Automotive designer J Mays has become well-known as the design director of Ford Motor Company. Born in rural Oklahoma, Mays started working at his family’s auto parts store at an early age with aspirations of becoming an architect, but eventually found his calling in car design while at the Art Center in Pasadena. An automotive design pioneer with more than 30 years under his belt, Mays has been involved in the design of a number of the car industry’s most well-recognized automobiles, including the VW “New Beetle”, Aston Martin DB9, Land Rover LR3/Discovery, Ford GT, 2011 Ford Fiesta, 2012 Focus (including the Focus EV), and the new green 2013 Ford Fusion—just to name a few! For the last 16 years he’s been leading the charge at Ford as the Vice President of Global Design and Chief Creative Officer and has played a critical role in bringing a new generation of stylish, green, high-performance electric and hybrid vehicles to a mainstream market. I recently got the chance to chat with Mays about his monumental career, and I’ve published our interview here. Click ahead to read the entire interview, where Mays touches on his global travels, his design ethos and influences, the current market for hybrid and electric vehicles, and what he sees for the future of zero-emissions vehicles, both at Ford and on a global scale.

Read the rest of INTERVIEW: Inhabitat Chats with J Mays, VP of Global Design and Chief Creative Officer at Ford Motor Company

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Post tags: auto design, auto designer, Automotive Designer, electric cars, electric vehicles, energy efficient cars, ev, ford, Ford Chief Creative Officer, ford design, ford electric, ford EV, ford fiesta, ford fusion, ford fusion energi, ford fusion energy, Ford Head of Design, ford hybrid, ford motors, fuel efficiency, fuel efficient cars, fusion energi, green auto design, green automotive, green cars, inhabitat interview, J Mays, VP of Global Design and Chief Creative Officer at Ford Motor Company

A group of Kansas City teens have transformed a 1967 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia into the world’s first social-media fueled vehicle! With the help of non-profit MindDrive, the teens converted the vintage car into an electric vehicle that gets jolt of power for every tweet, like and social media share. MindDrive created the social-media powered car to engage at-risk youth by giving them the skills to build an electric vehicle.

Read the rest of MindDrive: World’s First Social Media Powered Electric Car is Fueled by Tweets and Likes

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Post tags: eco design, electric car, electric vehicles, green design, Mind Drive, sustainable design, Volkswagen Karman Ghia

Freeman Thomas won his first drawing competition in the first grade—it was a fire truck. Today, Thomas is credited with delivering some of the hottest designs in the automotive industry. A pioneer in his field, he has designed everything from the New Beetle to the Audi TT, and he’s been steering Ford’s Strategic Design department as Director since 2005. In anticipation of our ‘Design with a Conscience’ webcast—a thought-provoking event, which brought together visionary California architects and automotive designers eager to talk about the intersection of car and building design—we asked Mr. Thomas to answer few questions for us about the future of car design, as well as some of the things that inspire his work. Read on to hear what he had to say, and then find out what was discussed in the webcast here.

Read the rest of INTERVIEW: Freeman Thomas, Director of Strategic Design at Ford Motor Company

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Post tags: aia conferences, aia discussions, aia panels, AIA san francisco, American Institute for Architects (AIA) San Francisco, architecture conference, architecture panel, architecture webcast, automotive panel, design conference, design panel, design webcast, design with a conscience, eco design, ford, ford motor company, Ford Strategic Concept Group, Freeman Thomas, Green Design Events, live webcast, strategic design ford, strategic design ford motors, sustainable design, webcast

Volkswagen has unveiled its newest concept, the CrossBlue Coupe Hybrid, which will debut this week at the 2013 Shanghai Auto Show. According to Volkswagen, the CrossBlue Coupe Hybrid concept offers a glimpse at the automaker’s future with its sleek dynamic exterior and a plug-in hybrid powertrain.

Read the rest of Volkswagen CrossBlue Coupe Hybrid Concept Previews VW’s Future in Shanghai

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Post tags: 2013 Shanghai Auto Show, green car, green transporation, hhybrid suv, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, volkswagen, Volkswagen CrossBlue Coupe concept, Volkswagen hybrid, Volkswagen plug-in hybrid

Hey Inhabitat readers! In case you missed it, we just wrapped up our broadcast of the Design with a Conscience conference in San Francisco, CA! We teamed up with Ford Motor Company and the American Institute for Architects (AIA) San Francisco to deliver you a peek at a thought-provoking event, which brought together visionary California architects and automotive designers eager to talk about the intersection of car and building design and how conscious design can spur innovation in both industries. This year’s star panel included: Allison Williams, principal architect at AW ink; Anne Fougeron, Founder of Fougeron Architecture; Ann Hand, CEO of Project Frog; and Freeman Thomas, Director of Strategic Design at Ford Motor Company. Though the event is over, you can read a few highlights from the panel after the break. We’ll also be posting a video recording of the conference very soon, so check back for it if you missed the live event.

