The Elio: An Eco-Friendly, Revolutionary 3-Wheeled Vehicle Hits The Road.

It's green, It's lean. It's got three wheels and can be ordered now. Introducing the Elio.




Founded in 2008 by Mr. Paul Elio, Elio Motors set out to provide affordable transportation to those commuters seeking an alternative while providing vital American jobs.

The result is a street legal three wheeled environmentally friendly vehicle that goes from 0-60 in under 9.6 seconds and gets 84 miles to the gallon. For students, the vehicle provides a safe and reliable means to commute around campus. For those families with mini-vans or SUV’s, Elio provides an efficient and economical way to get to and from work. The price-point of the vehicle ($6800 USD) allows Elio to be an addition to a family's fleet without adding any additional cost to an already stretched budget.



Features:
• 84 Miles per Gallon
It gets 84 miles to the gallon on the highway. That means you can go from Detroit to New York City on a tank of gas – or drive from Shreveport LA to Dallas and back – then back to Dallas again – and still have about 110 miles left before a refill.



• 8-Gallon Tank:
It can go 672 miles, or thereabouts, because it has an 8-gallon tank and 8X84=672. Of course, other factors will affect your mileage.



• Eco-Friendly:
It gets 84 MPG on the highway, but you’ll be doing your share of city driving, too. With its city rate of 49 MPG, you’ll be consuming only 1/3 of what the average American vehicle consumes.

• Transmission:
5-speed manual or automatic. And yes, it has a reverse gear.

• Power:
An inline, 3 cylinder, .9 liter, 55 HP, fuel-injected, SOHC gas-powered, liquid-cooled, automotive engine. Top speed is in excess of 100 MPH, and the 0-60 speed is under 9.6 seconds.



• Traction:
The engine is in the front and it is a front-wheel-drive vehicle. With a low center of gravity and weight towards the front, you’ll get great traction action – even in the snow.

• Suspension:
The Elio is built on an independent suspension with unequal length control arms, coil-over-spring and shock in the front and mono-shock with coil-over-spring and shock in the rear. The ground clearance is 5.75″ — similar to most of the passenger vehicles you see on the road today.

• Brakes:
3-wheel disc brakes with the Anti-Lock Braking System on 15″ wheels.



• Safety:
Each Elio comes equipped with a Safety Management System that includes three airbags – a reinforced roll-cage frame, Anti-Lock Braking System, and 50% larger crush zones than similar vehicles. Preliminary safety tests on computer models anticipate a 5-Star safety rating.

• Quiet:
The body panels are made of a composite (which is more sound deadening than steel) and attached to a tight, solid body that doesn’t have a lot of moving (read squeaky) parts. These two design features help keep outside noise from getting into the cockpit and getting in the way of your favorite tunes playing on our AM/FM radio (that’s standard).

• Space:
The trunk space will be at least 27″ x 14″ x 10″, enough for an airline carry-on bag or a golf bag with the rear seat down (47″+).



Exterior Specs:
Overall Length: 160.5″
Overall Height: 54.2″
Front Wheel Track: 66.8″ (center rim to center rim)
Wheelbase: 110″ (center of front wheels to center of rear wheel)



Interior Specs:
Headroom: Driver 39.8 Passenger 36.4 in
Seat width: Driver 20.6 Passenger 25.3 in
Interior Shoulder Width: 26.8 in
Front seat Legroom: 42.7 in
Rear seat Legroom: 33.1 in

Comfort:
Elio has been designed to fit 95% of all people, whether it be a 6’8″ former college basketball player, a 6’3″ 365 lb man or a 5’0″ petite woman.



American Made = American Jobs
It should come as no surprise that Elio will create a number of much-needed jobs for American workers. The company is estimating 1,500 jobs at their Shreveport, LA plant beginning in 2014.

Price:
It only costs $6,800. That’s about what you would pay for an outboard motor to power a rowboat.

Warranty:
The Elio comes standard with a 3 year/36000 mile warranty.



When you own an Elio, you’re not just a customer, you’re part of a family. So we’re not going to lure you in with that $6,800 low price, only to mention things like A/C and an AM/FM radio are extra. They’re not. You get those items plus heater, defrost, the three airbags, power windows and door lock, seat belts, tempered glass, and windshield wiper at no extra cost.


Learn more and/or pre-order the Elio here

Two Brothers Create An Elegant New Toy You'll Want To Steal From Your Kids: My Wooden Horse.

Brothers Netta and Avner Shalgi set out to create a simple, handmade, durable, eco-friendly wooden toy that would combine nostalgia and creativity - and they have succeeded. Now using kickstarter for funding, My Wooden Horse is a beautifully designed functional pull or push toy for children that is also a keepsake in an era when toys lose their shelf life in a matter of years.

The Eco-Friendly Cresta Residence by Architect Jonathan Segal

The 5,300 square foot Cresta Residence by architect Jonathan Segal FAIA was built entirely out of cast-in-place concrete with an open floor plan, lots of glass, fabulous mid-century modern style furnishings, a reflecting pool, a swimming pool and a roof covered with photovoltaic panels to provide almost all of the power.




