Designer : Vlad Icobet

Text from the website:
The engine that used is a rotary air engine. It is the invention of the Melbourne engineer Angelo Di Pietro. The engine is compact, lightweight and powerful and runs on compressed air from two compressed air tanks on the bike. It revs up to 3,000 RPM, and because of this, the inventors didn’t need any gear box on the bike. There is only one gear, which is just a sprocket bolted directly to the axis of the engine and chained to the rear wheel.

Compressed air is stored in the bike’s on-board carbon fiber tanks. Once mass produced, the bike will have solar panels that will generate enough energy to compress air and store it in the bike’s tanks, which will increase its range indefinitely.

As the bike was designed as a speed record setter, there is no headlight, brake light or indicator lights on the bike. Instead, there were three little cameras fitted at the front and tail on the bike that are used to record the run. The body works were designed to be aerodynamic and lightweight, and it will be made of fiber glass or carbon fiber.

Designer : Edwin Conan

Gabriel says :
The Renault Picnic seeks to augment rather than detract from the health of it’s surrounding environment. It is a Zero-emissions vehicle that provides a social function to the parked car within in the urban landscape. When parked, the Picnic transforms into urban furniture, becoming a social space for people to re-acquaint themselves with the surrounding environment. LED-impregnated, glass-coated polycarbonate windows project customized images when the vehicle is parked, transforming the vehicle into a form of public art.

Further considering the environment, the exterior panels are composed of hemp-based composites, and the vehicle is powered by Lithium Ion batteries and two rear-mounted in-wheel hub motors.

In order to reduce cost, complexity and weight, the simple interior is constructed of modular components, with four identical, soy-foam seats and an i-pod doc replacing most of the functions, including sound system and GPS on the dashboard.

Designer : Gabriel Wartofsky

From Adam :
Urban traffic congestion is an increasing problem which affects countless delivery companies every day. The unique “CarGo” concept addresses this issue with its variable track, wheelbase and load carrying configurations.

Due to its inherent flexibility, the CarGo would be an invaluable addition to any urban delivery company’s fleet by offering:
- Enhanced versatility for use in congested areas due to variable mode options.
- Faster delivery time in heavy traffic as narrow mode gives reduced width and higher maneuverability.
- Easier parking due to compact size.
- Eco-friendly status as a zero-emission electric vehicle.
- Reduced running costs i.e. lower fuel and road tax costs, congestion charge exempt.
- Clip-On composite body panels allow for corporate branding and low repair costs.

Designer : Adam Schacter

[Press Release]

Husqvarna, the global leader of outdoor power products, has developed a quiet, powerful and environmentally friendly ride-on mower for the future garden. The concept mower, developed by Husqvarna’s designers and engineers, is made of recycled materials and gives an indication how the future of mowing might come to look.

-Husqvarna Panthera Leo™ demonstrates our innovation capacity and ambition to develop high performing products with less environmental impact, says Magnus Yngen, President and CEO of Husqvarna.

Husqvarna Panthera Leo™ is a hybrid made up of two ride-on mowers, Rider and Zero-Turn. A battery that can be charged at any electrical outlet has replaced the traditional gas engine. Five powerful electrical motors partnered with a sound absorbing cutting deck, allow the Husqvarna Panthera Leo™ to glide effortlessly and silently across your lawn. The tree individually suspended cutting decks enables this mower to mow smoothly over bumpier parts of your garden, avoiding lawn scalping. The cutting decks each have razor sharp blades for a close cut finish and can be controlled to suit wide or narrow lawns (from 85cm up to 120cm).

All functions and are managed via paddles on the steering wheel. Via an LCD-display gardeners are told everything they need to know to achieve a perfect lawn, from how fast they are driving, cutting height, cutting width, remaining battery time, service needs and warns the user about objects that are too close. With the help of sensors, Husqvarna Panthera Leo™ can recommend the most suitable speed and cutting height for the perfect lawn.

Husqvarna is the leader in several areas in terms of products with reduced environmental impact. The Group’s new engines comply with the strictest exhaust-emission criteria in the US and Europe .

Features

* Equipped with zero-emission technology
* Produced from recycled materials
* Rechargeable Lithium-phosphate battery
* Plug-in product, charged at any electrical point
* Five brushless electrical engines, easy and clean to maintain
* Three separate cutters equipped with razor sharp blades
* Cutters individually suspended to glide smoothly over bumpy terrain and prevent lawn scalping
* Variable cutting width (85-120cm)
* Zero-turn functionality
* Lifting cutting deck (90 degrees)
* Ergonomic steering wheel
* Easy to control dashboard
* Cutting time 2 hours, overnight charging
* Detailed LCD display monitor (featuring cutting height, width of cutting deck, speed, service information, steep hill warning, objects that are too close)

Designer : Husqvarna

Cherry will offer easy control using the throttle and the break lever and requires very small place to park. By using lightweight elements such as small battery and carbon-fiber plastic body, this vehicle weights around 40kg or less only and can be carried anywhere easily. The high torque of the electric motor, lightweight design and strong grip via three wheel drive has made it a big performance vehicle. The designer envisioned this vehicle as a transportation solution for every person in future world when space-efficiency would be one of the biggest concerns among mankind.

