Renault ZE Concept Produces Zero Emissions, Lots Of Neon Glass

Built on a shortened Renault Kangoo MPV platform, the Renault ZE Concept is a peek at Nissan/Renault's electric future. The brand plans to bring electric cars to market by 2011, which means we will start seeing more pre-production electric vehicles in the next two years. In the meantime, crazy futuristic models with neon glass are a lot of fun. The acid-green windows help provide insulation, saving energy that might be used for adjusting the climate. The rest of the car's exterior works like a Thermos, using a pocket of air to maintain a constant temperature. Press release below the jump. More »

Quantya Strada, First Drive: The Street-Legal Electric Performance Vehicle You Can Buy Now

It wasn’t until I crashed into a pile of boxes and luggage that I realized riding a motorcycle — even a completely silent electric one with no emissions — around my Brooklyn apartment was a bad idea. I’d been attempting to do a burnout, but the painted concrete floor didn’t have enough grip for the Quantya Strada’s front tire and plenty for the rear, resulting in a wheelie. Compounding matters was the bar-mounted back brake that sits where the clutch lever normally does. When I went slip the clutch to bring the bike back in line, the brake just tossed me into the boxes. The nice thing about riding a bike in your apartment is that, while you might do irreparable damage to all of your and your friend’s worldly belongings, you probably won’t hurt yourself too badly. More »