This month the first electrical car with the lithium battery, The Elettrica, came out to the UK market. It provides twice the range of other electric cars and offers a maximum speed of 70 mph after 5-hour charge.





Till now Lithium-ion batteries have been commonly found in cell phones and laptops. They seem to offer much higher performances in electric cars as well. Because of that Toyota chose lithium ion batteries for its third-generation Prius hybrid car.


Are electric cars limited only to the car industry? I believe that fuel efficient vehicles are part of a much broader concept. Architects have been designing and inventing the concept cars along with building skyscrapers and football stadiums.


The Dymaxion car was designed by the architect Buckminster Fuller in 1933. It was a concept car with a fuel efficiency of 30 miles per gallon. It could carry 11 passengers and develop the speed of 90 mph. Dymaxion was a brand name that Fuller gave to several of his inventions. He wanted to emphasize that they were part of a project to improve living conditions of people.





Due to the accident in 1933 the project was abandoned, nevertheless the Dymaxion car served as a prototype to several subsequent fuel-efficient vehicle designs.