Volvo Group plans wirelessly charged bus line

There's one bit of futuristic transportation technology that seems to get trotted out almost as often as autonomous cars, electric cars and flying cars: Inductive, or wireless, charging for city buses. It's not as sexy or as memorable as the perpetually out-of-reach commuter-grade Harrier jet, but it uses proven technology (GM's EV-1 uses inductive charging, as do electric toothbrushes) to save or eliminate fuel and to reduce emissions. And unlike the flying car, induction-charged buses are hardly fantasy: They've been used in European cities for over a decade, South Korea started testing a fleet last year and Utah got in on the act recently.

Renault designers on their interpretation of luxury [w/Video]

Renault's design chief Laurens van den Acker and his design team have stressed how the Initiale Paris concept previews how Renault design's tactics will help steer clear of its rivals within the premium segment.  The concept – the sixth to be developed in the design strategy inspired by the cycle of life, now in the Wisdom stage – heralds Renault's return to the high-end market after a number of years. It was, therefore, important that the design be a positive rejection of traditional ideas of luxury, design director of concept cars Axel Breun believes. Designer Choung Sun Oh goes to great pains to stress how the design team worked towards developing a highly original design to set them apart from rivaling brands upon re-entry.

New Lexus Concept teased for Frankfurt. Is this the Lexus RC, the IS Coupe?

New Lexus Concept teased for Frankfurt With the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show now just a few weeks away, car makers are starting to tease their offerings, with this morning’s coming from Lexus with a tease photo for a new Lexus Concept. Lexus aren’t giving anything away, but it does look like this tease could be for the new Lexus RC – and a powerful RC-F – Coupe, a two-door version of the latest IS. That makes more sense from the proportions we can work out in the photo than a  first look at a more compact, sub-RX – SUV we also know is in the works, but we wonder how different it will be from the concept for the latest IS.