Tech & Gadget Stream

Energy monitors are not new, and it's surely only a matter of time before they become mandatory in UK homes as we all track our carbon hoofprint. Somehow, however, I doubt they'll be as elegant and thoughtful as designer Delroy Dennisur's concept. Not only does the smooth white panel calculate your energy and financial expenditure - showing you the amount of energy used and your current bill - it also offers a visual reminder to cut down on energy consumption with a leaf pattern which grows, yellows and rots as you spend more. A visual conscience prick to conserve energy is handy - although if you grow too in love with the pattern you might use more just to see it.

While the simple van may not be the most glamorous of vehicles, it's hard to argue against a practical electric version that could do the same tasks, but without burning fossil fuels. That's exactly what the MODEC does, an electric van with a 100 mile range that can shift up to 2 tons of goods from supermarket to customer's doors. Tesco, a UK supermarket company recently arranged a contract to upgrade its home delivery fleet to the MODEC , which has a top speed of 50 MPH with its 102 horse power electric motor. It's sure got style.

What have your lithium-ion batteries done for you lately? Forget powering those handheld gadgets, the king of lithium-ion batteries is sitting in the heart of the Zero X electric motorcycle . Named for its lack of emissions and noise, the 120-pound Zero X still pumps out 20 horsepower and tops out at around 50 miles per hour. A single charge of the battery will take you 40 miles, but the battery packs can be hotswapped in mere seconds and fully recharge in about three hours. Though the engine is roughly equivalent to that of a 250cc gasoline-powered bike, the lightweight electric motor makes the Zero X accelerate much faster. If it's too fast for you, plug the bike's brain into your PC via the USB port to access the bike's virtual control panel. The ZBrain computer opens up a host of customizatin options for the electric bike, including the ability to create multiple riding profiles for different users. You can blaze to work at full throttle all week, then tone down the acc...