Important Innovations Collection

Jeep's CJ Surge Concept                                                  Source:  Jeep Big, New Electromod - Retromod Trend An important and growing trend in the automotive industry is called "electromod" or "retromod", which essentially entails taking a classic, retro car and modernizing it with new visual upgrades and new technologies, particularly an electric powertrain.  A hot, new example is Jeep's fully electric, classic, upgraded Wrangler off-roader called the CJ Surge.  This new concept is being unveiled this week at the 2022 SEMA Show in Las Vegas. Automotive experts say the electric technology behind the vehicle could trigger a revival of classic American muscle cars.  CJ Surge also provides a new look and fresh perspective on the future of classic off-roading. Retromod CJ Surge is a substantive restoration of a late model Jeep CJ7.  It's been modernized with an electric motor and full battery electric propulsion system along with extensive vis

Stratolaunch's Roc Carries a Hypersonic Vehicle to 23,000 Feet                                                  Source:  Stratolaunch Major Moves Toward Hypersonic Commercial Flying at Mach 6 The world's largest airplane, California-based Stratolaunch's Roc, with a wingspan longer than a football field, just aced a major test flight while carrying a hypersonic prototype plane.  The success is important on a number of levels.  It moves Stratolaunch, whose mission is to launch small, autonomous, rocket powered hypersonic vehicles from altitudes of 35,000 feet, closer to test flying its Talon A hypersonic vehicle.  And it moves the world closer to hypersonic flying at speeds of Mach 6 and more.  This will eventually include commercial passenger planes traveling at six times the speed of sound or 4,570 mph.  That would enable passengers to fly long distance air travel at warp speeds. Aviation Technologies Deployed Roc is a highly sophisticated payload release system specificall

Nissan Nismo Off-Road Frontier Concept Source:  Nissan Nismo Off-Road Frontier New Off-Roader With a Powerful Truck Powertrain The Nissan Nismo Off-Road Frontier concept is a hefty, midsize truck that takes off-road performance to a whole new level.  This V8 vehicle is so rugged, it doesn't need a road to drive on.  It has lots of power thanks to its 5.6-liter VE engine taken from the Titan full-size pickup truck.  The engine produces 400 hp and 413 pd-ft of torque in the Titan. In essence, the new concept offers Titan power in a mid-size truck. The Off-Road Frontier was built by Forsberg Racing.  It is a highly modified vehicle concept that will be showcased at the 2022 SEMA show coming up in Las Vegas. With a slew of new off-road accessories, it operates like a Baja-style, desert running machine.  Specially Equipped Off-Roader Nissan says the Frontier Off-Roader is meant to inspire Nissan Frontier truck owners with what they could do with their own truck. The off-road accessories

Super-Fast New, Recharging Technologies                                Source: Lucid & Zerova Technologies EV Maker Lucid & Zerova Technologies' New Charging Systems The magic bullet needed for EVs to take-off exponentially around the world is super-fast and super-convenient recharging.  Several new, breakthrough recharging systems have just been announced that take us closer to that destination.  Taiwan-based Zerova Technologies just introduced its Four Gun Charger that can provide 100 miles of range in 10 minutes.  And California-based EV maker Lucid has introduced its first, at home Charge Station that can fully recharge a Lucid EV in half the time most other systems take. Zerova's Technologies At the eMove 360 Show in Berlin, Zerova unveiled its 480-kW charger called Four Gun Charger.  It can zap out 100 miles of range to an EV in 10 minutes or 50 miles in 5 minutes.  It can also charge 4 vehicles simultaneously from a single unit.  The charger is designed for both

Breakthrough Design, Technology & Innovation                                                   Source:  Alpine Hydrogen Powered, Very Sporty Car Alpine is a Renault-owned Road car and race car brand that prides itself on being at the forefront of automotive innovation.  And, true to form, its Alpenglow luxury sedan/sportscar concept was one of the brightest stars at the recent Paris Auto Show.  According to the company, this concept vehicle sets the tone going forward on design, technology and innovation for Alpine's motorsport and road cars. Aside from the beauty of the car's design, the most fascinating aspect about Alpenglow are the two hydrogen fuel tanks that serve as the luxury vehicle's power source.  The internal combustion hydrogen motor emits only water vapor.  Two polymer pontoon fuel tanks filled with hydrogen are located on either side of the cockpit.  It offers 100% zero-emissions driving.   Design Signature and Future France-based Alpine is the dedicated

