E-VEHICLES | URBAN LIFESTYLE | SMART DESIGN | COOL TECHNOLOGY
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I N T E R N AT I O N A L E D I T I O N
Interview: Violeta Bulc, EU transport Commisioner: I use my bicycle
Electric snow adventure:
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Green golfing: VWs electric e-Golf
BMW i8
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The birth of Apple Watch: Tim Cook, Apple CEO
E-VEHICLES | URBAN LIFESTYLE | SMART DESIGN | COOL TECHNOLOGY
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Porsche, Toyota, Audi and Nissan will be racing their hybrid-powered monsters at the end of June in the famous Le Mans 24-hour race. Discover their technology on page 94.
contents driving 6
news
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technology Which one is for you
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full charge BMW i8: Electric Snow
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full charge Volkswagen e-Golf: Gone Golfing
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first charge Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV
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interview Oliver Krämer, BMW
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first charge Volvo XC90 T8 Twin Engine
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first charge Kia Soul EV
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first charge Renault Eolab
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intervju Denis Le-Vot, Renault
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first charge BMW i3
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first charge Volkswagen Golf GTE
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unplugged Lexus NX 300h
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interview Violeta Bulc, EC Transport Commissioner
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racing New Technologies
living 102 yachts Solarwave 62 Cruiser 104 in the air Solar Impulse 2 110 in the air Pipistrel Airplanes 120 technology Wireless Charging 122 architecture House P.A.T.H. 130 design Enjoying the outdoors 132 interview Thomas Feichtner 136 fashion My Story 146 technology Tim Cook and Apple Watch 152 good eating Seafood 156 travel First Sheraton with Tesla Supercharger 162 column Sebastjan Plevnjak: Have We Gone Green Yet?
Cover photo:: Saša Kapetanovič Model: Aleksander for Immortal model management Aleksander is wearing: jacket Strellson, shirt MH, trousers Wegner, shoes Nero Gia and handkerchief Brax.
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news
Charging a Mobile Phone with Water The German company Blue Freedom LLC, has come up with a new way of charging smartphones, far from the urban din, in the midst of nature. Solar cells have been replaced by a miniature hydropower plant with a 12‑centimeter turbine which is submerged into water, and houses a 5 W generator and a battery with a capacity of 5,000 mAh. The device is especially intended for people without access to electricity.
The device is especially intended for people without access to electricity.
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The Cadillac CT6 as a Plug-In Hybrid At Shanghai Car Show, Cadillac announced that it will add a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) drivetrain to the big CT6 sedan. Compared to internal combustion engine versions, the plug-in hybrid Cadillac CT6 PHEV will double the mileage of the gasoline model, and the lightweight construction will also contribute to its fuel-saving technology. The basis of the plug-in hybrid drive of this 5.182 meter sedan is the 2-liter turbocharged four-cylinder gas engine, with two electric motors in the electric variable gearbox (EVT) on the rear axle. Together they reach 250 kW of power and 586 Nm torque that will mostly reflect in very comfortable and dynamic driving, due to the EVT gearbox. The 18.4 kWh li-ion battery will suffice for everyday needs for electric driving, as it is similar to the capacity of the battery in some full-electric cars.
Fl oa t ing Through Town Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Toyota continues to expand its hybrid drives in the SUV category. The Toyota RAV4 Hybrid now combines a hybrid drive (with a 2.5-liter gas engine) and an additional electric motor, for the rear wheel drive. The electronic four-wheel drive ensures more safety while driving, and the car can also pull a trailer of up to 1650 kilograms. The upgraded Toyota RAV4 differs from its predecessor through its new front, with LED headlights, different door sills that enhance the elegant design of the side lines, and new rear lights and bumpers. The interior of the cockpit has been diversified by a refreshed gauge cluster and color touch display, and a 360-degree supervision system, for the area around the car. The scope of the safety systems is also quite extensive, with the pre-collision system and autonomous braking as stand-outs. The refreshed RAV4 is coming to car showrooms in December, and the RAV4 Hybrid will be available at the beginning of 2016.
