2010 Volkswagen Sports Cars - VW Solar Powered Supercar Concept

It is a luxury supercar, it will only be built in a limited number of 200 units. It was designed to be able to cruise around in the year 2020. Volkswagen supercar presented at the 2010 Swansea Metropolitan University Degree Show in automotive design by Peter Wilkins not only promises to run by solar power with greater efficiency but also offers a competitive design styling.

2010 Volkswagen Sports Cars - VW Solar Powered Supercar Concept

Peter Wilkins has designed one helluva eco-friendly car for the 2010 Swansea Metropolitan University Degree Show. His supercar would run off of an electric motor powered by photovoltaic cells, or a hydrogen fuel cell stack. Peter Wilkins’ design is one of the sexiest eco-cars I have ever seen. Making earth-friendly cars that look good is a great idea.

The unique design of Wilkins permits each of the four wheels of the vehicle to be driven by an independent electric motor powered by solar energy stored in photovoltaic (PV) cells. The upper external surface of the vehicle stores the PV cells that further supply power to the mid-mounted hydrogen fuel-cell stack, which is directly linked to the electric motors. Placement of the PV cells and hydrogen fuel-cell stack form an integral part of the elegant design of the eco car that looks like part of a supercar.

The “VW Solar Powered Supercar” by designer Peter Wilkins is a concept car that demonstrates the aesthetic aspect of eco-friendly vehicles to attract more people toward sustainable commuting.

Simply known as the “VW Solar Powered Supercar”, this vehicle shows how just clean and green travel can get, and fast too. To power up, the car turns its face away from the smelly gas pump and integrates photovoltaic cells in its body instead. It uses these to juice up with solar power.

 2010 Volkswagen Sports Cars - VW Solar Powered Supercar Concept

The energy generated is used to power up a mid-mounted hydrogen fuel cell stack, resulting in a drive without the smoke and the pitch-black carbon footprint supercars usually leave behind these days.

2010 VolksWagen Cars Beetle Bio-Bug Powered by Sewage Waste

Mohammed Saddiq, general manager of GENeco, has another idea, which would take something that's normally thought of as waste, and turn it into a way to power a vehicle. The prototype  2010 VolksWagen Cars Beetle Bio-Bug is powered by methane gas which is produced from human waste at sewage works. Another environmentally friendly car has been shown to the world today by Wessex Water in England.

2010 VolksWagen Cars Beetle Bio-Bug Powered by Sewage Waste. The Bio-Bug is a project from Wessex Water, a sewage treatment company in England. Now there’s Bio-Bug, a VW Beetle that runs on the methane gas generated at a sewage treatment plant, reports The Telegraph. Wessex Water, near Bristol, England, says that human waste from the toilets of 70 homes can power the Bio-Bug for a year.

2010 VolksWagen Cars Beetle Bio-Bug Powered by Sewage Waste

GENeco believes that more gas will be produced at its Avonmouth site when the company embarks on its latest green venture to recycle food waste. Mr Saddiq said: “Waste flushed down the toilets in homes in the city provides power for the Bio-Bug, but it won’t be long before further energy is produced when food waste is recycled at our sewage works.

At first glance, the Beetle appears to be a publicity stunt for GENeco, which owns a number of waste treatment sites in the U.K. But consider this: A single sewage treatment plant in Bristol, England generates 18 million cubic meters of biogas each year. The Bio-Bug squeezes out 5.3 miles per cubic meter of biogas. So just one sewage treatment plant could keep cars running for 5,400,000 miles each year, according to the British Daily Mail.

The Volkswagen Beetle dubbed the “Bio-Bug” was built for GENeco by UK’s The Greenfuel Company. The Bio-Bug’s 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine was converted to run on biogas and still hit about 114 miles per hour. However, the Bio-Bug uses regular unleaded gas to start, then switches over to methane automatically once it’s running. GENeco, a company owned by Wessex Water, supplied the equipment to treat the gas. “If you were to drive the car you wouldn’t know it was powered by biogas, as it performs just like any conventional car,” said Mohammed Saddiq, general manager of GENeco, in the release.

Mr. Saddiq explained that GENeco had been supplying treated compressed methane gas to generate electricity for the plant site and exported to the National Grid. The fuel for the Bio-Bug was surplus gas “we had available” and “we wanted to put it to good use in a sustainable and efficient way.”

The Bio-Bug was built by the Greenfuel Company, which specializes in converting gas cars to run on liquified petroleum gas.

2010 VolksWagen Cars Beetle Bio-Bug Powered by Sewage Waste

“The choice of car was inspired by students who took part in a workshop. They thought it would be appropriate that the poo-powered car should be the classic VW Beetle Bug because bugs naturally breakdown waste at sewage works to start the treatment process which goes on to produce the energy.”

Brilliant! Now, that’s a great marketing hook.

2011 Volkswagen Beetle Ragster Concept Car Second Generation

Volkswagen to Launch the 2011 Beetle Based on the Beetle Ragster Concept car. Continued development of second generation of the Volkswagen Beetle that will be presented this year in November, as a concept car at the Salon in Los Angeles. Volkswagen is working on the second-generation of the new Beetle. The new car is expected to make a debut in concept form at the 2010 LA Motor Show later this year and will go on sale in 2011. A second generation Volkswagen Beetle will be launched next year, which would have more focus on driving dynamics rather than retro styling. The production version will debut at the Geneva Motor Show in 2011, and the year after arriving variant Cabriolet.
The Beetle will continue to be assembled in the plant in Puebla, Mexico, where it will be produced also the new Jetta. The two cars will share the new platform, characterized by a large step that will provide more cabin space for Beetle.

2011 Volkswagen Beetle Ragster Concept Car Second Generation

The second generation Volkswagen Beetle is a 2.0-liter engine producing 210 bhp (213 PS, 157 kW) could be seen on the car, more powerful than any engine currently sold on the vehicle. Also expected are 1.4-liter 160 bhp (162 PS, 119 kW) and 1.2-liter 105 bhp (106 PS, 78 kW) petrol engines. Diesel offerings could include 2.0-liter 140 bhp (142 PS, 104 kW) and 1.6-liter 105 bhp (106 PS, 78 kW) units. Customers in the US might get the chance to purchase the car with a five-cylinder 2.5-liter model cranking out 170 bhp (172 PS, 127 kW).
It is also said that the new car will have a heavily revamped interior. Engines will include the already existing 2.5-liter five-cylinder, a new 2.0-liter turbodiesel and a brand new hybrid version, powered by a 1.4-liter gasoline engine and a 27-horsepower electric motor. The engines will be mated with five and six speed manual transmissions and the new Volkswagen DSG dual-clutch gearbox.