Category Archives: Transport
Gas-guzzling cars taking to urban streets on a daily basis is one of the main causes of city-air-pollution levels soaring high. One of the best ways to have people leave their chunks of metal at home and ride efficiently instead is promoting better mass-transit systems. Take Dresden’s newest pride for example. A City known for its history and architecture, Dresden is now the proud home of one of the longest and greenest buses in the world, the AutoTram Extra Grand. In essence a 30-meter-long bus capable of carrying 256 passengers, this one was developed with the Innovative Regionale Wachstumskerne program and sports on-board computer systems that make it a breeze to maneuver. With a multi-axle system, the AutoTram packs a battery storage system and is capable of being driven on electricity alone for a good 8 kilometers. With a compact range extender to top it all, this super-long bus is energy-efficient and is an inexpensive way to get around town without harming the environment.
Continue reading 
Nissan has taken up the cause of promoting electric-vehicle use, and in an initiative to help spread the word in regards to the same; the manufacturer has recently donated two shiny new Nissan Leaf cars to the Middle Tennessee State University. These electric cars will find a place in the University’s fleet and will use three charging stations, also donated by Nissan to the University, to power up. Also, these charging stations will be available for use to the students, faculty, staff and visitors who’re looking for juice for their electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids. The move is expected to promote the feasibility of electric vehicles and help educate the students in regards to energy-efficient modes of transport.
Continue reading
Driving toilets around has never really been one of the best ways to travel. Attention grabbing, yes! Practical? Well, we wouldn’t say so until we came across the Toilet Bike Neo, a project by Japanese toilet company Toto Ltd. In essence a three-wheeled 250cc contraption with a toilet for a seat, this one runs on livestock waste and waste water, and not on the rider’s droppings, which would indeed be an eye-sore on city streets. A clean and eco-friendly vehicle to ride around, we’re sure this one would have a dozen takers if the manufacturers simply replaced the toilet-seat with a more acceptable one and left out the toilet paper roll.
Continue reading
Ferry-boats have never been the cleanest way to travelling by sea, more often than not relying on gasoline to power up, which in turn chokes our environment and eco-system. As an answer to all these woes, Sauter Carbon Offset Design has just unveiled a fabulously green way to travel by sea called the Leap to Zero Greenline Ferry. Sporting a PV exoskeleton and turbine props to generate energy which in turn is used immediately, stored in batteries or if in excess returned to the grid, this vessel also sports 0.5MW UPS and automated Dynawing sails which enable the boat to travel at speeds of 12 knots without stamping a carbon footprint. And that’s not all. To keep this one going after sunset, the vessel also packs two Duramax V8 Hybrid Eco Marine Propulsion motors, the greenest marine engines around. Measuring 25 meters in length, the Greenline ferry helps reduce GHG emissions by nearly 5,000 tons in 10 years and is an eco-friendly way to sea-travelling.
Continue reading
Countries all over the world are looking to reduce their reliance on quickly depleting fossil fuels these days, and the Palestinians living on the West Bank have just jumped aboard the bandwagon, for political reasons however. In an attempt to stop the purchase of Israeli oil, these folk have now switched to a greener and more eco-friendly way to getting around, solar powered cars! Sporting four seats and topped with solar panels that soak in the sun, these cars use small electric motors that take make them travel at 20kmph for a good 10 hours. Reminiscent of an oversized golf cart, these small electric rides can also be charged off an electrical socket and could very well help the people of the West Bank get around inexpensively. Built by the Royal Industrial Trading Company and costing nearly $5000, these if mass-produced could indeed decrease oil-reliance in the region.
[rt]
Continue reading
Scooters generally are a child’s mode of transport. A scooter designed for Lexus however is expected to ooze sophistication and luxury. Designer Goldberg Boris’ latest scooter design, the CT-S, is a paradigm shift away from the usual off-the-shelf scooter you’d pick up for your young one. In essence and electricity-assisted green mode of transport that can be used by adults alike to get around your neighborhood with ease, the CT-S is inspired by Lexus’ L-Finesse design philosophy and is made from a carbon-fiber body, using long lasting lithium-ion batteries to power up. Using a standard 12v socket to charge, the CT-S scooter can be packed inside your car too and is a playful yet suave way to travel short distances.
[yankodesign]
Continue reading
One of the best ways to spend a lazy afternoon is sailing the azure, and doing so without stamping an ugly carbon footprint has never been easier before! Rome-based Tamarack Lake Electric Boat Company has just unveiled an eco-friendly way to boating called the Loon. In essence a full-fledged 10-passenger boat, this one uses solar energy to power up and is indeed a unique and energy-efficient way to cruise offshore. Also, the company previously based in Ontario, has received incentives worth $300,000 from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority and is looking forward to using the cash for bettering its current solar technology, pushing the Loon farther into sea without harming the environment!
Continue reading
When the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) first introduced its HOV sticker program for EV drivers, we envisioned electric car users piling over one-another to grab one of these. However, the initiative that enables EV and plug-in hybrid owners to use the high-occupancy-vehicle-lane hasn’t really caught on, yet, with the DMV handing out as little as 4,000 of these lately. On the other hand, the previous yellow hybrid-driver stickers being handed out seemed a lot more popular, with about 2000 drivers picking up these every month! The new green sticker program unveiled by the DMV expires on the 1st of January 2015 and has a 40,000 limit, and we do hope these turn just as popular as the previous initiatives being put into place to promote the use of clean and green modes of transport in the Golden State.
Continue reading
After having successfully launched a luxury car-sharing program across Germany, BMW has finally introduced the same in the United States. Called the DriveNow program, this car-sharing initiative by the German automotive honcho will kick off in San Francisco and will offer luxury automobiles for 32 cents a minute. Enabling you to locate these cars with your smartphone or computer, the DriveNow program will cost $12 for the first half an hour requires users to leave their hired ride at the eight current locations in San Francisco once done. with 70 all-electric cars on offer, this is an interesting way to get around town without choking the eco-system and will make use of BMW Acitve-E vehicles.
Continue reading
When designer Harikrishnan P K decided to come up with a jolly green way to get around, ordinary wasn’t enough. Called the Hercules Topgear-S, this fabulous bicycle is a futuristic rendition of the current bicycle available in the market and is a paradigm shift away from the conventional bicycle.looks apart, what sets this one away from the rest is its automatic gear system, enabling you to glide through traffic without fiddling with manual gears. Using a contactless dynamo that charges the onboard battery pack which in turn powers up the bicycle’s quick-shifter, the headlights, the horn and the turn signals with the controls all integrated in the handlebar, the Hercules Topgear-S also sports a USB charging port to juice your smartphone or portable media player on the go!
Continue reading