Click above for more RCA Eco-Friendly Concepts
Whenever car design students tackle a project with as little direction as designing a "future eco-friendly automobile," you know that the designs will bear little resemblance to what's currently available. Still, when it's students from the Royal College of Art we're talking about, we should take note. After all, this is the same school that graduated the likes of Peter Horbury, Ian Callum, Martin Smith from Ford of Europe, Aston Martin's design director Marek Reichman and Peter Schreyer, Kia's current design head and the man behind the iconic shape of Audi's original TT.
The winner of the 2008 Pilkington Automotive Vehicle Design award was Pierre Sabas with his Airflow concept (shown above). Although the looks of the vehicle, with its entire exterior made from glass, are pretty far fetched, the in-wheel electric motors specified by the designer may have a future as many automakers are already exploring this idea for production. In contrast, Arturo Peralta Nogueras's concept uses non-existent "solid hologram technology" for the exterior along with an interior that evolves with its surroundings. We're sure that one's coming right around the corner. Thanks for the tip, Mike!
[Sources: Inhabitat, Wallpaper.com]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Torrent @ Jul 23rd 2008 11:45AM
This one especially reminds of one of Mazda's concepts:
http://www.autoblog.com/photos/rca-eco-friendly-concepts/939977/
ken_aisin @ Jul 23rd 2008 11:53AM
This Rinspeed concept is even better.
http://www.rinspeed.com/pages/cars/exasis/pre-exasis-fotos.htm
http://www.rinspeed.com/pages/cars/exasis/pre-exasis.htm
AkulaX1 @ Jul 23rd 2008 11:59AM
They all look lame
MajorGeek @ Jul 23rd 2008 12:12PM
Those of us over college age might need to actually get in.... then out... something they seem to have forgotten. I must agree, I hope this isnt the future, I like a lot of our current and upcoming cars much better. Hell, the new Prius just got attractive after that.
Dinger @ Jul 23rd 2008 1:11PM
My wife got her MA from RCA and let me tell you there is not one shred of her "college projects" in her real world work.
RCA tells the students - and rightly I think - that they should go absolutely nutters on their school projects because once they are in the real world they will be spending the rest of their careers making things that people will actually purchase.
So I wouldn't worry about this being a design direction or anything like that.
MajorGeek @ Jul 23rd 2008 1:30PM
Yeah, most concepts are like that, however, if you went back in time, 60's, 70's, 80's and saw the drawings of those times, you will find that a lot of them become reality in many ways.
Ian @ Jul 23rd 2008 12:16PM
I love the personal bathtubs instead of seats. Way cool.
Jon @ Jul 23rd 2008 1:12PM
for all you haters out there... these will never go into production or anything... they are just design student's projects used to push the concept to the limit.
you should think of it more as an experiment rather than comparing it to todays vehicles
skiwithme @ Jul 23rd 2008 1:28PM
but this is how all cars should look as far as im concerned. the present is just totally medieval. i for one want to drive and live in a world that is right on the cutting edge of imagination. futurehaters!
skiwithme @ Jul 23rd 2008 1:35PM
omg i just saw 12 of 15 and trouserexploded. its 2001: a space odyssey's monolith on wheels. it probably idles a choir.
tankd0g @ Jul 23rd 2008 3:16PM
Four bathtubs in a glass slipper on wheels?
chrisdavis @ Jul 23rd 2008 4:47PM
They're styling future cars, not designing them.