Peugeot has unveiled a new emission-free electric car in the market coined the BB1. This new concept electric car can seat up to 4 adults and can go as far as 75 miles. It is easy to park and is fitted with two electric motors mounted at the rear wheel. It runs on two lithium-ion batteries and the passenger compartment ventilation keeps operating in daylight thanks to solar panels on the roof of the vehicle.

No word on whether this will become official nor numbers to support it. But maybe when everything is ironed out, we can get more specifics about this latest electric car from Peugeot.

Image Credits: Channel 4

(Source) Press

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I was actually reading about this idea elsewhere, and frankly, it’s too good not to bring up here.  See, solar power fans are going to be jumping for joy over this one, but even if you don’t happen to drive an electric car, chances are you’re still going to love what Dell did to its parking lot, which you can see at right.

Dell put in a bunch of solar panel structures in its parking lot, which serve two basic functions:  one, it provides free electricity to the parked cars.  If you ever needed a jump and couldn’t find another car, well, the Dell lot’s got you covered.  And of course, anyone who drives a plug-in hybrid or full electric vehicle is also covered.

But what most gas car drivers will get out of this is one very rare thing in a parking lot: shade.

We’ve all suffered through a hot car in summertime, sitting in that boiling heat box until the air conditioner can finally overcome the  stifling heat in your car.  But with shaded structures like this, you can park underneath them and keep your car cool.  Meanwhile, free electricity!

That’s a win-win for everybody no matter what kind of car they drive.

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It is a fact that cars produce tons of carbon dioxide which prove to be harmful to the environment. And while we know that for a fact, this is actually the reason why the push for electric or even lower emitting vehicles has been pushed.

However for some, the task is easier said than done. And while many are trying, the real measuring stick to determine the level of CO2 emitted cannot be easily measured. But it looks like there is a program being pushed right now and it is called carbon offsetting.

Put simply, carbon offsetting is based around the idea that you can pay to wipe clean the environmental damage that occurs every time you drive to the supermarket, or pick the grandchildren up from school. In return for your money, a growing number of companies will offer to invest, on your behalf, in any number of environmentally sound projects. Anything from planting trees in the Amazon, to offshore wind farms in the North Sea or solar panels for third world hospitals.

It really sounds something like the conventional tasks and efforts we see today. However, it remains that it may take more than this to really put the carbon emission issue to rest. The only good side about this proposed program is that it helps in any little way it can. And most of all, the important thing is will car owners bite?

(Source) Press

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Everyone knows that the Toyota Prius has changed the face of mobile preference thanks to its hybrid capabilities but the new batch comes with something special. They are equipped with rooftop solar panels.

Toyota just unveiled its new Toyota Prius, and it takes its eco-friendliness to the next level. Yes, it’s still a hybrid that gets excellent gas mileage, but now it also comes with a giant solar panel on the roof to soak up the sun’s rays and convert them into energy to power your stereo and air conditioner.

The great thing about these panels is that they work even when you aren’t driving. That means that when you come out to your car after working all day, it’s got a bunch of energy saved up from just sitting there in the sun. The new Prius will be on sale in Japan soon for between $21,000 and $26,000.

(Source) Crunchgear

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Green cars are hogging the limelight these days and British sports-car company Lotus is taking its cue in incorporating eco-friendly considerations alongside usual sports car efficiency. And one vehicle that has been trying to carry the green awareness flag is the Lotus Eco Elise.

The Eco Elise features an interior made from wool, instead of more traditional materials such as alcantara or leather, while some of the exterior body panels are made from hemp.

On the roof there are solar panels that provide the electricity to run the stereo and air conditioning, and the rest of the body is coated in a new water-based paint developed with DuPont that is not only more environment friendly, but also cheaper to produce.

The Eco Elise, which is based on the standard Elise sports car costing £24,000, is part of a company-wide drive by Lotus to green up its image: “It came from a staff initiative to improve our environmental credentials,” said Alastair Florance at Lotus.

(Source) Times Online

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The 2010 Toyota Prius has been unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show and it does feature those solar panels we were talking about earlier. Unfortunatelly they are just an extra option you can request and their job will be to keep the temperature inside cool.

Here’s a quick specs list for the new Toyota Prius:

From a different point of view the new Prius will be able to go for 50 mpg which is 4 miles more than the previous version and it has a 1.8L four-cylinder engine under the hood. Power and Eco driving modes are available and there’s also an EV Drive mode which will let you run on battery for a mile.

2010 PRUIS PRELIMINARY SPECIFICATIONS

POWERTRAIN

1.8-liter four-cylinder engine with VVT-i

Engine horsepower: 98 hp @ 5,200 rpm

Engine torque: 105 lb-ft @ 4,000 rpm

Electric motor: Permanent magnet synchronous motor

Electric motor power output: 80 hp/153 lb-ft torque

Hybrid system net horsepower: 134 hp

Emission rating: SULEV (with AT-PZEV)

Electronically controlled continuously variable transmission

Drive System: Front-wheel-drive

Hybrid battery pack: Nickel-metal hydride

Estimated fuel economy: 50 mpg (combined)*

DIMENSIONS (inches)

Overall Length: 175.6

Overall Width: 68.7

Overall Height: 58.7

Wheelbase: 106.3

Ground clearance: 5.5

Coefficient of Drag: 0.25

Wheels: 15-inch alloy wheels

17-inch alloy wheels (optional)

Tire Size: 15-inch: 195/65R15

17-inch: 215/45R17 (optional)

Seating Capacity: 5

EPA class rating: Midsize

* Preliminary figure based on Toyota’s internal testing. Actual mileage will vary.

via Press

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Double Decker buses are known to be a thing of the past. However, it looks like they will be making a return but with an eco-friendly twist. The Royal Red Routemaster which was replaced with bendy buses in 2005 to accommodate more commuters, may be seen once again come 2011.

With a new mayor in office, plans of unveiling a new bus design that will bring back the hop-on, hop-off model are in the works. The only difference this time around is that they will be powered by solar panels built into a glass roof and an energy efficient engine and interior-heating system.

Costing is the only issue being addressed at the moment. And if all goes well, we may see the return of these symbolic hop-on, hop off buses which are bound to make commuting easier.

(Source) Newsweek

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Don’t look now but it looks like Toyota is looking beyond the plug-in hybrids and may yet unveil a new solar-powered car to add to its roster of vehicles today. With the car industry looking at all angles on logical cars to unveil in the market, including the elements of where they get their energy for transportation has become an important point of consideration considering that fuel consumption is no longer that feasible and has limited people as far as car choices are concerned.

Most car companies today are focusing on the use of alternative fuel while others have invested heavily in electric means. But solar power has not yet dominated the market and it seems we may be seeing that increase soon as well. Toyota, of course, will not allow itself to be left behind!

According to Japanese newspaper The Nikkei, Toyota Motor Corp. is currently working on a car that will be powered only by solar energy. While solar panels on the roof of a vehicle alone would not provide enough power for long distance trips, it’s believed that the system will include a solar array for use at home that the car would plug into when not in use.

Source

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