Read the rest of Hear What Leading Automotive Designers and Architects Had to Say at Our ‘Design with a Conscience’ Webcast!

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Post tags: aia conferences, aia discussions, aia panels, AIA san francisco, Allison Williams, American Institute for Architects (AIA) San Francisco, Ann Hand, Anne Fougeron, architecture conference, architecture panel, architecture webcast, automotive panel, design conference, design panel, design webcast, design with a conscience, eco design, ford, ford motor company, Ford Strategic Concept Group, Fougeron Architecture, Freeman Thomas, Green Design Events, live webcast, perkins + will, Project Frog, sustainable design, webcast

Interested in the intersection of car and building design? Wondering what happens when architects and automotive designers get together to talk about design innovation? Here’s your chance to learn more about what cars and buildings can teach each other and how they can help us push the boundaries of design. We’re extending an exclusive e-vite to Inhabitat readers to join us online at ‘Design with a Conscience’ — a panel discussion between visionary California architects and automotive designers at 12:30 pm pst April 11th, 2013. We’ll be live streaming this discussion on Inhabitat.com (here), and we’ll focus on how thoughtful, emotionally resonant and sustainable design is improving lives. Featuring notable and visionary minds from both American Institute for Architects (AIA) and Ford Motor Company, this year’s panel discussion will include: Allison Williams of AW ink; Anne Fougeron, Founder of Fougeron Architecture; Ann Hand, CEO of Project Frog; and Freeman Thomas, Director of Strategic Design at Ford Motor Company. Join us live on April 11th to tune into this design discussion — and take part in the conversation by submitting your questions for the speakers below in the comments! We’ll be sending Inhabi-Tees to selected question submitters, so join in!

WHEN: Thursday, April 11, 2013, 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. pst (3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. est)

WHERE: Link to live webcast here >

Read the rest of LIVE WEBCAST: Participate in ‘Design with a Conscience’ Webcast and Talk to Leading California Architects & Automotive Design Experts

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Post tags: aia conferences, aia discussions, aia panels, AIA san francisco, Allison Willams, American Institute for Architects (AIA) San Francisco, Ann Hand, Anne Fougeron, architecture conference, architecture panel, architecture webcast, automotive panel, design conference, design panel, design webcast, design with a conscience, eco design, ford, ford motor company, Ford Strategic Concept Group, Fougeron Architecture, Freeman Thomas, Green Design Events, live webcast, perkins + will, Project Frog, sustainable design, webcast

Volkswagen just took the wraps off its first ever production electric vehicle – the e-up! Unveiled today at the Annual Press and Investors Conference in Wolfsburg, the four-seater e-up! is powered by an 81 horsepower electric motor and an 18.7 kWh lithium-ion battery, and it has a 93 mile driving range, which makes it ideal for commuters.

Read the rest of Volkswagen Unveils its First Electric Vehicle – the e-up!

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Post tags: 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show, electric motor, electric vehicle, green car, green transportation, lithium ion battery, volkswagen, volkswagen e-up!, Volkswagen electric vehicle

If you have ever found yourself a little underwhelmed by the performance of electric vehicles, the European Commission is out to change your mind with the new VOLAR-e high-performance electric sports car. The VOLAR-e is one of the most powerful electric cars ever built with an output of 1,000 horsepower from four electric motors.

Read the rest of 1000 Horsepower VOLAR-e Racer is One of the Most Powerful Electric Cars Ever Built

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Post tags: Applus IDIADA car, Applus IDIADA Electric Vehicle, concept car, eco driving, eco racing, Eco Racing Car, Electric Car racing, electric concept car, electric vehicles, European Commission vehicle, Volar-E EV, Volar-E Racing

Volkswagen just confirmed plans to produce its XL1 plug-in hybrid – which gets an astounding 261 miles per gallon! When it is officially unveiled at the upcoming 2013 Geneva Motor Show the XL1 will be the most fuel-efficient production car in the world with a fuel consumption of only 0.9 l / 100 km (261 mpg).

Read the rest of Volkswagen Confirms Production Plans For the 261 MPG XL1 Plug-in Hybrid!

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Post tags: 2013 Geneva Motor Show, electric car, electric motor, fuel efficient car, green car, lithium ion battery, volkswagen, Volkswagen XL1, VW hybrid, VW plug-in hybrid

Read the rest of INTERVIEW: Gustavo Penna on Building the Lincoln Residence in the Highlands of Minas Gerais, Brazil

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Post tags: ada louise huxtable, green design, guignard school, gustavo penna, lincoln residence, minas gerais, Sustainability, the people's space of contagem

Read the rest of Adventurous Couple Meanders Down the Pan-American Highway in a Solar-Powered 1967 VW Van

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Post tags: camper, Dangerz, Design, eco-friendly materials, green travel, Pan-American Highway, retrofit, RV, solar panels, volkswagen, vw