Dacia Manifesto Concept                                                  Source:  Dacia Manifesto Electric SUV With Minimal Environmental Footprint Just when you thought you've seen the ultimate in rugged, off-roading vehicles, take a look at this formidable electric off-roader.  It's from the Renault design group Dacia and is called the Manifesto.  It was just unveiled at the Paris Auto Show.  The EV SUV has a robust, eco-smart design and is doorless to keep passengers part of and open to the environment.  Dacia claims the Manifesto has a minimal environmental footprint.  The vehicle looks like a cross between a Moon rover and a cool, fun vehicle to enjoy the great outdoors.  The innovative design team calls it a transition point from smallish, everyday EV's to more rugged, highly capable lifestyle vehicles.   Environmental Plusses The all-electric SUV is designed to be ultra-compact, very open and feather lightweight.  The design team added some very innovative touches to

Solo Concept:  Tiny, 1-Person Vehicles                                                   Source:  Renault Mobility Ilio Concept: "Street Furniture" with Charging Station Renault's Mobility innovation group has developed a very radical, tiny, one-person electric vehicle and fascinating "street furniture" which are mobile units with charging stations and more to support the vehicles.  Mobility is dedicated to sustainable, new mobility. Their micro electric vehicle is called Solo Concept and it's a minimalist, all-electric, one-person vehicle with a very small footprint at just 54" long, 35.4" wide and 69" high.  The accompanying eco-system called Ileo Concept is a network of mobile charging point destinations to support fleets of their tiny concept cars.  Renault views the idea as a forward-looking mobility project designed to transition from cars to a carbon neutral environment.  Solo Concept Technologies The electric vehicle concept drives all

Porsche 911 GT3 RS Has a Massive Wing                                                                                                                                                 Source:  Porsche Race Car for the Road Volkswagen's luxury brand Porsche has developed a massively powerful new car with a huge aerodynamic wing on its back. Called the Porsche 911 GT3 RS, it's a race car for the road with the highest level of technology.  The vehicle can hit speeds of 193 mph and goes from 0 to 60 mph in 3 seconds, thanks to the athletic strength of its powerful engine and its unique ability to harness the thrust and power of the wind with its aerodynamic wing. Tech Specs and More GT3 RS is equipped with a 4.0-liter, 6-cylinder engine that pumps out a hefty 518 hp.  Thanks to the sports car's wing and other aerodynamic features, GT3 RS' downforce numbers are 3-times that of a normal GT3.  At 124 mph, the downforce is more than 900 pounds.  At 177 mph, it is 1,895 pounds.  T

AirCar, Liberty Sport & Switchblade                            Source: AirCar, Liberty Sport, Switchblade Flying & Driving Commuting Flying cars are a promised travel technology that innovators have been chasing for decades. Their time is about to come.  Three flying cars are now at the tipping point of going into production for sales in global markets.  The vehicles ready for takeoff, that are road legal with wings, include Slovakia-based Klein Vision's AirCar, Dutch company PAL-V International's Liberty Sport and Oregon-based Samson Sky's Switchblade.  They are heralding in a brand-new form of travel. Switchblade US-based Sampson Sky is promising deliveries of its 3-wheel flying car Switchblade in 2024. They already have 2100 orders for the vehicle from 53 nations.  Switchblade has been 14 years in development.  A gas engine powers one electric motor that drives the propeller and also powers one or two more motors that drive the wheels.  The vehicle will be sold a

Falcon Solar Concept Under Development in Hungary                                             Source:  Lasky Design Global Quest For Sustainable, Zero-Emissions Solar Planes There is a global quest to develop solar-powered, zero-emissions, sustainable passenger planes.  One of the most promising and fascinating concepts of this decade is Falcon Solar being developed in Hungary.  The aircraft is shaped like a falcon to capture the bird's agile aerodynamics in flight.  The designer, Laszlo Nemeth of Lasky Design in Budapest, Hungary is inspired by the aerodynamic lessons to be learned from powerful birds of prey, like the falcon, in flight.  That belief in inspiration from Nature provided the genesis of Nemeth's remarkably innovative, solar-powered, electric passenger plane concept.  Nemeth believes that technology is sufficient to allow us to fly on solar power and that solar passenger planes "could be a reality before self-driving cars". New Sustainable Aviation Falco