Concepts

Tesla's Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen and Model S Program Director Jerome Guillen announced on the company's blog that they've begun working on Beta versions of the Model S sedan.

Tesla is breaking up the vehicle's development into two stages: Alpha and Beta. Earlier this year Tesla revealed the Alpha version of the electric sedan. In a recent blog post on the company's Web site, von Holzhausen and Guillen said that they've begun assembling the Beta versions of the vehicle to help them prepare for the preproduction of the vehicle that is expected to … Read more

Toyota is toying with augmented reality to improve the view outside of its vehicles' windows.

A design exercise developed in conjunction with the Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design (CIID), Toyota's "Window to the World" concept uses augmented reality to turn a car window into a glass canvas that lets the viewer interact with the elements outside the window.

CIID and Toyota Kansei Design Division engineers and designers came up with five potential uses for the new windows. Similar to the way kids draw shapes onto fogged-up glass, passengers can trace images on the window, but they appear … Read more

Bluetooth can enable you to communicate on a cell phone without looking like Zach Morris. But what if you could use Bluetooth to drive a remote-controlled car? Even Morris' "Saved by the Bell" crush Kelly Kapowski would be impressed.

Stephen Mark hopes to commercialize the idea with BlueDrone, a Bluetooth-controlled 1:20-scale Nissan GT-R RC vehicle.

Compatible with any Android phone or tablet (running 2.1+), BlueDrone is that toy we don't need, but would probably buy if it was at the front of Brookstone. The car is controlled by an Android app that offers touch-screen and/or accelerometer controls to the driver--both most certainly a wow factor. Battery life clocks in at three hours (via three AA batteries), while the maximum range is 30 feet due to Bluetooth's technical limitations.

Mark's vision, one he calls a "personal dream for many years," offers "responsive steering and a powerful motor." The promo video below most certainly affirms that claim, but we're left to wonder if BlueDrone can inspire enough people to pledge $200,000 on Kickstarter and help the product hit the highway. … Read more

Recognizing that work and family time often overlap, Renault announced plans to debut an electric compact van that doubles as a family car at the Frankfurt auto show this fall.

The Renault Frendzy concept combines the utility of a cargo van with a comfortable interior that works for personal use. A sliding door on the passenger side and carriage doors on the driver side give the Frendzy the look of a Ford C-Max and Honda Element mashup. The front passenger seat and rear two-seater bench stow away to make room for cargo, and the Frendzy's fabric roof stretches to … Read more

What's interesting about the release accompanying the announcement of Toyota's latest hybrid concept is that there's absolutely no mention of the terms efficient, mpg, or eco. No, when Toyota talks about the GRMN Sports Hybrid Concept II, it uses words like maneuverability, stability, and enjoyment. Just what's gotten into boring old Toyota these days?

Set to be revealed to the public at this weekend's Nurburgring 24-hour endurance race, in Nurburg, Germany, the Toyota's concept is a sporty convertible that's powered by a gasoline-electric hybrid drivetrain. GRMN stands for "Gazoo Racing tuned by … Read more

Last year, automotive designer Pininfarinia debuted a prototype two-seater electric car, and this year it's making the pint-size Nido EV even more environmentally friendly by creating a solar charging station to power it.

The Italian design house revealed the Antares solar charging tree last month at MoTechEco, a sustainable mobility show in Rome. The 108 sq. ft. treelike modular car charger contains 20 photovoltaic solar panels, capable of producing 4.6 kilowatts, enough to recharge two electric cars for a range of approximately 50 miles each.

Pininfarina isn't alone in its pursuit of a tree-shaped solar charging station. … Read more

Honda's first electric vehicle to hit the road in Europe will be a scooter. The auto manufacturer began testing its zero emissions scooter in Barcelona this week as part of a test program to help Honda analyze how the new technology performs with European driving patterns. The EV-neo is already available for lease in Japan, and the Barcelona City Council will be the first EU customers to receive the e-scooters.

Driving at 18 mph, the Honda EV-neo has a range of 21 miles. It's not far, but the electric scooter comes with a portable rapid charger to replenish … Read more

Riding a motorcycle can be a pretty dangerous mode of transport, but obviously, not everyone agrees or the Hoverbike wouldn't have been built.

Designed by Australian engineer Chris Malloy, this hybrid vehicle combines a dual-propeller helicopter and a racing motorcycle and looks incredibly cool. It's retro-styled and has some fancy propellers made of Tasmanian Oak. It also has a 1,170cc 4-stroke engine and a carbon-fiber driveshaft, the latter being a lighter alternative to steel or aluminum. To lift off, the driver increases the thrust with the right hand via a throttle grip that's exactly the same as the throttle on a motorbike and can reach an airspeed of 150 knots (173 mph), according to Malloy.

While the idea of a flying motorcycle may pique the interest of daredevils, there aren't any videos (or pictures) of the Hoverbike in flight yet save for a few images of the contraption hovering while tethered to the ground. Also, its flight specifications--which are untested so far--do cause concern. For example, the "bike" is designed to reach a maximum altitude of 10,000 feet, which is incredibly high for such a small aircraft. Malloy calls the Hoverbike "very safe," and fortunately, it comes with two explosive parachutes that deploy in case of an emergency. … Read more

For the annual Wörtherseetour in Europe, a gathering of VW, Audi, Seat, and Skoda fans, Audi built a special version of its new A1 model. Audi replaced the standard turbocharged 1.4-liter engine with a turbocharged 2.5-liter five cylinder, the engine used in the TT RS. But taking it a step further, Audi engineers tuned up that powerplant, taking it from 315 to 503 horsepower. The result? 3.7 seconds to 62 mph.

This special A1, dubbed the A1 clubsport quattro, is a one-off, a performance concept showing what Audi can do with even its most unassuming … Read more