Hasta La Ideas

News: American supermarket giant Walmart has unveiled a prototype for a fuel-efficient truck with a streamlined cab and the first trailer made entirely of carbon fibre.

Walmart collaborated with Peterbilt, Great Dane Trailers and Capstone Turbine to create the design, known as the Walmart Advanced Vehicle Experience – or Wave.

The radical design features a tapered nose and cabin to improve aerodynamics by 20 per cent over lorries currently used by Walmart.

The cabin is accessed by a sliding door featuring two windows to increase the driver’s visibility. Inside, there’s only one seat and the driving position is in the centre, allowing the cabin to be narrower and more streamlined.

The dashboard comprises two screens, positioned either side of the steering wheel. “The dash is electronic, and therefore customisable to the gauges and performance data that particular driver wants to monitor,” said a spokesperson from Walmart.

Behind the driver is a full-sized sleeper cabin allowing them to take breaks and nap during long-haul journeys.

The trailer section is the first to be built completely of carbon fibre. Walmart claims the two side panels, at 16-metres long, are the largest single pieces of carbon fibre ever made.

Using this material makes the trailer 1814 kilograms lighter than conventional ones.

Walmart says the vehicle’s engine combines a microturbine-hybrid powertrain with an electric motor and battery storage system, meaning it could run on diesel, natural gas, biodiesel “and probably other fuels still to be developed.”

At present, the Wave remains a concept. “It may never make it to the road, but it will allow us to test new technologies and new approaches,” said Walmart president and CEO Doug McMillon.

The post Walmart unveils concept for energy
efficient carbon-fibre truck appeared first on Dezeen.

ECAL graduate Kacper Hamilton has designed a luxury axe with carbon-fibre in its handle and interchangeable heads.

The Zai CORE Axe has one head for felling trees and another for chopping wood, both made of high-carbon steel.

The handle comprises carbon-fibre sandwiched between ash for strength and lightness.

He created the design for Swiss ski makers Zai while studying at the Ecole Cantonale d’art de Lausanne (ECAL).

Hamilton’s graduation project from Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design in 2008 was a series of vessels based on the seven deadly sins – check it out here.

See more stories about carbon-fibre »

Photos are by Michal Florence Schorro & Prune Simon-Vermot unless otherwise stated.

Here’s some more information from the designer:

Zai CORE Axe by Kacper Hamilton

The Zai CORE Axe was designed by ECAL graduate Kacper Hamilton for Swiss ski company Zai.

The CORE Axe consists of a helve and two interchangeable heads. The straight shaft helve is made from a sandwich of carbon fibre and ash wood. The layering construction is inspired by Zai’s process and philosophy of making skis using raw and contrasting materials in Disentis, Switzerland. Carbon fibre is used to provide strength whilst the ash wood forms a protective shell around the core and pays homage to the heritage of a traditional axe.

The form of the helve has been refined to be slim and lightweight, reducing the thickness substantially to 13mm along the spine. The weight of the axe is thereby focused at the head; generating greater striking momentum and efficiency when cutting or splitting wood.

The two heads are made from forged high carbon steel with a blackened finish. They can be changed using the integrated quick release system; allowing for secure head attachment, easier sharpening and safer transportation. Each head has a different function, one is for felling trees and the other for splitting logs of wood.

Above image is by ECAL/Nicolas Genta

Zai CORE Axe is a quintessential companion for the mountains, around the chalet or on a trek.

Axe 28” helve – Ash wood + Carbon Fibre
Felling head – Forged high Carbon Steel 1200g
Splitting head – Forged high Carbon Steel 1500g

The post Zai CORE Axe by
Kacper Hamilton appeared first on Dezeen.

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