By taking an already useful and unique technology in the self-balancing gyroscope associated with the standing Segway, the prototype of the P.U.M.A. (Personal Urban Mobility & Accessibility) is combining clean, emission free electric power with a sit-down, driving vehicle.  PUMA's small size and maneuverability means it can  fit into any parking space as well as cause less over-all driving congestion. If mass-produced, the P.U.M.A. could become a cost effective way that any city could change the layout of its cityscape.

• The P.U.M.A will have a comparable physical footprint of a motorcycle (about 300 lbs) with a zero turning radius and top speed of 35 mph.
• The lithium-ion battery will carry the P.U.M.A. for 35 miles after a 5-8 hour charge.

Zipcar is a membership-based program providing convenient access to on-demand automobile transportation.  Founded in Boston in 1999, it is fast becoming a national brand.  Zipcars are available at designated parking areas at numerous locations near transit lines and in urban centers.  All cars are connected to an intelligent wireless network that knows the vehicle's exact location and intended driver. Reservations are made over the Internet, automatically matching the driver to the nearest car.  Cars can be rented by the hour or the day.  Members carry "Zipcards," which allow them to access the cars they have reserved—from family vans to small hybrids—depending on changing needs.  Highlights:

• Studies show that each Zipcar replaces 7-10 privately-owned vehicles, and 40% of members decide not purchase a car or sell their car
• Individual car usage is reduced by as much as 50%
• Members report that their savings often exceed $5,000 per year
• Zipcars are fuel efficient and have stringent pollution controls

 New England isn't known as a center of automotive breakthroughs, but a new development suggests that's about to change. The locally designed Scuderi Engine has the potential to significantly improve the efficiency of combustion engines.  The split-cycle engine uses air compressed in one cylinder to improve the efficiency and cleanliness of the combustion reaction in another cylinder.  The result is an engine capable of greater efficiency, reduced emissions, and better performance than traditional combustion engines.  Efficiency is expected to meet or exceed that achieved by hybrids, but at a much lower cost.  The Scuderi Group is currently collaborating with engine manufacturers from around the world and expects to see the first vehicle installations on the market by 2012.

• The air hybrid design includes a compressed air tank which acts as an energy storage device capable of capturing the energy from braking and cruising for later use.
• Projections include 10 to 50 percent improved efficiencies over conventional engines in various configurations and loads.
• The Scuderi Engine can be used in tandem with the electric hybrid systems.

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The future of vehicle design is always influenced by extreme prototypes that push the boundaries - either of speed, efficiency, power, or endurance.  Recently, just such a prototype set a new precedent for what is possible with wind powered vehicles and in doing so is helping to advance transportation technology.  Dubbed "Greenbird", this high-tech marvel is two vehicles in one: a land craft and an ice craft, powered only by the wind.  Its breakthrough design allows it to travel up to 5 times the real wind speed in ideal conditions. In March of 2009, the craft set a new world land speed record for wind powered vehicles, reaching 126.1 mph. The design is elegant, sophisticated, and futuristic, yet still based on familiar aeronautical and sailing principles.  It uses solid sails, much like an aircraft wing.

• The project is a partnership between Ecotricity (UK’s first and largest independent green electricity company) and engineer Richard Jenkins (founder of the Windjet Project).
• The project's aim is to break both the land and ice world speed records and the team hopes to both better that new record and continue to work toward breaking the ice record in Winter 2009/10.

It's the monster of commercial vehicles: the Hummer, not exactly what you would consider the exemplar of fuel economy.  Yet, the prototype hybrid Hummer H3 gets 100+ mpg, demonstrating an unimaginable efficiency for SUVs and offers hope that utility vehicles don't have to be environmental villains.  At its core is the breakthrough Extended-Range Electric Vehicle (R-REV) power-train developed by Raser Technologies of Provo Utah in partnership with FEV Inc. of Auburn Hills, MI.  Unlike other hybrids that switch between electric and gas power, this vehicle is driven entirely on electric power while a highly efficient gas motor recharges the batteries and provides additional electric power as needed. 

• With a battery range of 40 miles, and a total range of 400 miles before refueling, company officials claim that most users drive less than 40 miles per day and would therefore never need to refuel. 
• The company's goal is to have this technology employed in a full range of fleet vehicles around the country. 
• The prototype Hummer H3 was unveiled to accolades at the 2009 SAE International World Congress in Detroit, MI. 

Will hydrogen power the future?  We won't know for some time, but Honda's FCX Clarity is a bet in that direction.  The FCX Clarity is America's first production model vehicle designed expressly to accommodate power by a fuel cell.  The car also happens to be the first vehicle to meet California’s low emission vehicle standards, well in advance of regulatory requirements.  Furthermore, rather than waiting for market forces to drive the development of the hydrogen infrastructure, the company created a unique hydrogen 'home brew' station (now in its fourth iteration) that creates hydrogen from natural gas.

• It is powered by a zero-emission, 57-litre, 100kW hydrogen fuel cell stack.
• Electricity is stored in a 288V lithium ion battery.
• At the moment availability is limited to ownership in certain segments in CA and leasing options. But the car is paving the way for adoption of fuel cells in a wider variety of automobiles.

Stefan Gulas of Berlin has developed a system that amplifies the effort you put in by a factor of 50 to create an electric bike that is human powered. Not only does the pedaling power the hybrid motor, but it also controls the speed. Gulas envisions being able to fit such systems for heavy transport which will mean healthier professional drivers who actively control their machines while getting a workout.  The prototypes are in their second version and have proven how little of an effort it takes to accelerate quickly and maintain high speeds.

Beyond the environmental and traffic benefits, you get a chance to relive your glory days as a child daredevil on a juiced BMX.

Shanghai took the first leap towards the future of ground transport by constructing the world's first magnetic levitation (Maglev) train. Reaching speeds of up to 430 kilometers per hour (260 mph), the Maglev is the world's fastest form of public ground transport. The futuristic train rushes commuters between the airport and downtown Shanghai.  The 20-mile trip takes less than 8 minutes. Magnetic levitation transport has several benefits in addition to speed.  The lack of wheels or onboard engines makes the trip quiet, energy efficient, and pollution-free. Highlights:

• 8 million passengers had traveled on Transrapid in Shanghai by October, 2006
• Magnets lift the train 10 millimeters above the track
• China is planning a 125-mile line between Shanghai and Hangzhou
• Germany's first maglev train to the Munich Airport is expected to start service in 2010
• Several Maglev routes have been proposed and are being studied for the USA

Bogotá is often called the Athens of South America, with its high concentration of colleges and universities. Being the capital of Columbia it is also a hub for national and international bus routes. To tackle congestion, the city introduced long segmented low emission buses as part of the 'Bus Rapid Transit' BRT system called TransMilenio. With enclosed stations, turnstiles, fare cards, and dedicated lanes, it has the benefits of an underground subway system at a fraction of the cost.

The city is also known for spearheading its annual car free day with a $25 fine encouraging its residents to use skates and bicycles for the weekend. Yet, BRT with its free shuttles to outlying districts, moves as many passengers per mile every hour as the largest subways in the world and is responsible for taking 7,000 private buses off the streets and reducing related emissions by 59%. This has lent it the distinction of being the only large transportation project approved by the United Nations to generate and sell carbon credits.