Finally, Volvo has come up with a hybrid. The ReCharge concept is a plug-in hybrid, with individual electric motors given to each wheel. ReCharge is a specially designed C30, prepared for the Frankfurt Motor Show.
It is largely believed that hybrids cannot stand up to the same footing as gasoline driven cars, atleast not in the near future. Here’s a myth buster, called Lightning. This electric sports car is emission free and can race to a maximum speed of 130mph.
New parks will be popping up all over the country today, thanks to Park(ing) Day, an annual event that turns paved parking spaces into temporary green gardens. The event was started in 2005 by ReBar, an art collective based in San Francisco, and is meant to challenge urbanites to think about what our public spaces would be like if they were designed for the pedestrian, rather than the car.
Past events have received great responses, and this year promises to be no different with a slew of participating cities and 450 spaces to be transformed. For a full list, see Park(ing) Day sponsor’s website, The Trust for Public Land.
So go check it out!
“By turning parking spaces into instant parks, National Park(ing) Day creatively demonstrates how much our cities need parks. Across America, cities are renewing their investments in parks, because civic leaders have come to recognize that close-to-home parks, gardens, and playgrounds are essential if we are to have cities that aren’t just livable, but lovable.” -Will Rogers, Trust for Public Land president
Japan’s Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd. recently announced that it is developing the country’s fastest high speed train! Named the “Environmentally Friendly Super Express Train” (efSET), the modern marvel will propel passengers along at 217 miles per hour, besting the record-holding Shinkansen’s 186mph. The streamlined design also promises to be less noisy, more energy efficient, and will feature a state-of-the-art electrical control system.
The introduction of Kawasaki’s new high-speed train stands to improve upon Japan’s standing rail system, already considered to be one of the most efficient in the world. The efSET will feature an extremely lightweight and aerodynamic profile in addition to a regenerative braking system that will recycle the kinetic energy generated by its movement.
Kawasaki plans to finalize the design by March 2010, and the company has already announced that it plans to prepare the efSET for international release. They estimate that 10,000 km of high-speed railways will be deployed over the next 20 years - lets hope some of those lines fall within the United States!
RCA Concept car by Joonas Vartola
What intelligent new systems will the cars of tomorrow feature? Recently we were asked by Best of the Green Web to compose our thoughts about the future of personal transportation into a three part series. Whereas in past weeks we’ve focused upon the drive towards creating more efficient vehicles from eco-friendly materials, this week we focus on the more intricate technologies required to achieve the goal of sustainable transportation. After all, increasing fuel efficiency is a worthy goal, but let’s face it - if we really want to change our relationship with our cars, we need them to be smart. Check out Best of the Green Web for the full article!
We are excited to announce that one of our favorite contemporary furniture design teams, Molo, just launched a brand new fold-up paper lantern called ‘Urchin’. Molo’s Urchin Softlights are a series of gorgeous expandable lamps composed of flexible-yet-durable honeycomb craft paper. Urchin embodies Molo’s versatile design philosophy and is as adaptable as their paper walls or stacking blocks, allowing the user to lift or push the softlight into any desired position. Watch designer Stefanie Forsythe styling her Urchin softlights in a flash intro here.
Molo’s trademark tactile honeycomb weave material is designed for indoor use and can accommodate LED or compact florescent lightbulbs. The softlight comes in a variety of sizes and works well in groups for sculptural modules as photographed below. If their busy stand at 100% Design last week is anything to go by, we’re sure they will have orders coming in thick and fast!
Molo at 100% Design last week.
Molo at 100% Design last week.
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