The Helios Concept Car, designed by Kim Gu-Han from Universität Duisburg-Essen in Germany, sponsored by Volkswagen, shows us just how quickly innovative ideas and concepts for more ecological transport are becoming commonplace. It wasn’t so long ago that the enormous gas-guzzling Cadillac was considered innovative and now look at the incredible futuristic transport possibilities.
The Helios Concept Car recently won Best Use of Technology at the Interior Motives Design Awards 2008. The car, still in the conceptual stage, is intended to be an electric off road vehicle that is powered by solar energy produced from its photovoltaic panels. The large, wing-like solar panels increase the energy charging capacity of the car. The solar panels are retractable for driving, but the Helios Concept Car’s solar panels also propose the ability to power your home when the car is not in motion – provided you park it outside the garage of course and point the panels toward the sun. The mechanism to raise the panels may prove to be unwieldy, but this is still a concept and it is the cool idea that counts.
The inspiration for the innovative retractable panels comes from the reptile world – where lizards spread their ‘wings’ to increase their ability to attract or repel the sun and/or predators.
Visit: http://www.interiormotivesawards.com/interiormotives/
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