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Inhabitat's Week in Green: Solar Impulse's record flight and more!
This week the Solar Impulse made history by becoming the first sun-powered airplane to cross the Atlantic Ocean. Meanwhile, a team of Swiss students built an all-electric race car that smashed an acceleration record by going from 0-60 mph in 1.5 seconds flat. Sweden rolled out one of the world's first electric highways, while two ex-Google employees are developing self-driving big rigs that slash emissions. And we showcased the Super 73 -- a bike/motorcycle hybrid that'll add some serious kick to your morning commute.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: The world's skinniest tower, and more!
Local Motors just unveiled the bus of the future, and it's fully autonomous, made by a 3D printer and controlled by IBM's flagship artificial intelligence system. In other transportation news, a German official declared that all new cars registered in the nation will need to be zero-emission by the year 2030. Tesla announced plans to sell its electric vehicles in a Nordstrom store in Los Angeles. And a solar-powered boat embarked on a historic journey across the Atlantic Ocean.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: An impressive mobile home, and more!
Is the age of the flying car upon us? This week a new report revealed that Google co-founder Larry Page has secretly invested over $100 million in two aerial vehicle startups. Meanwhile, four major political parties in Norway have proposed a ban on all gas-powered cars by the year 2025. A team of Swedish students unveiled one of the world's most energy-efficient rail-bound vehicles. A young filmmaker transformed a boring Chevy van into an incredible solar-powered mobile home. And the Coboat is a sun and wind-powered catamaran for co-working freelance nomads.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: The first freeform 3D-printed house
After 20 years of construction, Switzerland just completed the world's longest and deepest rail tunnel. The 35-mile Gotthard Base Tunnel runs 1.5 miles under the mountains connecting northern and southern Europe. In other transportation news, Paris just banned all cars made before 1997 in a bid to reduce air pollution. Tesla's battery Gigafactory is set to host its grand opening on July 29th, while a new report claims that Volkswagen is spending $15.5 billion to build a gigantic battery factory of its own. Consumer Reports ranked the Toyota Prius as the car with the best gas mileage it has ever tested, and Ford announced that the Fusion Energi can travel further than any other plug-in hybrid on the market.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: A VW bug made out of timber
Six years ago a Beijing company proposed an insane lane-straddling bus that could soar over congested freeways. The project just took a step closer to reality, as the Transit Explore Bus is set to begin testing this summer. In other transportation news, Airbus just unveiled the world's first 3D-printed motorcycle, which has a range of 37 miles and a top speed of 50 mph. Hyperloop Transportation Technologies announced plans to build transit pods from Vibranium, which takes its name from the fictional metal used to create Captain America's indestructible shield. A Bosnian retiree handcrafted a gorgeous VW bug exterior from over 50,000 pieces of oak. Vanmoof launched the SmartBike -- a next-gen cycle that is virtually impossible to steal -- and Google partnered with Levi's to create a smart jacket for urban cyclists.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: Self-driving Uber cars, and more!
The self-driving cars are coming: This week Uber unveiled its first autonomous vehicle, while Google patented a sticky "fly paper" car hood that could protect pedestrians caught in self-driving car crashes. Los Angeles celebrated the completion of its first new metro line in 60 years, while France transformed its trains with beautiful impressionist art. And Taga launched an affordable cycle with built-in cargo space that could be the ultimate family bike.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: Hyperloop One's public test, and more!
The Hyperloop promises to one day transport passengers at blazing speeds -- and the technology just took a big step forward. This week Hyperloop One launched a cart from 0 to 166 miles per hour in 1.1 seconds in its first public test. In other futuristic transportation news, a European Space Agency incubator just unveiled the world's first flying car capable of vertical takeoff and landing. In Japan, there are now more electric vehicle chargers than gas stations. And researchers in Mexico have developed a new type of glowing cement that could light up dark highways.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: Chicago's high-flying cable cars
When it comes to transportation, no vehicle is more futuristic than the hoverboard -- and it's getting a lot closer to reality. This week a French inventor broke a Guinness World Record by flying 7,388 feet on a hovering device. Meanwhile, Chicago is considering building a line of high-flying crystalline cable cars throughout the city. Chrysler and Google teamed up to create a self-driving minivan, while Lyft announced plans to launch self-driving electric taxis within a year. We also interviewed Lucas Toledo, who created the Gi FlyBike, a futuristic electric bicycle that folds in half in a single second.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: The Karma Revero, and more!
The Fisker Karma is one of the hottest plug-in hybrid cars ever built. However, production stopped in 2012 when the company went bankrupt. Now the car is set to be reborn as the Karma Revero this year. Meanwhile, Ford is planning to launch a 200-mile electric car to take on the Tesla Model 3 and the Chevy Bolt. In other news, SpaceX announced plans to send its Red Dragon spacecraft to mars in 2018, while NASA invested $67 million to develop super efficient solar-electric engines. The US Air Force smashed the world record for maglev speed by propelling a floating sled to 633 miles per hour. And the Twicycle is a crazy bike that's powered by your arms and legs.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: Solar Impulse's trans-Pacific flight, and more!
