This weekend we got talking about the sci-fi we read as kids, and how much of life has changed as depicted in those great novel and movies. Here's a current peak into the future, and you know elements of this technology will plant into our everyday lives.
Tiny wind- and solar-powered 'Ecocapsule' promises ultimate getaway
By Jenny Xie
It's as if science fiction and all the biggest tiny-living trends came together and laid an adorably tricked-out egg: Behold the Ecocapsule, a self-sustaining, low-energy, portable dwelling that allows users to live off-grid anywhere in the world (that gets at least a decent amount of sunlight).
Conceived by Slovakian studio Nice Architects, the approximately 15-foot-long-by-8-foot-wide shelter is powered by a 750-watt wind turbine, a 28-square-foot array of high-efficiency solar cells, and for good measure, a 9,744-watt-hour battery. The designers claim that the 86-square-foot space, which comes with typical micro-living amenities like a kitchenette, shower and composting toilet, built-in storage, folding bed, and some all-purpose counter space, will fit two people comfortably.
The Ecocapsule, which also includes a rainwater collection and filtration system, could potentially help serve disaster zones, charge up electric vehicles, or facilitate a small-scale hotel. A prototype made its debut today at the 2015 Pioneers Festival in Vienna, Austria, and the plan is to start taking orders at the end of 2015. Pricing details, though, won't be released until then.
The designers told Slate that the cost of Ecocapsules would be "competitive" with that of "RV and mobile houses with similar performance."
The eye-popping shipping estimates could also give you an idea. Shipping the 2,866-pound structure from Slovakia to New York, for example, is expected to cost $2,383.
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