Snolo Stealth-X Brings Funky Carbon Fiber Design To Sleds

Posted on 31/10/2012 by David Ponce

The wintertime is coming… it bears repeating it if only because it gives us a simple intro to segue onto the product above. It’s a sled called Snolo Stealth-X, and is ostensibly made from carbon fiber. That makes it light, probably very stiff and we assume pretty freaking awesome at getting you from the top to the bottom of a snow-covered hill. It’s so light apparently, that you can pack it up and carry it in a backpack.

We’re short of details, aside from being able to tell you that their full website will launch in 37 days, and the sled itself will reportedly cost around $3,000 when it does become available. What? You didn’t think it’d be affordable, did you? It’s also reportedly being made by a team in New Zealand after 6 years of testing and prototyping.

And while the above picture does look like a render, the ones after the jump, not so much.

[ Product Page ] VIA [ Werd ]

This is the carbon fiber core of Ferrari’s first hybrid

Posted on 28/09/2012 by Tim Stevens

Ferrari has already said that it will never make an electric car -- at least, not while Luca di Montezemolo is in charge -- but we already know that a hybrid Ferrari is in the cards. And, this is what will hold it all together. At this year's Paris Auto Show the company rolled out this carbon fiber cage that is the core chassis of the machine. Other than a pledge that the thing will use F1-inspired technology nobody would tell us what it would be called (possibly F70, at least internally) or just when the rest of its components will be bolted on. But, for now, enjoy this sneak peek under the skin of Ferrari's next hypercar.

Gallery: Hybrid Ferrari carbon fiber chassis

Steve Dent contributed to this report.

Filed under: Transportation

This is the carbon fiber core of Ferrari's first hybrid originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 28 Sep 2012 18:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BMW i3 sheds its skin, shows off carbon skeleton

Posted on 27/09/2012 by Tim Stevens

Want to know how the BMW i3 electric car can be so light (2,800 pounds) despite hauling around a massively heavy battery pack? A lot of it has to do with its carbon chassis. BMW uses something called CFRP (carbon fiber reinforced plastic) to create a material that is light, strong and, crucially, cheap enough to actually be used in production. The car is still on track for its 2013 release, where it will be sold out of posh i Stores like the one recently opened in London.

Gallery: BMW i3 cutaway and car

Steve Dent contributed to this post.

Filed under: Transportation

BMW i3 sheds its skin, shows off carbon skeleton originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 27 Sep 2012 07:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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STRUT LaunchPort Costs Twice as Much as Your iPad, Doesn’t Make It Twice as Good

Posted on 08/08/2012 by Range

I’ll admit that this thing doesn’t cost twice what my iPad cost, because I have the 64GB 4G version, but it’s still very expensive. The question is, is it worth it? This system is from a company that specialized in luxurious automotive accessories, but decided to create something for the mobile computing sector as well.

strut launch port inductive charging

The STRUT LaunchPort is basically a fancy docking stand for your iPad. There’s a matching case that will allow you to charge your iPad inductively, which means that there are no wires involved. It’s handcrafted from stainless steel, and triple-coated in chrome. The case comes in walnut burl, carbon fiber, leopard print or sparkle pink. While it does look pretty good, I’m not sure it’s worth the $1,250 (USD) sticker price. Does it make you feel any better to know the dock is $1,000 and the case is $250? Didn’t think so.

strut launch port inductive charging dismount

Nevertheless, it will go on sale later this month. I guess it’s something to consider if you’ve got money to burn. From the photos, the accompanying case looks quite heavy, especially if it’s made out of walnut. I wonder how heavy it will make your iPad.

[via Ubergizmo]

Roskva electric motorcycle revealed in Norway with carbon fiber chassis and clothes

Posted on 08/07/2012 by Tim Stevens

The choices in the electric motorcycle market just keep getting juicier, and while you'll still have to stick with the more established brands like Brammo, Zero or BRD if you're looking to make a purchase, a hot new prototype has just been unveiled that threatens to make them all look a little bit... pedestrian. It's called the Roskva from a team of five students at the University of Life Sciences (UMB) in Oslo, Norway. Like a MotoGP bike it has an all carbon fiber unified frame and bodywork that weighs less than 25kg and even rolls on carbon wheels. A 94HP motor provides the oomph and delivers a top speed of about 112MPH, with a maximum range of 62 miles. No word on when or if the thing might make it into actual production, but we can say for sure that there's a second picture of the thing just waiting for you right after the break, still in that same garage that is far, far neater than ours.

[Image credit: Henrik Holmberg]

Continue reading Roskva electric motorcycle revealed in Norway with carbon fiber chassis and clothes

Roskva electric motorcycle revealed in Norway with carbon fiber chassis and clothes originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 08 Jul 2012 15:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FlyNano proto takes to the air, final model will soar mainly with electrons (video)

Posted on 16/06/2012 by Steve Dent

Last time we saw the FlyNano amphibious ultralight plane, we weren't sure if it would be gas or electric, and we wondered who'd be brave enough to fly the tiny thing -- if it flew at all. That's all been answered, because the sub-154 pound carbon fibre vehicle completed its first flight, taking a brief skip above a Finnish lake with pilot Pekka Kauppinen at the helm. The short trip showed promise, and the company affirmed it would continue development and airborne tests with the aim of delivering to customers in late 2013. According to the maker, recent technology gains mean that electric motors will now be the main power option. No change to the $27k base price tag was announced, so if you've got the nerve to strap one on -- and a lake to launch from -- click the source or watch the video after the break.

