Car Culture // Current

New Muscle Cars

New Camaro It could not be a worse time to launch a new muscle car. Adding to all of the economic and energy-related reasons... more

zooped
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Extremely Awkward Car Ride

Extremely Awkward Car rides are always interesting. my friend jp and i took a sunday afternoon to shoot, with my awful camera, and... more

oncenothing
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Colin the Drifter // Comment Picked For TV

Thanks to bulespider12 for commenting on the pod "Colin the Drifter" and the drift racing community. After watching this... more

Webcameos
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Sheikh sends luxury 'Batman' car 6,500 miles for oil change

A wealthy Arab sent his 'Batman' Lamborghini on a 6,500 mile round-trip to London for an oil change - at a cost of more... more

LindseyIndigo
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Travis Pastrana // Comment Picked for TV

Thanks to hynese for uploading her thoughts on the pod, "Travis Pastrana." After you check out what hynese has to say,... more

Webcameos
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La Mini Elettrica è quasi pronta a partire

Auto ecologiche e mobilità sostenibile. Mini elettrica in fase di prova in California. 500 sono pronte a partire!

yeslife
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I met Andris Biedrins at the SF DMV today

I got a letter from the DMV the the other day. I opened and read it, it said they were.... HOLY $#!^ IS THAT ANDRIS... more

joebrilliant
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Bus ridership explodes in the Hinterlands

More and more people are bussing it, and in places you wouldn't expect.

joshuaheller
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Cars working together to prevent thievery

Assistant Professor Sencun Zhu, of Penn State University, is working on technology called Sensor Vehicle Anti-Theft System. It... more

joshuaheller
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Solar-powered sports car really is dope

Lotus rolled out a solar-powered and environmentally friendly concept car which is made up ganja, called Eco Elise, during the British International Motor Show.

Sports cars aren't supposed to be green. They're supposed to snort petrol, belch fire and cause innocent passers by to develop nasty chest infections. So when Lotus rolled up to the British International Motor Show in an a solar-powered Eco Elise made out of plants, it raised more than a few eyebrows.

See those brown bits on the car? That's foliage, that is. And not just any foliage--it's pressed hemp. Yes, hemp--what you make cannabis from. We've no idea if this car's designers had ingested some kind of "hemp" when they came up with the concept of a car made of ganja, but on closer inspection it's actually not a bad idea.

Hemp is a renewable, lightweight material that absorbs CO2 through photosynthesis, which is good for the planet. The particular brand of hemp used is ethically farmed and grown locally to Lotus, so the amount of CO2 needed to transport the raw materials is kept to a minimum. It's good news for the car itself, too. Hemp is very light compared to metal, which improves performance and promotes greener, more fuel-efficient driving. It doesn't compromise on safety, either--all the parts that are important for structural integrity are metal.

The solar panels in the roof are an interesting addition. They can't power the car itself, but they can drive the Eco Elise's electrical subsystems, including the iPod/MP3-compatible stereo. When it's in use, it can also take the strain off the car's alternator so it uses less petrol, and emits fewer harmful particles.

Aside from that, it's a normal Lotus Elise--which is a good thing. If you don't mind sitting in a cockpit surrounded by what could just as easily have been marijuana, and don't mind being constantly pulled over by police with sniffer dogs, we'd recommend it. Unfortunately, you won't be able to buy it anytime soon. It's a concept car, but Lotus promises that "certain features might find their way into future models".

Check the pics over the following pages.

Credit: Rory Reid/CNET UK
Lotus rolled out a solar-powered and environmentally friendly concept car which is made up ganja, called Eco Elise, during the... more