While we've featured many alternatively-powered cars on AutoblogGreen, this may be the first one that is fueled by the imagination. If you've been perusing the iMiEV microsite we told you about the other day you may have noticed a paper craft section. It's a special place that fans of the Mitsubishi iMiEV (other Mitsu models are also there) can go to and download a PDF file containing a magical pattern that was conjured up by Akira Mizorogi. This can then be printed out, cut out, folded and glued to become a mini version of the micro electric car. Although the cutting may be achieved with scissors, an exacto knife and cutting mat is recommended. Small, childlike fingers and a grandparent's patience may also come in handy.

Because of the inexpensive properties of paper automobiles, we were able to get our hands on three of these little beauties, instead of the usual single model, to put through their paces. The cars were pretty much identical with each having unlimited amounts of power and speed. A few runs through the cones revealed handling that was superb as long as you kept a gentle grip. One car had a little better fit and finish which was chalked up to assembly by a different team. We expect the electric versions to be more uniform and also more silent, since the vehicles we had were for some reason equipped with some sort of sound effects device that reproduced the noises of a gas-powered car.

The trio were driven across varying terrain including a redwood forest (pictured above), a grassy savanna, as well as the usual concrete and asphalt. A word of caution. It's a dangerous world out there for paper cars so beware of puddles and large furry beasts who might mistake your iMiEV for a mouse. Check out the gallery of our paper iMiEV adventures below. Many thanks to Yanquetino for the tip!


[Source: Mitsubishi]

When imagining the future of carbon-free air travel it seems strange that so many of us overlook the obvious; super speedy solar-powered flying turtles. No, not like that famous flying turtle from Japanese cinema (Gamera doesn't sport solar panels, silly), but rather an airship with a rigid hull that derives power from the sun by day and burns biodiesel by night. Think this is just some flight of fancy? Maybe so, but Darrell Campbell, the man behind the concept, says the Turtle Airships company is building a prototype right now and may soon be flying in a sky near you. In fact, he says it will make an "around-the-world flight" sometime next year.

Mr. Campbell has an ambitious list of duties he believes his airship is well suited for. In addition to carrying travelers to and fro, he envisions a flying hospital version that travels to where its needed. It could also be used as a military troop carrier, and, of course, an effective means of combating the scourge of "pirates in the waters off of Somalia, Indonesia, and Nigeria." Sounds nifty to us. You can keep up with the advancement of the flying turtle by bookmarking their blog. Read the entire press release after the break.

[Source: Turtle Airships via Environmental Graffiti]

Click above for more images of the electric bike train

Recently, while searching the net for the most interesting forward-thinking ideas around, we stumbled across a design for an electric bicycle which works sort of like a train. Sure, that sounds confusing, but a quick glance at the pictures below will likely make the concept easier to understand. While we in no way believe that a device such as this would make any real dent in global emissions or congestion, we do think that the idea has some merit for cyclists. Consider, for example, how expensive tandem bicycles are. With a vehicle such as this, a single rider can go his merry way alone or attach extra helpers bikes as needed. Additionally, the electric machine is collapsible, which should make it easier to store when not needed. Pretty cool stuff from designer Jiang Qian in China. A quick glance at his accomplishments makes us believe we're not the only ones impressed by his work.


[Source: Coroflot.com]

Considering that the legacy left behind by American car companies has little to do with being clean, there seems to be an increased sense of urgency by some U.S. states to replace the older fleet of vehicles with newer, and therefore cleaner, vehicles. The states with the two largest vehicle fleets, Texas and California, have both implemented new programs which offer cash-based incentives to owners of older vehicles which fail current emissions testing. In Texas, up to $3,500 is offered towards a vehicle three-years old or newer, though income restrictions do apply. In California, there is no maximum income number, though the far-left state is a bit less generous, offering $1,500 towards the purchase of a replacement vehicle.

Canada is also getting in on the act with a program slated to begin on January 1 of next year. In a move close to our hearts, the incentive is applicable to new vehicles, new bicycles or even bus passes. Sadly, the value is a rather low $300. Way to go Canada; perhaps upping the ante a bit would make the program a bit more meaningful.

[Source: The Detroit News]

Whether at the Solar Decathlon, making clever environmental awareness clips or interviewing Darth Vader, young Carrick and his dad Colin have made some fun green transportation videos over the past year or so. The duo returns this week with a look at sustainable transportation in the future. Their new video was made as a submission to the US PIRG video contest, which asks the cloud for better ideas on shaping smarter transit plans. As the US PIRG puts it, "time spent stuck in traffic is time you never get back."

