If you’re driving down alone and by yourself, turning up the air-conditioning system for the complete car could turn wasteful, particularly because most cars don’t sport optional cooling modes and the like. This system we came across is designed specifically for solo drives and sends cool or warm air to the driver’s seat alone. Developed by Denso Corp, this car air conditioning system leads to added efficiency and savings when it comes to energy use. Also, using a system as such helps reduce power consumption by about 20% annually, helping you save substantially when it comes to fuel bills while helping lighten your carbon footprint!
[techon.nikkeibp]
Solar power could very well change the shipping industry for good, and to prove just that, the solar-powered MS Tûranor set out on a mission, a round-the-world trip powered by solar energy. Now, 19 months and 37,286 miles, the MS Tûranor has successfully completed the first circumnavigation successfully undertaken by a solar powered vessel! Also, the vessel has in all broken four Guinness World Records during this trip, being also crowned as the longest distance travelled by a solar-powered vessel. The PlanetSolar team has spent the past months spreading awareness in regards to solar power across six continents and has managed to successfully pull at the heartstrings of many.
We wish the MS Tûranorwell, and pray to see more such initiatives put into place to spread the popularity of solar power use.
[wired]
Electric aircrafts have been snubbed before in fear of the fact that these could simply run out of charge and, well, fall out of the sky! Portland, Oregon-based company Volta Volaré however has come up with a better way to power aircrafts with green energy, by simply having them go hybrid! The prototype GT4 airplane uses a hybrid powertrain, powered by batteries and backed up with a gasoline engine. The plane travels a good 300 miles on battery alone and can use the same for taking off and landing as well. With a power supply drop to 25%, the gasoline engines automatically rev up and recharge the battery, working as a range extender of sorts!
In all, the hybrid Volta Volaré could very well change the way the aviation industry takes electricity-powered engines, inspiring aircraft manufacturers to shun the age-old environment choking practices.
[inhabitat]
A plane, a helicopter or just a bunch of RC aircrafts stuck together, we leave the deciphering up to you. What fascinated us about the Volocopter concept is its innovative design and electric insides. Built by German firm E-volo, the Volocopter concept weighs in at 175 pounds and is a personal-aviation contraption that uses electricity to power up. Taking off and landing vertically, just like the conventional helicopter, the Volocopter was tested for a 1 minute 30 second flight recently, with battery power limiting the aircraft to just 20 minutes of flight time currently. With plans for a single and two seat hybrid being drawn out, complete with parachutes for extra safety, the Volocopter could very well turn into the next best possible way to travel!
[cnet]
There are a few of us who still glance at electric vehicles with a glint of doubt in our eyes. To further portray the amazing applicability an electric-engine has in modern day, Designer Kota Nezu of Znug Design came up with the zecOO electric motorcycle design that showed up at the Tokyo Motor Show a while ago. The bike did its share of striking awe and dropping jaws when unveiled and will now be mass produced! Unlike any other two-wheeler we’ve ever seen and good enough to give Batman’s bike a run for its money, the zecOO goes up to 85 miles on a single charge and sports a 75mph top speed.
Taking six hours to charge, this one swings more towards the low-rider-cruiser riding affair and certainly cannot be termed as a superbike. That apart, we simply love the concept though the $70,000 price tag does intimidate us considerably!
[gizmag]
BMW understands the woes of gridlocked streets, and in an attempt to get you to your destination even in situations when your car simple can’t move an inch, the automaker has come up with an innovative and seemingly feasible solution. The new i8 Concept Spyder unveiled at Auto China in Beijing recently sports a pair of electric stand-on scooters loaded smartly in the rear, beneath the glass panel. A complimentary means of transport just in case your plug-in hybrid super-coupé gets stuck in a traffic jam, these scooters are bound to get you across congested streets quickly.
As for the car, this one travels 30km on electricity alone and touches the 100kmph mark in below 5 seconds, with a 250kmph top speed, enough to have you burn large stretches of asphalt without choking the environment.
[psfk]
Ford jumped on the electric bandwagon with the announcement of its electrified Focus recently. Now, the automaker is busy drawing plans to have the car hit all American streets by the end of the year. The car will be released in four phases, with California, New York, and New Jersey to enjoy the car first this summer immediately after which the availability will be expanded to 14 more states including Texas, Washington, and Virginia. Next up, nine other states including Hawaii, New Mexico, and Ohio will receive the car with the final phase ending with the release nationwide.
The new Ford Focus Electric delivers 143-hp via a 23 kWh lithium-ion battery-powered electric motor and sports a 110 MPG city rating. To be priced at $39,200, this one’s tagged as America’s most fuel efficient car!
[autoguide]
iPad accessories have been sprouting up quicker than ever. However, not many of these have an eco-conscious mind like this new folding case we came across, christened the Solar Keyboard Folio by Logitech. In essence an iPad case that works for both the previous versions as well, this case comes with a solar-power Bluetooth keyboard for your tablet. The keyboard also charges up with indoor light and total exposure to the sun isn’t really a necessity. And yes, on a full charge, with a 2-hour-per-day use, the battery lasts for a whole two years! Priced at $129.99, the Logitech Solar Keyboard Folio is indeed a great accessory for your tablet and will launch later this month in the United States and Europe.
[macrumors]
Tuk Tuks are a rage in South East Asia and the Indian subcontinent, with these bug-like three-wheelers hailed as taxis turning into the next best way to get around. Now, bringing the tried-and-tested concept of a three-wheel taxi to the European Union, Dutch company Tuk Tuk Factory has given the contraption a touch of green. Given the fact that Europe is struggling hard to keep up with its environment-friendly image, gas-powered Tuk Tuks were turned down. Instead, Tuk Tuk Factory came up with electric Tuk Tuks called the e-Tuk Vendo which for now is designed to be a mobile catering service.
Complete with a lead-acid battery that charges in 10 hours with a 70 kilometers and an optional roof-mounted solar panel, the e-Tuk Vendo mobile restaurant comes with a 72-volt AC motor and a 50 km/h, priced at $31,565. With similar insides Tuk Tuk Factory could very well build a similarly green three-wheel taxi for the European nations too!
[gizmag]
Those looking to vacation green, without punching holes in the environment, now have the perfect means to do so! Called the AirHotel, this-of-a-kind holiday destination will soon be nestled deep in the woodlands of Norfolk at about $57 a stay and was designed by a group of Belgian artists who seemed to keep the environment in mind while developing this concept. A suspended hotel, this one sports six suspended independent rooms, each with a character of its own. With the solar-powered Wellness Machine as the center, complete with a bar, lounge, sauna and the breakfast service, this part of the hotel first welcomes the guests who are then ushered to either the “Schulp” or “Little Cottage” sporting three rooms accommodating six guests in all, or a host of others to choose from!
The hotel also sports a Love Nest, 13 feet above the ground reminiscent of a bird’s nest making maximum use of natural lighting while the Sterreschijter, the deluxe El Ambassador suit for VIPs and the flower-shaped Lotus offer splendid views of the woods around. and the best part of it all is the fact that the hotel used recycled materials to build, particularly for the Night Box room, the only one of which chooses to stay ground level!
[gizmag]
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