What makes a Lamborghini, Ferrari, Pagani and the rest of the super car world so fantastical? The fact that these cars are fast, look like art sculptures and are extremely rare and expensive, does so. Well, the super car brigade could soon have yet another addition, one that shuns the use of gasoline to power up and sprint, but use the sun’s energy instead! Developed by a team of students from the University of New South Wales, Australia, this sports car dubbed the Eve is powered by solar energy!
IKEA is the world’s most renowned furniture retailer and has been selling furniture across the globe for quite a while now. The company will now offer more at its stores, enabling British customers to shop for solar panels! The solar panels will include in-store consult and design service, installation, maintenance, and energy monitoring. Also, these panels are less expensive than those available in the United States, with a 3.36 kilowatt system with 18 panels priced at just $9,200.
The BMW i3 has been much in the news off-late and for pretty obvious reasons. This electric car developed by the German automobile giant is probably the first of many cars of its type that will offer customers a means of transport that’s extremely practical, easy to maintain and stylish to drive. Recently, one such BMW i3 was fully charged in under 30-minutes at the first-ever public charging station in the US that has an SAE Combo-Charging fast charging system on offer.
Car sharing is the way ahead, and we do see a bright future for this concept of leaving personal cars back home and using shared electric vehicles to get around town when needed instead. Japan has realized the potential of a program like this that will keep its streets less crowded and air less polluted, and has roped in two-seat Nissan EVs for the same. Nissan and Yokohama have together worked on the Choimobi Yokohama program that will offer cars based on the Nissan New Mobility Concept EV platform for rent.
Gyms are great to give your body a fitter edge. However, given the fact that these spaces have air-conditioning and lighting installations running through the day, they aren’t really the most environment-friendly way to fitness. Well, that’s where CrossFit steps up! This extremely popular and effective way to a healthy life turns a workout into more than just a pampering session, using gyms that more often than not, have no air-conditioning at all!
We’ve always been fans of just about everything that rolls out of BMW’s assembly lines. Most recently, we received tidings of the German automaker’s plans to release the C Evolution scooter in Europe and we’re absolutely thrilled! Designed and developed by the BMW Motorrad division, this Bimmer is electric and will have a peak output of 47 horsepower. The scooter will have a top speed of 75 mile per hour and will travel 62 miles on a single charge.
Installing trashcans in public spaces is never a bad idea. But what’s better, is a trashcan concept like the one developed by Massachusetts-based Big Belly Solar. These trashcans have been installed at the University of Houston and are a step above the conventional dumpster you use. Priced at $8,000 a pop, these trashcans are, in essence, miniature solar-powered garbage compactors! With a capability to fit five times more trash than a regular garbage bin, these also include sensors that automatically signal the authorities when full.
Solar power has long been predicted to be the next best way to power up the world, a replacement for fossil fuels being used today. Now, the world has taken a step further towards its solar-juiced-dreams, with the opening of Brightsource Energy’s Ivanpah power plant, better recognized as the world’s largest solar thermal power plant. The plant, located in California, delivered power to the grid for the first time a couple of days ago, the start of a long and green service.
One of the most confusing bicycling tricks to master is shifting gears and shifting them right! While bicycles are required, especially while tackling rougher terrain and slopes, shifting gears isn’t always that easy. To make things simpler, the Autobike sports an automatic gear-shifting technology that’s hooked up to an SRAM Dynamo front hub. This Dynamo helps the bike shift its gears automatically, without a separate battery unit. The spinning motion of the bike’s front wheel enables it to generate enough electricity to power up the bike’s electronics and gear-changing servo motor.
The Indian desert region of Rajasthan is known to enjoy a substantial amount of time in the sun. This also makes this Indian state a great place to make use of the sun to its fullest, to generate electricity. The government seems to have realized the true potential of this bright sunshine and has decided to develop the world’s largest solar power plant! Known as the “Ultra-Mega Green Solar Power Project,” this power plant will have a total power generation capacity of 4,000 megawatts, more than a double of India’s current total solar power generation capacity.