A bicycle is a good choice to travel around towns, but it’s sometimes impractical over short distances. For this very purpose, the companies BASF and Floatility have developed an ultra‑lightweight solar‑powered electric scooter, which makes short journeys creative, affordable and swift. It gives drivers the sensation of floating, and so it was dubbed the “e‑floater.” Weighing less than 12 kilograms, and consisting primarily of innovative composite materials, the e‑floater is very simple to manufacture, and very durable.
Wooden
Trobla
The Trobla - a wooden sound amplifier for smartphones that operates without any electronic components, in a natural way, based only on the physical features of the way sound travels. You guessed it: another Kickstarter bestseller. It’s the first product under the brand Tok Tok (Slovene for “knock knock”), which got its name from the old custom of knocking on wood. It is a “speaker” that is not only environmentallyfriendly and practical, but it also looks good, something you’d be proud to put on your desk. The Trobla is made of hard maple and nut wood, as well as some magnets that are used to adapt it to various devices.
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TEXT: Aljoša Mrak PHoto: Saša Kapetanovič, archives Golf della Montecchia
Golfing with a Golf
full charge Volkswagen e-Golf
Environmental awareness is much more than just collecting plastic bottle caps, closing windows or using recycled toilet paper. It's a way of life. That's why we took the Golf to a golf course, to prove that an ecological lifestyle can be both rewarding and fun.
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A
Although the phrase “Golfing with a Golf” has been slightly overused, we took a step further and drove the electric Volkswagen Golf to an eco-friendly golf course near Padua in Italy. Our point of departure was the airport in Venice, since it connects many capitals and interesting coastal cities around the world. The airport has a diverse range of cars for rental, and they must also have some electric ones. Perhaps the e-Golf, since we’re headed to a golf course? The distance between Venice and Verona is about 120 kilometers, and it’s well worth heading there for a romantic dinner, to enjoy a cultural event in the Roman amphitheater or visit Romeo's Juliet (her right breast is also quite worn out, which means that, according to the legend, many couples are now happily in love, as the legend says that rubbing it's breast means happy relationship). This route should be a piece of cake for the Golf, with its 85 kW electric motor and 318kg battery, which is located between the front and rear axle, with a 24.2 kWh capacity, since its range theoretically reaches 190 kilometers. But considering the fact that you always need to keep something in reserve, and that it’s not recommended to drive at only 80 km/h on Italian highways, and that the automatic air conditioning, radio and navigation consume a lot of energy, the actual range is just about perfect for us to drive from the airport to the hotel in the center of Verona. Courage with speed and consumption does not apply here, therefore it’s best to choose the ECO mode at the beginning of your drive, which allows a maximum speed of 115 km/h. This is fast enough for a comfortable drive, without the
need to camp out in the right lane, nestled among the trucks. Volkswagen's e-Golf is a full-electric car, not a hybrid, as most random observers thought. This can be ascribed to a popular TV ad for a more high-performance version, the GTE. Ours was only e, so the e-Golf. You can choose one of the three programs on the selective menu, on the intuitive touch-screen: Normal, Eco and Eco+. The first enables you to speed up to 140 km/h; however, this proportionally decreases the drive range. In Eco mode, motor power is reduced to 70 kilowatts, and peak torque to 220 Nm, and the responsiveness of the accelerator and the air conditioning also change. The most energy-saving option is, of course, Eco+. In this mode, the motor's performance reaches 55 kilowatts and has 175Nm peak torque, and