Category Archives: Transport
The land of rising sun made way for the world’s first cargo ship partly propelled by solar power to hit the seas. Fitted with 328 solar panels for a whopping price of $1.68 million, freighter Auriga Leader took off from a shipyard in Kobe. Developed by Nippon, it has room for about 6,400 automobiles that need to leaves the shores of Japan for other countries. For start, the solar powered ship will vehicles being sent for sale overseas by Japan’s top automaker Toyota Motor Corp. It is asserted that the 60,213-tonne, 200-metre (660-foot) long ship is the first large vessel in the world with a solar-based propulsion system.
Continue reading 
It’s not only the hybrid engines that will lend a green tag to Toyota’s forthcoming eco-friendly car. Toyota Motor Corporation is also intending to put the Ecological Plastic in use in the interiors of the cars. Usage of such plant-derived, carbon-neutral plastics will spread over 50% of the interiors of their newer green vehicles. Watch out for scuff plates, headliners, seat cushions and other interior vehicle parts sculpted out of the Ecological Plastic.
Continue reading
Though Mercedes-Benz is synonymous to luxury, it runs out of sync in the eco-friendly world. But now the company is trying to bridge this gap as they plan to unveil a line of eco-friendly hybrid vehicles at the forthcoming Detroit Auto Show. They are all set to build up their green reputation with triplets green concept babies. Focusing on emission reduction, all three differ from each other by marginal variations. The first of the lot, the BlueZero E-Cell concept, is a compact four-door hatch which gets its power from lithium-ion batteries. This green energy enables E-Cell to zoom off for 62 miles on a two-hour charge.
Continue reading
Well-designed Motorhomes and RVs are the vehicles for deep pocketed nomads. Today we have one for those who also sport a green thumb. Since most of these vehicles are fuel-guzzling beasts, they leave enormous carbon footprints behind. But 2009 Winnebago Adventurer Hybrid dares to tread the green route. Touted to be the world’s first Class A hybrid RV, Winnebago Industries debuted their full-featured green motor home at the 46th Annual National RV Trade Show in Louisville. Though still a concept, I’m sure that demands from folks with a green heart and wallets filled with greens bills will soon push this vehicle to production stage.
Continue reading
Last month SolarTaxi was on our blog as Louis Palmer was in process of materializing his dream of traveling across the globe in a solar powered vehicle. And now after 52,000 km trip around the world, this desire is fulfilled as the green drive comes to an end at the venue of U.N. climate talks in Poland. Louis Palmer smashed his “solar taxi” through a wall of polystyrene blocks marking the end of the 17-month trip.
Continue reading
What is green about the first world robotic sailing champion? Dubbed, the ASV Roboat, this autonomous sailboat is making waves in the world of travel and navigation technology. Fitted with sensors, it can easily sail around pre-set race courses or even simply reach any nautical destination without human support. We’ll talk about its techie features after the jump and focus on the eco-friendly element for now. The Solar panels on the Roboat lend a green trait and also make it independent of carbon emitting gasoline. Moreover there’s a direct methanol fuel cell to top up the batteries as a backup.
Continue reading
North American eco-enthusiasts have one more reason to wait for the forthcoming 2009, as the latest green Honda baby is all set to show its true colors at the North American International Auto Show, Detroit. The 2009 Honda Insight hybrid is expected to debut in January but will hit the roads in spring. Touted as being the least expensive hybrid in the world, it will utilize a new interactive, driver-focused fuel economy enhancement technology named the Ecological Drive Assist System. The maker is targeting annual global sales of 200,000 units per year, with about100,000 in North America only. Tagged at about $19,000, it is certainly more affordable eco-car than the Honda Civic Hybrid and Toyota Prius.
Continue reading
Since gasoline prices are chewing into our salaries and hybrid cars are far from being affordable for a common person (like me), Sanyo is out to help us move about the town on eneloop bike. Just unveiled, this electric hybrid two-wheeler is fitted with a “Power-up Mode” that helps to reduce the burden on the biker’s legs as well his/her carbon footprints. An ideal blend of a standard bicycle and a moped, this hybrid version augments the rider’s capacity to speed up the roads with ease. This extra power is equivalent to double the rider’s pedal force for going uphill too. Also a new “loop charge function” generates electricity and charges the battery while moving. Though the electric motor fitted on the front wheel renders motion to it, the energy generated by pedaling goes is directed to the rear wheel. And if you are concerned about the safety, then be assured as the two-wheel drive system provides a much stable ride. Even while braking, the system harnesses energy.
Continue reading
The countdown for the year 2009 has started and its time to bring your attention to the 2009 Green Car of the Year. Hunting for the most promising fuel efficient and eco-friendly vehicle for the next model year, Green Car Journal has crowned the 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI with the green honor at the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show. Beating strong contenders like BMW 335d, Ford Fusion Hybrid, Saturn Vue 2 Mode Hybrid, and Smart ForTwo, the Jetta TDI uses a 2-liter, turbocharged, diesel, four-cylinder engine to achieve an EPA-rated 41mpg highway fuel economy and 30mpg city.
Continue reading
The farmers of 2010 will have one more reason to bow down to sun and utilize solar energy to the fullest. Though Sun’s abundant energy is uber essential for farmers to grow healthy crop feeds, in the near future, this solar energy will also be used to power a tractor. The Austrian maker, Open Energy, is in the process of launching a solar-powered tractor soon. Fitted with a 26sq m solar panel, these farming vehicles will assist the vegetable and fruit producers for weeding, drilling and also ploughing. The panels are deigned to constantly adjust their position to harness the most of the sun during the whole day. This helps augment the efficiency by 40% and reduce the dependence on direct sunlight.
(Updated Images)
Continue reading