Read the rest of Seven Sizzling Hybrid and Electric Cars from the 2013 Detroit Auto Show

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Post tags: 2013 Detroit Auto Show, Acura, Acura NSX Concept, cadillac, Cadillac ELR, Infiniiti Q50, Infiniti, lexus, Lexus IS 300h, NAIAS 2013, Nissan Leaf, Nissan Resonance Concept, vw, VW CrossBlue Concept

Read the rest of NAIAS 2013: Volkswagen Debuts Its Crossblue Plugin Hybrid Concept SUV

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Post tags: 2013 Detroit Auto Show, 2013 NAIAS, Crossblue Concept, Crossblue Hybrid, detroit auto show, electric car, green cars, green transportation, Laura K. Cowan, NAIAS, north american international auto show, plugin hybrid, volkswagen, VW Crossblue

Germany is no stranger to car-sharing programs, but a novel new vehicle is about to join Berlin’s car-sharing network. The EV company Hiriko, originally called City Car, is planning to test run its folding car in agreement with the German railway network, Deutsche Bahn. Born from the labs of MIT in the mid-2000′s. The company name comes from the Basque word meaning “urban,” and the tiny electric vehicle is prefect for squeezing into tight spaces. With only two seats, the Hiriko has a sliding rear section onto which the front passenger section can retract. Folded, the car measures only 1.5 meters long, making it more compact than a Smart car at 2.7 meters.

Read the rest of The Folding EV ‘Hiriko’ is Slated to Become Part of Germany’s Car-Sharing Program

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Post tags: Basque, battery, berlin, city car, deutsche bahn, eflinkster, electric vehicle, ev, folding, germany, hiriko, ialai, laga, MIT

Artist David Ellis’ kinetic sculptures transform ordinary trash with a life of their own. Each sculpture first appears as a typical pile of New York City rubbish, but the the refuse suddenly begins to move, creating a symphony of sounds that range from the thump of a trash can to the crinkle of a paper bag. Ellis’ sculptures not only recycle the trash that clogs city streets, but he gives the pieces a “voice” by infusing them with movement.

Read the rest of David Ellis Transforms Piles of Trash into Moving, Musical Sculptures!

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Post tags: David Ellis, eco design, green design, joshua Liner Gallery, kinetic sculptures, recycle art, recycled sculptures, Roberto Carlos Lange, sustainable design, Times Square, World's Best Ever

Google and Volvo‘s self-driving cars have been making headlines with the number of miles they’ve driven without a traditional driver at the wheel. Now Stanford’s Dynamic Design Lab has teamed up with Volkswagen’s Electronics Research Lab to create a self-driving Audi TTS named Shelly – and it just hit 120 mph on a racetrack! Unlike Google’s Toyota Prius or the long-distance self-driving cars from Volvo, Stanford’s Audi TTS focuses its attention on all-out-speed.

Read the rest of Stanford University’s Self-Driving Audi TTS Hits 120 MPH on the Racetrack

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Post tags: AUDI, Audi TT, car safety, google prius, self-driving car, stanford university, toyota prius, volkswagen, volvo

The 2013 Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid just recorded a speed of 185.394 mph at the Bonneville Salt Flats, during the Southern California Timing Association’s annual Speed Week, which is the fastest speed ever achieved by a production-based hybrid car. The slightly modified 2013 Jetta Hybrid was driven by Motor Trend Associate Road Test Editor Carlos Lago.

Read the rest of 2013 Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid Sets New Speed Record at 185 MPH

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Post tags: bonneville salt flats, green car, green transportation, hybrid car, volkswagen, Volkswagen hybrid, Volkswagen Jetta, Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid, vw

Read the rest of Berlin’s High-Flying ‘Mount Center’ Climbing Park Looks Like a Real-Life Donkey Kong Level

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Post tags: Architecture, Beach Bar, Beach-Mitte, Beach-volley, Beetle car, berlin, green sport, Interactive Objects, Landscape Architecture, mitte, Mount Center, Noah ark, parkour, Recycled Materials, Trabants

In honor of the 25th anniversary of Shark Week, the Discovery Channel and Volkswagen have collaborated to create a mobile, underwater shark cage cruiser in the shape of their iconic Beetle.  Able to move along the ocean floor, the one-of-a-kind vehicle is equipped with a full air system, headlights, and two propellers.  Now, scientists can get up close and personal with with their toothy subjects while rolling in style.

Read the rest of Volkswagen Unveils Underwater Beetle Shark Tank That Can Drive Along the Ocean’s Floor!

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Post tags: beetle, beetle turbo, bug, Discovery Channel, diver, justin osbourne, luke tipple, researchers, shark, shark week, volkswagen, volskwagen in america, vw

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Post tags: Austria, Dominic Ebenbichler, eco design, green design, Irek Glowacki, Marek Rozhanski, sustainable design, Tertens, Upside Down House