Researchers at Michigan State University have created a new type of solar concentrator that sucks up the sun's rays but – and this is the important part – it's transparent. That puts us one step closer to making our windows solar collectors, although we're still not there quite yet.
The FIA now requires all World Endurance Championship cars to have climate control because drivers passing out at triple digits speeds: not good. But that A/C system comes at the expense of engine power, particularly when it's hot. So Aston is harnessing the heat of the sun to keep its drivers cool.
One of the coolest cars revealed at the Paris Motor Show was the Mercedes SLS AMG Electric Drive. It's got 737-lb-ft. of torque all-wheel-drive goodness, but the coal-powered Merc reminds us of a looming problem with electric cars.
Tesla Motors just unveiled its new supercharger, but it isn't the cool Mad Max kind we all grew up with.
New York is fairly forward-thinking when it comes to energy innovation, but it's pretty terrible when it comes to solar. City College of New York wants to change that, so they created an interactive solar map of the city using laser airplanes.
Conventional wisdom states all rear wings do on FWD cars is increase drag and reduce fuel economy. Chinese designer Leon Zhu wants to challenge that notion, using the vast empty space inside them to store a solar shade.
Handing over a $1.4 million electric car to a blog is interesting, especially when the company operates a "you break it, you buy it" policy. Can the 268 HP Protoscar Lampo live up to its promise of electrifying performance?
James Dyson, the man behind the Dyson line of high-end vacuums, is diving into the world of alternative energy vehicles with the development of a solar-powered car. Employing roof-mounted solar panels, or, alternately, panels mounted on the roof of a garage, the motor on the solar-powered vehicle will take its nod…
The electric Mitsubishi electric i MIEV continues to evolve and this year it is no different at the New York Auto Show. The i MIEV has made some changes since our last visit with the concept. Now MIEV means Mitsubishi Innovative Electric Vehicle, rather than Mitsubishi In-Wheel Electric Vehicle. This concept has a 16…
It's not often you hear about Wyoming around these parts, but a company from the Cowboy State is looking to make solar panels the next hip and useful car accessory. The company is developing solar cells a couple inches thick and as big as three feet by four feet to be mounted atop your vehicle to supply power to a…
With the looming crude oil madness, you can bet that the masses will be pretending to care about clamoring for alternatives when gas tops five bucks. Bad for most, spectacular timing for the the folks running the Solar Taxi project. A ragtag international group of environmentalists and engineering nerds has put…
38 Solar powered cars departed Darwin yesterday, bound for Adelaide, 3000kms away. This year, the solar cars are accompanied on their journey across Australia by 19 energy-efficient vehicles showcasing technology inspired by the Solar World Challenge. The event, which takes place every two years, helps push forward…
The Welsh designer who came up with the clear, globby-looking Ty Nant plastic water bottle has penned a squarish, transparent vehicle that's powered by that globby-looking hot star thing. We're not exactly sure what we're looking at, but whatever it is will be unveiled at the Salone Del Mobile Milano, an Italian…
This week at Treehugger: The Toyota Ractis, a really cool small Japanese car that we don't (but should) get in North-America. More information about the 2007 Toyota Camry (including the hybrid version): Unofficial specifications along with a couple of studio photos, and a bunch of photos of the exterior and interior…
This week at Treehugger: Hyundai unveils its new 2006 Accent hybrid, possibly the first hybrid below $15k (open the floodgates!), a look at how GM keeps its greener cars out of North-America and the Opel Meriva, the CLEVER car (pictured above) is undergoing crash tests, the EcoMobile is a sweet $80k+ ride designed by…
Prius hackers may have just stumbled on a new winter project, mounting solar panels on their cars' roofs for extra juice. The rooftop panels, available from Solatec, charge the hybrid's battery through a proprietary charger/current-limiter system concealed behind interior trim panels, and cause no change in…
Steve Lapp, a Canadian engineer created a prototype Prius fitted with a number of roof-mounted photovoltaic cells, an extra battery to supplement the car's OEM batteries and a nice glass of brandy (sorry, we added that last bit for our own edification). The 2001 Prius's hybrid-drive system underwent extensive…
The University of Michigan's car "Momentum" won the 2005 North American Solar Challenge (NASC) finishing at 11:27 a.m. (MDT) yesterday. The entirely solar-powered car landed a cumulative time of 53:59:43 from Austin, Texas, to Calgary, Alberta, at an average speed of 46.2 mph, beating entries from University of…