the maximum speed is reduced by 25 kilometers per hour, in comparison with the Eco mode, thus from 115 to 90 km/h. The air conditioning does not function in this mode (and we didn’t miss it on our early spring tour across northern Italy), and the accelerator is even less responsive. When you press the accelerator to its maximum (the socalled “kickdown”) and try to overtake other vehicles, the system engages full power, since this is a safety issue, dnd Volkswagen take safety really seriously. The electric version of the Golf behaves like a completely ordinary car which, despite the additional weight of the batteries, and
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full charge Volkswagen e-Golf
it copes excellently with bumpy roads and guarantees superb noise insulation. I don't know if you’ve ever noticed, but winter tires (our e-Golf had completely ordinary Nokian winter tires, with dimensions 205/55 R16) are actually quite loud. Noise from the tires in a car with a classic internal combustion engine never drowns out the engine noise, but in the e-Golf, this noise began to bother me quite quickly. Yes, you quickly get spoiled by the good things... The e-Golf also spoils you with its equipment, since it has it all, from the rearview camera to navigation—even the trunk is only 39 liters smaller than its fueldriven brother. This feels like a completely normal car, and not a stripped shell, like the first electric cars, which made you ashamed of the “sheet metal” sound, when handling its doors. What do you need to know before taking it for a drive? Only the fact that, after starting it, instead of hearing a loud motor sound, the sign Ready appears on the display. Everything else is just the same as driving a classic Golf with automatic transmission. Well, we have to add that the gearshift lever is used to choose programs D1, D2, D3 and B, which define the recuperation level. Competitive cars very quickly come to a stop
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when you release the throttle, but the Golf is quite similar to classic cars in this aspect. Before visiting the famous Juliet, we turned into the suburbs of Padua, to visit the golf course. This is not an ordinary golf course, since it has won the Golf Environment Organization (GEO) certificate and Committed to Green certificate, awarded by the Italian National Golf Association (Federazione Italiana Golf). The Golf della Montecchia resort came into being in 1988, when numerous entrepreneurs from Padua merged to do something together. They hired Tom Macaulay to set up the golf course. He subsequently became the President of the British Golf Course Architects Association. According to the statistics, the golf course has 27 holes and three teeing grounds – white, red and yellow.
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TEXT: DuĹĄan LukiÄ? PHoto: PR
interview Violeta Bulc, EC Transport Commissioner
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With a Hybrid and a Bike Violeta Bulc Violeta Bulc is (at least when transport and traffic is concerned) the most important woman in Europe. We asked European Commissioner for transport what Europeans could expect in the future.
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Following the Sun Around the Earth From Abu Dhabi to...Abu Dhabi? This is the goal of the crew of the Solar Impulse 2 experimental plane. Betrand Piccard and Andre Borschberg want to fly around the planet in five months. Solely on solar energy.
TEXT: Mitja Sagaj PHoto: Solar Impulse
Green Sky
TEXT: Mitja Sagaj PHoto: Uroš Modlic, Pipistrel
in the air Pipistrel Airplanes
Taurus with an auxiliary motor for autonomous takeoff is lifting gliding to a new dimension.
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You say it's blue? Well, we would bet that the sky above the Slovenian town of Ajdovščina was green. At least the people who work at Pipistrel see it that way. And they strive to turn the sky green all around the world. How else to explain their pioneering production of electric aircraft, which represents alternative power in aviation?