The following text has been provided by the architect:
The Cresta is a 5,300 sq foot single-family residence designed and constructed entirely out of cast in place concrete on a 5,000 sq ft lot in the Lower Hermosa region of La Jolla, CA . The house’s three stories, one below and two above grade, are accented by floor to ceiling glass and large open expanses to the outdoors.






Beginning as solid form the final product still maintains that form instead through roof planes and vertical walls that create both interior and exterior volumes. Due to the unordinary (sic) small property in an area with typical properties three to four times the size every square foot was important. The exterior room was a key element in creating a home that otherwise would have felt small feel larger and more private that it is. While this space creates a void the buildings overall form is kept intact. All four corners remain with walls and roof planes to define the original box of the residence.









Adjacent to the front of the structure a reflecting and swimming pool has been integrated into the overall design of the project for thermal cooling and create the perception of floating.




Due to the large expanses of operable glass, the thermal mass of the concrete, sun shading and the insulating effect of the pool the 6.5kw solar array on the roof accomplishes supplying nearly 100% of the homes required power.

some details:





 images are courtesy of Jonathan Segal and Matthew Segal

Handcrafted Eco-Friendly Font Puzzles For Typophiles Hand Made in Italy.

above image is cropped

Fan of fonts? These beautifully designed and crafted painted plywood puzzles from Looodus are laser cut and hand-finished in the hills of Trivero in Piemonte, approximately two hour’s drive from Milan, Italy.



The puzzles are a true collaboration between designer and artisan, exploring the possibilities of computer aided design and hand finished products. A marriage of new technologies and pride in a craft handed down from father to son. Each puzzle goes through numerous checks to ensure a product which is precise and modern while being unmistakably artisanal.




Extreme care has been taken by Looodus to use a manufacturer who shares their values with attention to craft and quality while ensuring that the product is as environmentally friendly as possible. The process begins with the selection of wood used to create this beautiful piece. All the plywood is FSC (Forestal Stewardship Council) certified Poplar from the surrounding Padana Plane. This is where the majority of Poplar is grown for Italian paper and the carpentry sectors.




The concept for the Puzzle, like many of Looodus’ products, is born from observing the designer's baby daughter and her real life experience of being a first time parent. The Fonts were selected to be appropriate for their shape and size but also have a special place in the world of design. The colours have been checked and tested to offer a harmonious range across Green, Blue and Red.




“There are opportunities which arise every day to be creative and make quick fun toys for her, using the most rudimentary materials and sometimes these mini prototypes can become more refined products,” explains Kurt Stapelfeldt, Co-founder and Looodus Chief Designer.

NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN UNDER THREE YEARS OLD



buy them here

Environmentally Friendly Foosball With Flair. The 2Eleven Natural Is A Luxury Wooden Version of The Beautiful Game.

The ‘2eleven natural‘ brings the table soccer (or foosball as it's more commonly called in the U.S.) experience out of bars into the world of design hotels, luxury lofts and VIP lounges of modern soccer stadiums. Made in Germany and environmentally-friendly, the game table is crafted of maple and walnut woods and accented with fine leather and aluminum and can be outfitted with digital or analog monitor screens.




Playing Surface:
The playing surface has seamless lifted corners and side edges.


Hand Grips:
Elegant, ergonomically formed grips are a real pleasure to touch and the leather surfaces offer optimal hold and a perfect ball control:


Players:
The players, made of solid maple and walnut, underline the key concept of this premium table soccer. Their legs feature an intricate tread profile that provides the necessary grip for a fast-paced gaming experience.



Score:
Keep score with a fine aluminum-made counter.


Ball Lift:
The innovative aluminum-made "Ball Lift" can be activated after each goal scored. This feature catapults the ball into the middle of the playing field similar to slingshot of a pin-ball machine.



Cup-Holders:
The main exterior part also includes four retractable wood and leather cup-holders to secure cold beverages:

OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES:
The dynamic front boards with either an Analog or Digital display monitor give the table a distinctive appearance and offer the owner or sponsors the chance for exclusive presentations.




According to the customer ́s desire, the players can be delivered with either chrome or lasered numbers (numbers 1 to 11) on maple and walnut wood.



The table will be delivered fully assembled to your doorstep. Please check the dimensions specified on page 13 and make sure that the desired location for your gaming table is accessible before you submit a binding purchase order. Special shipping requests can be arranged for upon request. Additional fees may apply.




PRICE: 2eleven natural, premium pure = 8900€

Optional Accessory Pricing:
• Analog display monitor, DIN-A4 = 450€
• 15" digital display monitor = 580€
• Chrome finished numbers (1-11)= 250€
• Lasered numbers (1-11) = 290€
All prices incl. 19% VAT (for Germany), excl. packaging and shipping costs

The 2eleven Natural Premium Soccer Table can be purchased online here



2eleven
Design studio: id Studioworks
Designer/ Creative Director: Michael Wanger
Designer: Franziska Wanger