Colin writes:

Our video focuses on systems of mass transit such as personal rapid transit systems and high-speed trains, as well as making cars and trucks more sustainable with electricity. When we were researching for the video we kept coming across strong advocates of public transportation who clearly hated cars and would have them taken all away if they could. I don't believe that it is realistic for any vision of sustainable transportation in the future to leave out cars and trucks - it's unnecessary.

If you'd like to submit your own video, you've still got time. The deadline for entry is July 4. In the meantime, watch Carrick's latest star turn after the jump.

[Source: Colin M., US PIRG]

Say what you will about the Segway, but perhaps it was a vehicle just a bit ahead of its time. Consider its record sales in the face of record high gasoline prices as proof positive that consumers are looking for ways to get around without using fossil fuels pumped into tanks. There is certainly something to be said for an urban runabout which allows you to arrive at your intended destination without being drenched in sweat. Still, it's that electric powertrain which makes the Segway and its ilk so expensive, so perhaps some human power is in order after all.

Take a look at the unicycle transport vehicle by designer Regimantas Vegele, which combines the motion of an eliptical excercise machine with a unicycle to create one rather unique contraption. Safety certainly seems to be a possible problem with this thing, wouldn't you think? If you want to use human power to get around, may we suggest the good old bicycle?


[Source: Yanko Design via Gizmodo]

Paris is a city with its fair share of traffic problems. It's also the largest city where a public bicycle rental service is being used, very successfully (Ve'lib) and we already knew about the city's plans to install a similar service featuring electric cars. An EV rental plan even helped the Mayor win re-election, and more information about this plan has now been unveiled. First of all, the fleet is going to be exclusively electric, with 4,000 units. That's a very large order for a single model of a vehicle - but which model has not yet been announced. The system, called Auto'lib, which means "Auto à libre disposition" (Help-yourself car) will not only be installed in the city itself, but it will cover the suburbs (banlieue), expanding the range that the bike rental service operates in.

The scheduled roll-out date is late 2009 and to handle the 4,000 EVs the system will have 700 stations (with 200 of them underground) and a powerful computer system coordinating the rentals. Prices aren't yet known (rumors hint at about €250 per month, including full insurance), but it seems likely that Parisians will be able to enjoy the service with their regular "Navigo" mass transit cards.

[Source: Evous]

While the fuel efficiency of new vehicles is clearly an important issue today, it's certainly not the only area where emissions and fuel consumption can be reduced. Carmakers are scrambling to reduce all their energy use to save money. The latest effort from Honda is the new Auto-Max rail car. Honda worked with Greenbrier companies to develop the Auto-Max and has now deployed 400 of them. Honda is shipping 82 percent of its vehicles by rail and the new rail cars can hold up to 22 vehicles compared to 10 for conventional rail cars. The rail cars give Honda more flexibility to pack in more vehicles with a mix of different types, helping the company to cut the fuel use and emissions per vehicle shipped. Honda has also revamped the rail infrastructure at its Ohio factories, allowing them to now ship out more vehicles by rail. The changes provide an annual savings of 2,436 gallons of fuel and 54,432 pounds of CO₂.

What does June 19 mean to you? For some, it means the third annual "Dump The Pump" day. Considering that I find myself in Philadelphia today, it caught my eye that the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority is one of the more than 100 systems participating in the effort to encourage people to take public transportation instead of the car. Considering, too, that I'm in Philly without a car and need to get over to Camden, NJ in a little while, I think I will avail myself of the buses and trains that run through the cities.

Dump The Pump is sponsored by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), which offers a game called Whack-A-Pump! on their website (yes, it's what you think it is). If taking out your anger at gas stations by stealing their fuel isn't your style, this is a safe alternative.

"Play. Run. Walk. Breathe." That's the tagline for this summer's biggest no-car experiment in the U.S. For three Saturdays in August (the 9th, 16th, and 23rd) certain streets in New York City will be car-free zones. Actually, it will only be for part of the day on those Saturdays, from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., that the nearly 7 miles of roadways selected for the "Summer Streets" event will be repurposed for some emissions-free activities. You can download a PDF of the streets that will be closed to cars - and open to your imagination, as the city says.