Continue reading FlyNano proto takes to the air, final model will soar mainly with electrons (video)

FlyNano proto takes to the air, final model will soar mainly with electrons (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 16 Jun 2012 19:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gigabyte makes 975g X11 official, claims ‘world’s lightest’ 11.6-inch notebook (update: hands-on video)

Posted on 31/05/2012 by Myriam Joire

Well hello there again, Gigabyte X11. Hot on the heels of yesterday's leak, Gigabyte's just made its 11.6-inch X11 laptop (or is that an Ultrabook?) official. At 975g (2.15 pounds) it claims the title of "lightest notebook on earth" -- and weighs even less on Mars. Design-wise, you're looking at a 16.5mm (0.65 inches) to 3mm (0.19 inches) thin Macbook Air-like body made of real carbon fiber (!) with an aluminum hinge. Under the hood you'll find unspecified third generation Intel Core processors (read Ivy Bridge), 4GB of DDR3 RAM, Mobile Intel HM77 Express chipset with Intel HD Graphics 4000, a 128GB SSD, WiFi b/g/n and Bluetooth 4.0.

Ports include power, USB 2.0 and mini DisplayPort on the left side plus microSD, combo audio and USB 3.0 on the right. While the specs also mention gigabit Ethernet, there's no sign of it anywhere in the press shots. The display is a 1366x768-pixel LED-backlit affair dotted with a 1.3 megapixel webcam. A chiclet keyboard, buttonless trackpad and 4730mAh 7.4V Li-ion polymer battery (likely sealed) complete the package. There's no word on availability, but prices will range from $999 to $1299 with Windows 7 Home Premium and Professional in tow. Expect more information when we get our hands on this sexy beast at Computex next week.

Update: Our colleagues over at Engadget Chinese just got to spend some time with this svelte black slab. Take a look at the gallery below and hit the break for the hands-on video.

Gallery: Gigabyte X11 hands-on

Gallery: Gigabyte X11 press shots

In addition, Gigabyte's announcing two 14-inch laptops -- the U2442 and U2440 -- which feature third generation Intel Core processors and NVIDIA GeForce graphics. Unfortunately, we're still busy drooling all over the X11 gallery, so we'll direct you to the full PR after the break for the complete details.

Andy Yang contributed to this report.

Continue reading Gigabyte makes 975g X11 official, claims 'world's lightest' 11.6-inch notebook (update: hands-on video)

Gigabyte makes 975g X11 official, claims 'world's lightest' 11.6-inch notebook (update: hands-on video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 May 2012 03:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gigabyte to unveil X11 on May 31st as lightest laptop ever, spooks us with talk of ‘sixth element’

Posted on 23/05/2012 by Jon Fingas

Gigabyte is clearly hoping to carve out a name for itself in a very crowded ultraportable space; it sent us word of a media event for a new X11 laptop in its native Taipei on May 31st, just a few days ahead of Computex. The PC designer claims that the X11 will be the "lightest notebook on Earth," a pretty audacious claim considering the featherweight competition. Most of the braggadocio, we suspect, is rooted in the choice of material: Gigabyte is promising rather ominously to "conquer the 6th element," and unless it's financing the sequel to a Luc Besson movie, we're reasonably sure the firm means extra-light carbon fiber. Other details are scarce, including whether there's any relation to the U2442 Ultrabook due this summer. We'll know in just over a week.

Gigabyte to unveil X11 on May 31st as lightest laptop ever, spooks us with talk of 'sixth element' originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 May 2012 11:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dow and Ford Work Together to Develop High-Volume, Low-Cost Carbon Fiber Parts for Cars

Posted on 12/04/2012 by shane

When it comes to the use carbon fiber in automobiles, the material is typically limited to racing cars or very expensive exotic sports cars. The material costs a lot to make and body panels...

Terrafugia Transition aircraft first hands-on (video)

Posted on 04/04/2012 by Tim Stevens

People used to say that cars in the '50s and '60s had fins, giant wing-like protuberances that designers grafted on to capitalize on the fledgling concepts of aerodynamics. Your fist impression of the Terrafugia Transition is much the same as standing next to a 1959 Coupe de Ville -- it's huge, and the giant vertical stabilizers on the back have a distinctly Cadillac feel. This, however, is different. Sure, it too is made in the US, but it's crafted of carbon fiber, titanium and aluminum, costs $279,000 and seats only two. Oh, and did we mention it can fly? It's making its major auto show debut this week and we got a chance to check it out. Follow us after the break for some grounded impressions.

Gallery: Terrafugia Transition first eyes-on