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WATTsUP, Taurus Electro, and the hybrid and electric Panthera are models that show the direction of Pipistrel. The folks who work at this trendsetter in green aviation still remember the late 1970s and early 1980s, when a sudden love for aviation led Ivo Boscarol, a printer at the time, to manufacture a powered hang glider. “They’re bats,” exclaimed the local observers on the ground who first saw his gliders soar high above them, and so the founder came up with the name of his company. Pipistrellus is Latin for “bat.” The company, which has 100 employees, celebrated its 25th anniversary last year. After about a decade of manufacturing powered hang gliders, they added ultralight aircraft to their line-up, and it didn't take long for Pipistrel to become a name renowned among producers of this niche product. Aircrafts Sinus was followed by the enhanced Virus, while Taurus, with its auxiliary engine for autonomous takeoff, offered a new experience in gliding. Then the Taurus Electro became the first completely
electric two-seater aircraft in serial production. The designers at Pipistrel are firm believers in the superior power of electricity over regular gas-powered internal combustion engines. Compared to the traditional Taurus, the electric Taurus has a shorter takeoff distance, climbs faster and responds better to high altitude maneuvers. Climbing is facilitated by a 40kW electric motor, specially-developed at Pipistrel, while custom-made lithium ion batteries, in two configurations, lift the glider up to 4000 feet (approx. 1200 meters) or even as high as 6500 feet (approx. 2000 meters). Compared to its predecessor, the electric motor of the second generation of the Taurus Electro (referred to as G2) is five kilograms lighter, weighing in at only 11 kilos, and is 10kW more powerful, with the superior package topped off by a more efficient propeller. Pipistrel is so committed to increased efficiency and harnessing every atom of energy, especially if it is acquired in an environmentally friendly way, that
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design
Enjoying the outdoors Take some time for yourself, to rest and party with friends. Being ecologically aware all the while, of course. And keep pace with time, too. A real man dares to be different.
Swingrest Swing Dedon, www.dedon.de
Wooden Bike Carrier Bough bike, www.boughbikes.nl
LET THE ADRENALINE RUN THROUGH YOUR VEINS “Life is an adventure, dare to live it!� A good game of foosball, or a fast ride on a super chic wooden bike, can boost your adrenaline.
Druida Grill Marmeladaestudio, www.mermeladaestudio.es
You and Me Table Tennis Table Rs-barcelona, www.rs-barcelona.com
Zero Outdoor Fire Place AK47, www.ak47space.com
Table Soccer 90 Minuto Teckell, www.teckell.com
TEXT: Zoja Bevc
Gargantua Table and Bench Extremis, www.extremis.be
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Sail Seating Elements Gandia blasco, www.gandiablasco.com
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Pavilion Cottage Kettal, www.kettal.com
A FEELING OF FREEDOM Catch that wonderful feeling of freedom by living outdoors. Combining comfortable outdoor furniture with places to gather in your garden, you can create a space with great energy.
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Nothing is more important than wellbeing. Catch a glimpse of contemporary fashion trends and tailor them to your own rhythm.
PHoto: Aleš Bravničar Styling: Boris Arivukovič Hair: Luka FOR mič styling Model: Aleksander for Immortal Model Management Styling assistant: mia Ventin Photographer assistant: andraž blaznik
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My Story
fashion
Diesel jacket; Top Man shirt; Polo Ralph Laurent trousers; Boss shoes.
good eating Seafood
Scampi alla Busara
TEXT: Gruša Zorn PHoto: Matevž Kostanjšek
Main dish for 2 people (use medium size prawns): • 1kg prawns, fresh • 1dcl olive oil • 2.5dcl white wine (Malvasia) • 1 fist-sized bunch of cherry tomatoes • 5 cloves of garlic • 1 small branch of parsley • 1 tablespoonful of breadcrumbs Quickly sauté the prawns and sliced cherry tomatoes in olive oil. When the prawns turn slightly translucent, add wine and sprinkle with roughly-chopped garlic, thinly chopped parsley and a tablespoon of breadcrumbs. Cover the pan and simmer for about 10–15 minutes (depending on the size of prawns). Serve with bread to dip into the sauce. The dish is best served with white wine (Malvasia).
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Seafood:
Simple, Delicious and Healthy I love the sea. The memory of hot summers, fragrant markets full of fresh vegetables and fruit. Fish markets fill up early in the mornings, when fishermen bring fresh seafood: white fish, mussels, clams, scallops, prawns, lobsters, shrimp‌ Seafood is good for our bodies and minds. It is rich in Omega 3 acids and iodine, which makes it essential for the correct development of the human body. Moreover, seafood is generally recognized as an aphrodisiac. So, put your apron on and dive into the kitchen‌ Plugin Magazine | 3-2015
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