The Solar Impulse airplane is on a mission to circle the globe using only the power of the sun, and this week it continued its journey by crossing the Pacific Ocean. Meanwhile, Tesla showed just how fast the Model S is by challenging a Boeing 747 to a drag race. An Italian company is turning vintage moped parts into some of the coolest electric bikes we've ever seen, and a Swedish cyclist created an all-weather bike that looks just like a car. And we've seen buses and vans turned into some pretty incredible things -- but Lee Broom's palatial gallery on wheels takes the cake.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: The Tesla Model S gets an upgrade
The Tesla Model S is one of the highest-rated electric cars ever, and it just got even better. This week the automaker rolled out an upgrade that gives the vehicle a bigger battery, a refreshed exterior and a "bioweapon defense mode." Meanwhile, the Solar Impulse sun-powered airplane is getting set to fly across the Pacific Ocean after a lengthy stop in Hawaii. Stephen Hawking teamed up with Russian billionaire Yuri Milner on a plan to send postage-stamp sized spaceships to Alpha Centauri in search of life. IKEA announced plans to launch a chainless bicycle later this year, and a popular new bike/stroller hybrid hit the market only to sell out in a matter of hours.
7 futuristic skyscrapers that fight global warming
By Cat DiStasio Imagine a world in which the high-rise buildings that crowd our city blocks could reverse the effects of climate change and perhaps even heal the planet. Each year, architects from around the world come up with wild and crazy ideas for the eVolo skyscraper competition. This year's contest spurred lots of imaginative and inspirational designs, including a bizarre "anti-skyscraper" that would excavate of Central Park. Other proposals in recent years have included high-rise buildings that house urban farms, generate hydrogen fuel using electricity from lightning and cool the planet with space-scraping wind tunnels.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: Tesla's Model 3, and more!
After years of anticipation, Tesla just unveiled its most affordable electric car to date. The Model 3 is a svelte EV for the masses that starts at $35,000, and it can drive 215 miles on a single charge. Meanwhile, Hyundai set a world record by driving a hydrogen-powered car for 6,096 continuous miles. In other transportation news, India announced ambitious plans to become a 100 percent electric vehicle nation by the year 2030. A Colorado startup unveiled a supersonic jet that can travel from New York to London in three hours flat. And we rounded up nine of the best cargo bikes for carting around kids and goods in style.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: Toyota's new Prius, and more!
Tesla is set to unveil its most affordable electric car ever next weekend, but Chevrolet stole a bit of its thunder by rolling out the first pre-production Bolt EV. Meanwhile, Toyota debuted the Prius Prime, a plug-in hybrid with a record-breaking 120 MPGe rating. Hybrid Air Vehicles launched the world's largest airship, which can fly for three weeks straight without a crew. And frequent fliers will be relieved to learn that Airbus has developed a new plane designed to eliminate jet lag.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: A solar-powered plane, and more!
Everyone's heard of hybrid cars, but what about hybrid airplanes? A solar and biofuel-powered plane is set to make history this June by completing the world's first zero-carbon trans-Atlantic flight. We also spotted an incredible underwater exosuit that allows you to fly through the ocean like Ironman. In other transportation news, Mexico City banned over one million cars as air pollution levels skyrocketed. And a Swedish company created an amazing bicycle cafe that actually purifies city smog.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: BMW's car of the future, and more!
What if installing solar panels were as easy as rolling out a carpet? That's the promise of the Roll-Array, a powerful, flexible solar system that can be set up in two minutes flat. Meanwhile, Deltec has launched a line of solar-powered prefab homes that start under $100,000, and we spotted an amazing teardrop trailer that can operate completely off-grid thanks to roof-mounted photovoltaics. In other building technology news, Boeing debuted a new self-cleaning airplane bathroom that uses UV light to obliterate germs.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: Highlights from the Geneva Motor Show
The Geneva Motor Show kicked off this week, and one of the stars of the show was the Koenigsegg Regera, an insane plug-in hybrid with 1,500 horsepower. Meanwhile, Goodyear rolled out a crazy spherical tire that lets cars drive sideways and Nissan unveiled its vision for the Fuel Station of the Future. We also spotted a "zipper truck" that snaps bricks together to build tunnels in just 24 hours, and Schwinge launched a futuristic pyramid-shaped superyacht.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: A flying car by 2018, and more!
If you've been waiting forever for a flying car, you won't have to hold out much longer: The Terrafugia TF-X will take to the skies by the year 2018. In other transportation news, Singapore-based Vanda Electric unveiled an insane 1,500-horsepower supercar that can go from 0 to 60 in 2.6 seconds. Tesla partnered with Radio Flyer to roll out a tiny Model S for kids. And a NASA scientist thinks that in the far future lasers could send a spacecraft to Mars in just 30 minutes.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: Riversimple's hydrogen car and more!
Is the age of the hydrogen car upon us? This week Riversimple announced plans to launch a 250-mpg fuel cell vehicle that's as affordable as a gas-burning car. The craziest part is that the company won't be selling it: Drivers will instead purchase a monthly plan that includes maintenance, insurance and hydrogen fuel. Meanwhile, Lexus unveiled the LC 500h, a 470-horsepower beast that could very well be the sexiest hybrid ever made. And three friends developed one of the craziest-looking vehicles we've ever seen. It's called the Cedar Rocket, and it's the world's fastest electric log car.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: VW's microbus concept, and more!
Volkswagen is still reeling from the Dieselgate emissions scandal, but it's trying to turn over a new leaf. So far the automaker has announced plans to launch 20 electric vehicles by the year 2020, and this week we learned that the BUDD-e electric microbus will be one of them. In other transportation news, a team of MIT students took top place in Elon Musk's Hyperloop design contest with plans for a streamlined pod that uses maglev technology. Uganda launched its first solar bus, and Google wants to bring 5G internet to off-grid areas with fleets of sun-powered drones.
