Eco Factor: Solar-powered, rainwater harvesting concept taxi developed for Latin American cities.
Mexico-based industrial designer, Alberto Villarreal, has come up with a unique concept car that has been designed to serve as a taxi in the congested lanes of Latin American cities. The zero-emission vehicle incorporates a unique blend of technologies that make it a zero-emission car of the future.
The vehicle comes with solar panels on its roof that provide electricity to the batteries on which the vehicle runs. As a backup the vehicle is also fitted with a fuel cell platform that ensures a zero emission drive in any conditions. The roof has been designed with a raised border that collects rainwater for the cooling system of the vehicle.
Apart from all these green features the car boasts many other innovative features that include a vertical windshield to protect the driver from the sun, individual electric motors on all four wheels to increase fuel efficiency, low floor to provide easy access to children and people with disabilities, a green light perimeter that glows if the taxi is empty, rear view cameras, LED headlights to reduce power consumption, real time information display, Drive By Wire technology, and above all a bamboo floor for warm and sustainable looks.
Talking about the designer, Alberto Villarreal is an active member of Fundación UNAM, where every month a percentage of his salary is donated to support educational and research programs in Mexico. He has also donated to philanthropic organizations such as UNICEF, and he actively volunteers in design & development of humanitarian/philanthropic projects for Project-H-Design and the San Francisco chapter of Engineers Without Borders (ATDT group).
The Dark Side:
The vehicle is one of the most perfect designs we have seen lately. The technologies incorporated in the vehicle not only promise a zero emission and energy efficient ride but also make sure that the driver and the passengers too are safe inside it. If commercial versions of such a car can be produced keeping the cost to a minimum then it surely will rule the roads of tomorrow.
[Thanks: Alberto Villarreal]