The Village Voice says that NYC is taking a page from the Ciclovia festival, a regular event in Bogotá, Columbia, and other similar events from around the world. It's not just that the city is shutting the streets down to make it safer for bike riders. No, this is a full-fledged summer activity program, with dance, fitness, and yoga classes on tap. Transportation Alternatives is one of the groups supporting the city in Summer Streets, and a spokesperson for the group told the Voice that this program will bring people together and will connect "communities who don't have parks to those who do."

One taxi manager's response to the idea: "They've got to be kidding,"

[Source: NYC via the Village Voice]

Here's another harbinger: air traffic between cities that are linked by high speed train lines is significantly reduced. This was a notorious effect of the Paris-Lyon route (Europe's first high speed train link), and has been seen more recently in the Paris-London, Paris-Brussels and Paris-Amsterdam combinations. In the country where high speed trains are growing the fastest is seeing the effects as well: The Madrid-Barcelona high speed link in Spain (AVE), which started operating in March, has reduced by about 18.4 percent the air traffic between the two cities.

June is expected to offer more dramatic results. Railway traffic has increased steadily by five percent every month since then, and Renfe, the company that operates the line, has increased train frequencies accordingly. Train speeds are also going to be faster this fall, from the current 300 km/h to 350 km/h (186 to 217 mph) completing the 615 km (382 mi.) long trip in 2 hours and 15 minutes. The Spanish high speed train network is expected to be linked with France and the rest of the European continent in 2010.

[Source: El Periodico]

Record prices for gasoline are driving people in need of transportation to look at all kinds of alternatives. Used small cars from the early '90s are attracting record high prices (ahem), and more people are investigating scooters, mopeds and motorcycles. One company that has seen a huge spike in sales is Segway. The self-balancing electric scooter has become something of a joke in the years since its introduction as its high price has often tended to limit its use to rich nerds like Apple founder Steve Wozniak. Woz and his friends even invented Segway polo.

Increasingly though, Segways are being used as an alternative for short distance commuters. For someone who lives in a warm and preferably urban climate, the Segway's 25 mile range could provide a means to get around without the sweat that a bike ride might induce. Segway CEO Jim Norrod expects second quarter sales to be up 50 percent over the same period last year compared to a 25 percent jump in the first quarter. Of course, there is still that little detail of the $5,000 price tag. Given the limitations of the device, unless they can bring the price down, it will remain very much a niche product.

[Source: Wall Street Journal]

If you think we've got it bad here when it comes to fuel prices, our friends in Europe have it far worse. Gasoline is now $8.75/gallon in the UK and it is having a real impact on people's behavior. In a report from the International Energy Agency, it appears that British drivers are taking the high prices to heart and seeking alternatives. Gas station operators in the UK have reported a 20 percent drop in sales over the past year. With fuel costs making it impractical to run their vehicles, more commuters are hitting the buses and trains than ever before.

Fortunately, people in the UK and the rest of Europe generally have public transportation as a viable option. Here in the U.Sdf. unless you live in a major city like New York or Chicago, mass transit is of limited use. For all of the millions of Americans who live in the 'burbs, there often is no option but to drive. And while recommending that people move closer to where they work might have been an option a year ago, the collapse of the real estate bubble in most of the country means that moving is usually out the question too.

[Source: Daily Telegraph]

The city of Philadelphia has found a new way to cut expenses by eliminating vehicles from its city fleet. However, many city employees still need to get around sometimes. They've decided adopt the car-sharing model and they put out a request for bids. It's been announced that ZipCar has been awarded a new contract to provide car-sharing services for municipal employees. Philadelphia has already eliminated 330 vehicles from its fleet over the last 4 years and this new deal will expand on that. The ZipCar contract starts on July 1 for a year and may be extended for another three years. ZipCar is offering hybrid vehicles in Philadelphia from $6/hour.

[Source: ZipCar]

The European Mobility Week is an event held in Europe to promote the use of public transport. The goal is to convince motorists to switch their cars and motorbikes for buses, trains, trams, subways and bicycles. Usually, participating cities prepare a set of activities, but this year France decided to push the idea nationwide. This means that up to 110 public transport networks will work together on September 17th to provide unlimited public transport for €1. For the sake of comparison, a single bus ride in Paris on most days costs €1.50. The initiative was announced by a lobby called "Target: public transport," which aims to promote public transport as "a mandatory mobility solution to face the environmental, social and economic challenges of today."

[Source: Autoplus]