BMW and Mercedes are leading the way in using carbon fiber to reduce weight in future passenger vehicles. Losing pounds can also be key to meet upcoming CAFE regulations and can also help increase the range electric vehi
2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG – Click above for high-res image gallery
There were obvious eco-preservation overtones in the movie Avatar, but we didn't know James "King of the World" Cameron was such a fervent defender of the planet. With Pandora safe from mineral exploitation, Cameron is leading a charge here on Earth against what he considers a disinformation campaign perpetuated by the oil and coal lobbies. If you've seen a TV spot that includes the
Lotus Evora Carbon Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery
Toyota Prius PHEV - click above for high-res image gallery
Audi Aluminum A5 Coupe Prototype - Click above for high-res image
For the last century or so, cars and trucks have predominantly been formed from one material in particular: steel. It's not hard to see why – steel is relatively inexpensive, highly abundant and easy to form into somewhat complex shapes that can be repaired with mostly basic tools.
Gress Grand Monaco – Click above for high-res image gallery
Those with deep pockets and a penchant for everything automotive need look no further for their mobile communications needs (and desires) than Vertu. The premium phone brand from Nokia takes the inspiration for its Ascent line from sports cars and has come out every year with a new special edition just for moneyed automotive enthusiasts and racing fans, from the Racetrack Legends series to
Carbon Motors E7 - Click above for high-res image gallery
Gemballa Mirage GT Carbon Edition – Click above for a high-res image gallery
If you're going to drop six figures on a new supercar, you're not going to put just any old piece of luggage in that tiny trunk, are you? Of course not. That's why Ferrari turned to Schedoni. The 125-year-old Italian leather-crafters makes all the fitted luggage for Ferrari roadcars. They even make that little pad at the back of the Scuderia's F1 cockpit to keep Felipe and Kimi's helmets from knocking against the c
Aluminum, titanium, stainless steel, vulcanized rubber...it was only a matter of time before somebody made a watch out of carbon ceramic. And who better to do it than Brembo and Meccaniche Veloci? The former you'll know well as the most recognized name in brakes. The latter may be known to some of you as the Italian watchmaker that designed the Quattro Valvole timepiece, named and styled after the four-
Nanotechnology holds amazing promise for many new green technologies, including the emissions controls which will allow the internal combustion engine to meet upcoming standards and the lithium ion batteries which threaten to make those same engines obsolete. There are many issues holding nano-tech back, though, not the least of which is the high price associated with the production of such tiny materials. So, when we read that Catalyx Nanotech, Inc. pla
Faced with the problems of oil supply and environmental factors, it seems quite certain that many of our transportation options in the future with be powered by electricity. Methods of supplying the necessary electrons are legion but all seem to involve costs and problems of one kind or another. With power from coal, there is not only the well known CO2 emittance problem, but also incredible amou
Click on the image for more shots of the Future Chair wheelchairs
On the surface, carbon fiber sounds like a wonder-product which can replace much of the heavy metal, especially steel, that makes up the vast majority of nearly every automobile's structure. Dig a bit deeper, however, and there are a few flies in CF's ointment that make it very difficult to use in vehicles: price, supply and the time it takes to mold a the weaved material. Japan's big three carbon fiber producers are tackling each of these issues in a number of ways. First, the price of CF is ex
