gaga for above all others it is the Tesla Roadster. The gorgeous all-electric sports vehicle drives as smoothly as any other sports car out there, only it is way better looking, and completely emissions free! This month, Tesla Motors announced that the highly anticipated 2008 electric Tesla Roadster is finally in production for sale this year!
It’s official that the eco-chic Smart Car is coming to the USA in 2008, and to add to this momentum, Smart is releasing a gorgeous creative anthology, “Sideways: A Smart Art Project”, as a means to highlight’s Smart’s goals of greening urban transportation and our contemporary motoring lifestyle. The project combines the diverse work of 100 international contributors in collaboration with 11 leading international magazines. The eco-based submissions have been cultivated from the fields of photography, illustration, graphic design, painting, sculpture, architecture, and fashion. “Sideways: A Smart Art Project” is definitely moving us forward with 240 pages of modern ideas about creative inroads for our environmental roadmap as well as progressive transportation alternatives.
What is the most efficient vehicle on the planet? And more importantly, how far can it go on a single liter of gas? The Microjoule is your answer, getting over 3,794 kilometers per liter, or approximately 8,923 miles per gallon! Looking less like a car than an amoeba-on-wheels, the Microjoule is the design of students from the French Technical School, St. Joseph La Joliverie, who are set to compete in the Eco-Marathon 2008 to be held in Europe this coming May.
Some car manufacturers, like Toyota and their uber-trendy Prius, are cranking out new models that represent the hybrid car of the future. Others, like Volkswagen, are working with what they’ve got, making their existing cars cleaner and greener. Volkswagen has just recently unveiled a TDI hybrid version of their cute and sporty Golf model that can achieve 83mpg. Will this be the one to de-throne the Prius?
One of our favorite green public artists, Edina Tokodi, is at it once again with her shape-shifting moss graffiti and urban guerrilla tactics. Tokodi was recently commissioned by SEPTA (Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority) to encourage Philadelphia’s commuters to ‘Go Green’ with her navigable moss icons and green walls in the Market East Station’s passenger service area, ticketing area, and on the exterior of the station building and Transportation Museum. The initiative is part of SEPTA’s mission to help commuters become more aware of the positive environmental impact of using mass transit regularly.
Green cars are all the rage these days, with each vehicle manufacturer showing off their latest and greenest vehicles at every possible opportunity. Proof of this is can be seen in the huge amount of hybrids, ethanol powered vehicles, and zero-emission concept vehicles on display at the Geneva Motor Show — which is going on as we speak. Highlights from this show include the Magna Steyr and Saab’s bioethanol 9-X BioHybrid. Read on for all the details!
When shopping for a new car, you might be looking for fuel efficiency, style, and safety. But after seeing the new Nissan Pivo 2 electric concept car, you might just have to add “talking robot” to your list of must-haves. This car’s personal robot doesn’t just talk — but it reads and detects a driver’s mood as well, in order to help you drive safer and better. On display at the recent Geneva Motor Show, the Nissan Pivo 2 is truly an electric vehicle of the future. And according to these guys, the future looks pretty darn cute!
If you’re a fan of the Mini Cooper but want something a little greener, the Norwegian THINK car might just be your answer. It’s compact, it’s electric, it’s a zero-emissions zippy little car that’s a feat of design and engineering. Topping out at 100 km/hr and running for 180 km on a single charge, THINK is a lot of power for such a tiny thing. All the other systems are well-thought out too, with 90% of the energy going straight to the engine, compared to traditional combustion engines that lose up to 70% of their energy to heat and friction.
The Geneva Motor Show is right around the corner, and just as you may expect, the announcements are about to start pouring on about the latest news in green vehicles. Here’s the first one we spotted: the Morgan Life Car, a stunning hydrogen powered vehicle that, according to the designers, it’s fun to ride and is as environmentally friendly. And boy, does it look sharp.
When we think of air travel, what usually comes to mind is the cramped seats, bags of peanuts, and annoyance of checking luggage. But if Spain has its way, their brand new high speed train network may just make all that obsolete. The newly-open for business AVE S103 service will take you from Madrid to Barcelona in two and a half hours, just a tad longer than a standard carbon-spewing jet.
Wave power is looking like the next big thing in renewable energy, as evidenced by PG&E’s recent announcement about their California wave farm. And now Yutaka Terao from Tokai University in Japan, has engineered a way to put wave power to its most obvious use — to power boats! He has created a propulsion system that will power the Suntory Mermaid II’s trip from Hawaii to Japan using wave power, the expertise of eco-sailor Kenichi Horie, and a little bit of sun.
India’s air-powered four wheel marvel, the MDI Air Car, will be coming to the United States in 2010! The eco-friendly air-powered vehicle will be manufactured by Zero Pollution Motors, who just licensed the technology from MDI. It’s another entry in the growing field of the subcompact class, and another challenger to the title of world’s most fuel efficient vehicle.
While the potential of electric cars is obvious, one of the main concerns is battery life, both in its ability to hold a charge, and its shelf life before needing a replacement. But the new =UltraBattery, developed by Australia’s CSIRO, is a high-performance hybrid storage cell that runs for 100,000 miles without recharge or replacement. It combines a supercapacitor with a lead acid battery in one unit cell, providing higher power discharge and longer life.
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