The Aptera is a new type of super-efficient vehicle from Aptera Motors of California.

The Aptera, which means “wingless” in Greek, is a super fuel-efficient vehicle, rated at a whopping 300mpg! It’s a hybrid diesel/electric vehicle, and is lightyears ahead of today’s hybrids, which in comparison, get a measly 35-45mpg. The Aptera is about 10 times as efficient!

How is this efficiency accomplished? Magic mostly, and a whole lot of engineering brilliance. Weight and wind resistance are huge factors that affect efficiency, and the Aptera has been carefully designed to optimize every aspect of the design to boost efficiency.

The Aptera weighs only 850 pounds (compared to the Toyota Prius at 2,890 pounds). This is achieved through what the company calls “Panelized Automated Composite Construction”, which basically means composite materials are use extensively instead of steel, cutting down on weight. Using only three wheels also cuts down on weight, and partially covering the wheels cuts down on wind resistance.

The Aptera can only hold two passengers, but with an insane 300mpg rating, you can always make extra trips.

In addition to the an amazing efficiency rating, the Aptera also features an innovative air conditioning system. It’s solar powered. This means that even on hot days when your car is off, the air conditioning can run and keep your car comfortable. Knowing first hand how brutal a car gets in the middle of July, this alone would be a great selling point!

In terms of safety, the composite material is super-strong, providing support in a collision. It also features a 360-degree viewing angle, accomplished through rear-mounted camera.

The Aptera has some impressive performance stats as well. 0-60 in about 11 seconds, and a top speed of 95mph. Costing only $30,000, it’s perfect for the average eco-conscious consumer.

The Aptera was created in response to the X-Prize Foundation’s Automotive eco-competition. Having moved on from space, the X-Prize put up $25 million for the first vehicle to reach 100mpg. At 300mpg the Aptera has a great shot at winning

Check out Aptera Motors, and the Aptera Myspace Page

via AutoblogGreen, San Diego Union Tribune, popsci , Wired, Automotive X Prize

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Toyota has made some great progress with fuel-cell vehicles lately, and it’s just tested the newest version of it’s next generation fuel-cell vehicle, the FCHV.

The hydrogen fuel-cell car has a reported range of a whopping 480 miles! In tests, it was able to make a trip from Osaka to Tokyo, a 350 miles trip, and finished with 30% of it’s tank left.

While a lot of this range is based on a large tank (about twice as big as it’s predecessor), Toyota has made great strides in efficiency as well, improving 25% over the previous model.

A 480-mile range is a great advancement in fuel-cell vehicles, as it approaches the range of modern hybrid car. Just doing some quick math, we see that a 45mpg 2008 Honda Civic Hybrid, with a 12.3 gallon tank, has a maxiumi potential range of about 553 miles.

So it appears hydrogen has finally reached the efficiency of modern gas vehicles. Now that the technology is finally here, the infrastructure is now the biggest hurdle to a consumerized version, but we’re on our way!

via Engadget, Reuters

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Well we’ve been seeing a whole bunch of new electric vehicle concepts, securing the age-old idea that we’ll all drive electric cars in the near future.

Unfortunately electric cars still have a problem with range. Most of them are very energy efficient, but still can’t drive very far without needing a recharge.

Mitsubishi has put some innovative ideas into the iMIEV to solve this problem. Use green energy!

The iMIEV features a solar panel on the roof and two compact wind turbines in the front to generate electricity. Along with solar and wind, the iMIEV has a regenerative braking system, which uses braking friction to generate electricity.

These technologies help recharge the car’s battery and helps to improve the car’s range. The solar roof alone adds about 20 miles to the range. It’s not much, but every little bit helps, and if it’s green energy, all the better!

In addition to the green power, the car features LED based lighting, heat-absorbing window glass, and green plastic - a plastic made from plant resin.

It’s great to see some innovative thinking in creating a green car, it’s ideas like this which will give us the car of the future, not just a simple concept.

via Treehugger

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AutoblogGreen has posted a list of the top 10 eco-friendly RVs.

Now, RVs aren’t exactly known to be green; they guzzle gas. This list has some impressive vehicles however.

Here are some of my favourites:

Modern Park Trailer

This one looks more like a small office building on wheel than an RV, but contained in this large-windowed RV is a bathroom, living room, and even a bedroom and closet. Pretty cool!

VW Westfalia Concept

This one really makes me want to dress in tie-die, get high, and follow a band around for the summer. While it might remind you of the old hippie vans, this concept has one modern high-tech upgrade: it’s solar powered.

Solar powered hippie van? Can you get any more cool?

GMC Pad Concept

This one looks so cool it has to get a mention. It’s only a concept right now, but the design is striking. The inside is apparently “all about media display” and check out these pictures to see what that means:

These are some great examples of some green RVs and RV concepts. Good to see RVs taking to green technology!

Read the whole list from AutoblogGreen

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