Designer : Alican Yilmaz

Designer : Liviu Tudoran

Designer : André Fangueiro via EcoFriend

[Press Release]
Honda FC Sport Design Study Suggests Hydrogen Sports Car Future

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 19, 2008 – Honda today revealed the Honda FC Sport design study model, a hydrogen-powered, three-seat sports car concept, at the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show.

The FC Sport emphasizes the design flexibility and potential of Honda’s V Flow fuel cell technology – already deployed in the Honda FCX Clarity sedan – and reconfigures it into a lightweight sports car design with an ultra-low center of gravity, powerful electric motor performance and zero-emissions. The design study concept is inspired by supercar levels of performance through low weight and a high-performance, electrically driven fuel cell powertrain.

“The Honda FC Sport explores how to satisfy automotive performance enthusiasts in a world beyond petroleum,” said Dan Bonawitz, vice president of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. “People who love sports cars will still have a reason to love in a hydrogen-powered future.”

The high-output Honda fuel cell powertrain and a sleek, aerodynamic body contribute to the vehicle’s performance potential. A modular approach to fuel cell component packaging and the electric drivetrain contribute to the FC Sport’s low center of gravity with the majority of vehicle mass distributed between the axles, creating the balanced weight distribution sought after in sports cars.

The ideal placement of the Honda V-Flow fuel cell stack and related components demonstrates the benefits of a platform-specific, hydrogen-powered fuel cell powertrain. The FC Sport is configured to accommodate a custom-formed high-power fuel cell stack, located between the rear seats, and a battery pack placed low in the middle of the vehicle. The electric motor resides just forward of the rear axle. Two fuel storage tanks, visible from above, are located above the rear axle.

The optimal placement of fuel cell components for performance also allows for a relatively large passenger cabin by conventional supercar standards with enough space for three seating positions. The interior layout focuses primarily on the driver with a racecar-like center driving position. The enclosed canopy opens upward from the rear to allow for entry and exit. Two rear passenger seats flank the driver’s left and right side.

The sleek, low-profile body is designed to convey a high-technology appearance with sculpting that combines angular shapes in the front of the vehicle that taper into geometric, hex forms in the rear. The rear hex forms house cooling radiators for the fuel cell. Formula 1-style barge boards behind the front wheels enhance high speed aerodynamics and convey the vehicle’s racing pedigree. The hydrogen storage tanks, visible from the rear deck, showcase the FC Sports fuel cell technology in much the same way that a “naked bike” motorcycle showcases its engineering technology.

The glacier white body color conveys the FC Sport’s clean environmental aspirations while the dark wheels and deeply tinted glass provide a symbolic contrast befitting of the vehicle’s unique combination of clean power and high performance. Green construction techniques further contribute to a reduced carbon footprint. An organic, bio-structure theme is carried through to the body construction where exterior panels are intended to use plant-derived bio-plastics.

The Advanced Design Studio of Honda R&D Americas, in Pasadena, California, developed the FC Sport design study with the primary objective of using existing fuel cell technology as the basis for an ultimate Honda sports car. Designer Jason Wilbur led the design efforts.

Honda R&D Americas, Inc. began its operations in California in 1975 with local market research activities and has steadily grown its capabilities over the past 33 years to include all aspects of new vehicle design and development. Recent development efforts include trend-setting products such as the Honda Pilot, Ridgeline, Element, Civic Coupe and Civic Si.

In 2008, the company opened two new design centers in Southern California: the Acura Design Studio (Torrance), for the research and design of new Acura products; and the Advanced Design Studio (Pasadena), for the exploration and development of advanced design themes for both Honda and Acura.

The company operates 11 major R&D facilities in North America, including a full vehicle development center in Raymond, Ohio, and three design studios in Southern California. Honda R&D designers, engineers and support personnel are engaged in the development of Honda and Acura automobiles, powersports products, and power equipment for North America and global markets. The company’s main centers of operation include the Los Angeles Center (Torrance, California), responsible for market research, concept development and styling design; the Ohio Center (Raymond, Ohio), responsible for complete product development, testing, and support of North American supplier and manufacturing operations; and a dynamic test facility in Cantil, California.

Designer : Tristan Hipps via EcoFriend